NationMaster - Encyclopedia: Thaipusam

Thaipusam (Tamil: தைப்பூசம்) is a Hindu festival celebrated mostly by the Tamil community on the full moon in the Tamil month of Thai (Jan/Feb). Pusam refers to a star that is at its highest point during the festival. The festival commemorates both the birthday of Lord Murugan (also Subramaniam), the youngest son of Shiva and Parvati, and the occasion when Parvati gave Murugan a vel (lance) so he could vanquish the evil demon Soorapadman. Image File history File links Please see the file description page for further information. ... It has been suggested that this article or section be merged into Thaipusam. ... Image File history File linksMetadata Download high-resolution version (1197x1600, 529 KB) Murugan idol, adorned with peacock feathers, being carried in procession during a Thaipusam festival celebration in Malaysia. ... Image File history File linksMetadata Download high-resolution version (1197x1600, 529 KB) Murugan idol, adorned with peacock feathers, being carried in procession during a Thaipusam festival celebration in Malaysia. ... This article or section does not adequately cite its references or sources. ... Hinduism - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia /**/ @import /skins-1. ... Languages Tamil Religions Hinduism, Christianity, Islam, Jainism Related ethnic groups Dravidian people Brahui people Kannadigas Malayalis Tamils Telugus Tuluvas Gonds The Tamil people are an ethnic group from the Indian subcontinent with a recorded history going back more than two millennia. ... It has been suggested that Puthandu be merged into this article or section. ... Muruga (also Murugan) (Tamil: ) is perhaps the most popular Hindu deity amongst Tamils of Tamil Nadu state in India, Sri Lanka and in the Tamil diaspora. ... â€œNilakanthaâ€ redirects here. ... To meet Wikipedias quality standards, this article may require cleanup. ... To meet Wikipedias quality standards, this article may require cleanup. ... In Hindu mythology, Soorapadam (also known as Soorapadman), was a rakshasa. ...

Devotees prepare for the celebration by cleansing themselves through prayer and fasting. On the day of the festival, devotees will shave their heads undertake a pilgrimage along a set route while engaging in various acts of devotion, notably carrying various types of kavadi (burdens). At its simplest this may entail carrying a pot of milk, but mortification of the flesh by piercing the skin, tongue or cheeks with vel skewers is also common. The most spectacular practice is the vel kavadi, essentially a portable altar up to two meters tall, decorated with peacock feathers and attached to the devotee through 108 vels pierced into the skin on the chest and back. Fire walking and flagellation may also be practiced. It is claimed that devotees are able to enter a trance, feel no pain, do not bleed from their wounds and have no scars left behind. However, some of the more extreme masochistic practices have been criticized as dangerous and contrary to the spirit and intention of Hinduism. Image File history File linksMetadata Download high-resolution version (1197x1600, 308 KB) Worshippers carry heavy pots in a procession during a Thaipusam festival celebration in Malaysia. ... Image File history File linksMetadata Download high-resolution version (1197x1600, 308 KB) Worshippers carry heavy pots in a procession during a Thaipusam festival celebration in Malaysia. ... Image File history File linksMetadata Download high-resolution version (1197x1600, 250 KB) Worshipper carrying idols and hooks during a Thaipusam festival celebration in Malaysia. ... Image File history File linksMetadata Download high-resolution version (1197x1600, 250 KB) Worshipper carrying idols and hooks during a Thaipusam festival celebration in Malaysia. ... Flagellants mortifying the flesh, at the time of the Black Death Mortification of the flesh literally means putting the flesh to death. The term is primarily used in religious contexts, and is practised in a variety of ways. ... Whipping on a post Flagellation is the act of whipping (Latin flagellum, whip) the human body. ... An altered state of consciousness is any state which is significantly different from a normative waking beta wave state. ... Flogging demonstration at Folsom Street Fair 2004. ...

