From the Editor ' s Desk : Thaipusam
From Piercing Body to Kavadi Attam - All You Need To Know About This Tamil Festival
Tamil devotees who worship Lord Kartikeya , also known as Lord Murugan , celebrate the Thai Pusam festival . This year , Thai Pusam is being celebrated today , January 18 , 2022 . The festival is observed on the Purnami Tithi or the Full Moon Day in the Tamil month of Thai , which concurs with the Makara month according to the Solar calendar followed in North India . The word Thaipusam can be broken into Thai and Pusam , where Pusam stands for Nakshatram Pusam or Pushya . The festival is not only observed in India but also in other countries like Malaysia , Indonesia , and Sri Lanka .
Thai Pusam 2022 Timings : The Poosam Nakshathram will begin at 04:37 AM on January 18 , 2022 , and it will end by 06:42 AM on January 19 , 2022 .
Significance of Thai Pusam : It is believed that the Soorapadman had grown so powerful that the Devas were not able to defeat him . To save the universe , the Devas sought help from Lord Shiva , who in turn gave birth to Murugan , thus the warrior God came into being . Eventually , Soorapadman was eliminated and with his death , the Devas got away from their miseries . Peace and Dharma were restored , following which the devotees started to worship Lord Murugan on Thai Pusam day to seek his blessings .
Among the rituals of Thai Pusam , Kavadi Attam is one of the most significant features . A kavadi is a semi-circular wooden carrier that is used to carry offerings for Lord Murugan . There are many devotees who tonsure their heads and walk barefoot as they carry the Kavadi on their shoulders , while there are some who carry a pot consisting of milk on their head . Kavadi Attam is one of the most distinctive features of Thai Pusam , but the mortification of the body is also quite common . Devotees pierce their tongue , skin , and other parts of the body with Vel or spear , which is a weapon carried by Lord Murugan .
Happy Reading and All Smiles !
Indira Srivatsa
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