the story behind Thaipusam Festival?
As per legend, Parvati (the Hindu goddess of fruitfulness, love, commitment, divine strength, and force) gave Murugan (the general granter of wishes) a lance – the vel, so he could vanquish the malicious devil Soorapadman.
This is the reason during Thaipusam, lovers go to Murugan to get his elegance and favors and to make Penang.
The Thaipusam is a Hindu rooted festival but it was obtained to the Malaysian peninsula by the people who immigrated from southern India to work in rubber estates and government offices.
Now, in Malaysia Hindu religion is in fourth-largest religion on the list of religions.
Celebrations of Thaipusam Festival in Penang, Malaysia 2021:-
As Thaipusam festival in Penang is the 2nd largest festival in Malaysia.
The celebration starts one month earlier but people do the body conditioning 1 week earlier.
The devotees fast 48 hours before paying
Thanksgiving and
penance act to LordMurugan.
To pay thanks & pay penance to lord
people Pierce the skin with metal skewers for self-mortification and
carry pots of milk and walk around 4 kilometers.
From this, vibes of spirituality and belief are all around. People who do such sacrifices gain respect in the community.
Not only Tamil people Visit Lord Murugan Temple but people from all over the world visit the temple of Malaysia.
There is also one more thing called kava. Kavadi consists of a wooden pole with a wooden arch.
Kavadi is also beautifully decorated with many materials but the peacock feathers are the main attraction.
The women carry the vessel that carries fruits, flowers, and the pot of milk.
Also, other penance act includes walking on hot coals without wearing shoes.
The astonishing things that they don’t suffer any burner, piercing doesn’t bleed or leave any scars.
Rituals, Customs And beliefs of the festival:-
The conveying of kavadi starts from where the kavadi speaks to a mountain with Lord Subramaniam at its summit.
Any individual who goes to the slopes to venerate Sri Muruga with an article like the two hillocks suspended by a heap thin shaft might be conceded his profound longing close by aficionados who bring sandal, milk, flowers, and so forth!
The act of doing a ‘Vel’, otherwise called ‘Shakti Vel’, on Thaipusam day connotes that ‘Goddess Parvathi’ (Amman), an associate of ‘Master Shiva” gave this weapon to Lord ‘Subramanian’ to crush the Asuras (Demons).
Thus, when they serenade as one ‘Vel, Vel, Vetri Vel’, the fans, get a feeling of destruction as they battle their body till the finish of the excursion till they arrive at the Penang Hill Top finally giving up to Lord Muruga and expressing gratitude toward him for his doings.
A few enthusiasts shave their head as a demonstration of supplication to have their petitions conceded while some couple conveys their infant young lady on a yellow lounger suspended from three stalks of sugarcane integrated from the lower region to the highest point of the sanctuary as they satisfy their promise for giving them a solid child.
Vivid Traditional Costume
What is a celebration if there isn’t some bling and shadings?
Eye catcher things are a large number of searchers and onlookers wear their way of life on their sleeves decked with gems and adornments.
Concerning members,
dressed in Lord Murugan’s yellow and orange tones,
wrap themselves with green neem leaves over their outfits or on their paalkodam.
Neem leaves are holy in Hinduism as they speak to the Goddess Parashakti, Mother of the universe.
Cuisines of the Thaipusam Festival:-
This festival has spiritual importance so food for the soul is necessary not food for the body.
Because of people’s beliefs, people do long fastings and sacrifices.
unlike another festival, this festival doesn’t have special recipes but some cuisines are
Pongal,
paanagam,
Jhattapayarce,
channa dalPongal,
Payasam,
Poha with potatoes, and also many more.
Conclusion:-
Festival of spirituality and sacrifice.
Festival of uncommon rituals.
Author:-Mansha Mahajan
