Thaipusam

A festival representing sacrifice and the triumph of good over evil, Thaipusam is a quintessential moment within the Hindu faith tradition. It celebrates Murugan Bhagwan’s, also known as Kartikeya, victory over the demon Surapadam. The word Thaipusam reflects the time of year when it occurs, which is the full moon (Pusam) of the Tamil month of Thai. Its deep history and traditions are an amazing show of faith. 

The story of Thaipusam is closely intertwined with the story of Murugan. The Kanda Purana, (Tamil version of the Skanda Purana), describes three asuras named Surapadam, Tarakasuran, and Singamukhan, who performed an intense penance to Shiva Bhagwan and, as such, were blessed with boons that gave them power of the three worlds. However, they were arrogant and misused their power for evil. 

It was for this reason that Murugan was born to free the Earth from the egotistical, vile reign of these three demons. His creation stemmed from six sparks that emerged from Shiva Bhagwan, that all formed individual baby boys, who were then combined by Parvati Mata into one boy, full of strength and drive. As such, Parvati Mata granted him a spear, known as a vel, and he led the armies of the devas against the three demons. In the fierce battle that ensued, Murugan slayed the asura leader Surapadam,  restoring righteousness and faith to the three worlds. From his victory Murugan also gained his two most iconic symbols including the peacock and his flag emblazoned with a rooster. 

Thaipussam is primarily celebrated in South Indian states like Tamil Nadu as well as places with a large Tamil community like Malaysia, Singapore, Sri Lanka, the US, and the West Indies. Oftentimes, this holiday is celebrated with austerities and sacrifices including fasting, penance, and begging forgiveness for sins. One of the unique practices of this festival is the Kavadi Aattam. The Kavadi Aattam is the carrying of an object, representative of the burden that lies on man’s shoulder. This is considered an act of devotion because, by carrying this burden, devotees are imploring Murugan to aid them in their time of need and balance their spiritual debt. Usually, the object carried is roughly 30 kg (roughly 66 pounds, made of wood and steel, and decorated with flowers, peacock feathers, and other decorations. Another key practice of this festival is piercing the cheeks, skin, or tongue with vel-like skewers to show their connection and devotion to Lord Murguan.  

This amazing story of Murugan Bhagwan’s victory reflects the prowess of good over evil. Just like Rama Bhagwan’s victory over Ravana to Durga Mata’s victory over Mahishasura, Murugan Bhagwan’s victory over Surapadam reflects the Hindu emphasis on fighting evil wherever it may be. Our faith calls us to action, to serve dharma in an effort to not only ensure dharma’s survival, but also the survival of our culture, faith, and tradition.

The author, Sagar Patel, is a CoHNA youth volunteer.