The largest Thaipusam celebrations take place in Singapore and Malaysia^{[citation needed]}. The temple at the Batu Caves, near Kuala Lumpur, often attracts over one million devotees and tens of thousands of tourists^{[citation needed]}. The procession to the caves starts at the Maha Mariamman Temple in the heart of the city and proceeds for 15 kilometers to the caves, an 8-hour journey culminating in a flight of 272 steps to the top. In Malaysia, although rare, scenes of people from different ethnic groups and faiths bearing "kavadi" can also be seen. Interestingly, Thaipusam is also increasingly being celebrated by the ethnic Chinese in Malaysia^{[citation needed]}. Thaipusam is also celebrated at another cave site, the Sri Subramaniar Temple in Gunong Cheroh, Ipoh, Perak and at Jalan Waterfall in Penang Image File history File links ThaiMAL.jpg Summary A hindu devotee during Thaipusam in Malaysia. ... Image File history File links ThaiMAL.jpg Summary A hindu devotee during Thaipusam in Malaysia. ... Image File history File links ThaiCHI.jpg Summary An ethnic Chinese performing the ritual. ... Image File history File links ThaiCHI.jpg Summary An ethnic Chinese performing the ritual. ... Batu Caves is a limestone hill to the north of Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia which has a series of caves and cave temples. ... Nickname: KL Motto: Maju dan makmur (Malay: Peace and progress) Location in Malaysia Coordinates: Country Malaysia State Federal Territory Establishment 1857 Granted city status 1974 Government - Mayor (Datuk Bandar) Abdul Hakim Borhan From 14 December 2006 Area - City 243. ... The Mariamman Temple is the oldest Hindu temple in Pretoria and was built in 1905. ... Nickname: City of Millionaires or Bougainvillea City Location in Malaysia Coordinates: Country Malaysia State Perak Establishment Around 1880 Mayor Mohamad Rafiai Moktar Area - City 643 kmÂ² (248. ... State motto: no State motto Capital Ipoh Royal Capital Kuala Kangsar Sultan Sultan Azlan Muhibbuddin Shah Chief Minister Dato Seri Diraja Tajol Rosli bin Mohd Ghazali Area 21,006 kmÂ² Population - Est. ... State motto: Bersatu dan Setia (United and Loyal) State anthem: Untuk Negeri Kita (For Our State) Capital George Town Ruling party Barisan Nasional - Yang Di-Pertua Negeri Abdul Rahman bin Haji Abbas - Ketua Menteri Dr Koh Tsu Koon History - Ceded by Kedah to British 11 August 1786 - Japanese occupation 1942...

In Palani, Tamil Nadu, India, Thai Pusam is celebrated with grandeur. Thousands of devotees flock to Palani and attend kavadi. According to palani.org, "The number of kavadis reaching Palani for Thai Pusam is about 10,000. For Pankuni Uttiram, 50,000 kavadis arrive. It is kavadi to your right, kavadi to your left, kavadi in front of you, kavadi behind you, kavadi above you and kavadi below you."^[1] To meet Wikipedias quality standards, this article or section may require cleanup. ... Tamil Nadu (தமிழ் நாடு, Land of the Tamils) is a state at the southern tip of India. ...

In 2007, Thaipusam was celebrated on 1 February 2007. February 1 is the 32nd day of the year in the Gregorian Calendar. ... 2007 (MMVII) is the current year, a common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar and the Anno Domini (common) era. ...

See also

Hinduism in Southeast Asia influenced the Champa kingdom in Vietnam, the Srivijayan kingdom on Sumatra, the Singhasari kingdom and the Majapahit Empire based in Java, Bali, and a number of the islands of the Philippine archipelago. ... // The early 19th century saw a wave of immigrants from southern India, mostly Tamils, to work as coolies and labourers for the British East India Company in Singapore. ... Sri Mariamman Temple is Singapores oldest Hindu temple. ... It has been suggested that this article or section be merged into Thaipusam. ...

External links

Image File history File links Commons-logo. ... Wikimedia Commons logo by Reid Beels The Wikimedia Commons (also called Commons or Wikicommons) is a repository of free content images, sound and other multimedia files. ...

Notes and references

Categories: Articles to be merged since November 2006 | Articles with unsourced statements since February 2007 | All articles with unsourced statements | Festivals in India | Hindu festivals | Religion in Malaysia | Hinduism in Singapore The Hindu religion has many festivals. ... A page from the Hindu calendar 1871-72. ... Image File history File links HinduSwastika. ... Sankranthi, or Sankranti, is a festival that signifies the beginning of the harvest season for the farmers of India. ... There are very few or no other articles that link to this one. ... Satyanarayana Pooja is an event celebrated by Hindus on every full moon. ... This article is about the Pongal festival. ... It has been suggested that Dol-Purnima be merged into this article or section. ... Ugadi (Telugu: à°‰à°—à°¾à°¦à°¿, Kannada: à²‰à²—à²¾à²¦à²¿) (literally - the start of an era) is the new years day for the people of the Deccan region of India. ... ... Rama Navami falls on the ninth day of a Hindu lunar year (or Chaitra Masa Suklapaksha Navami). ... Krishna Janmaashtami, also known as Krishnaashtami, Gokulaashtami, Srikrishna Jayanti, Sree Jayanthi or sometimes merely as Janmaashtami, is a Hindu festival celebrating the birth of Krishna, the eighth avatar (incarnation) of Vishnu. ... Onam (Malayalam: à´“à´£à´‚) is an annual harvest festival, celebrated mainly in the Indian state of Kerala. ... Lord Ganesh Ganesh Chaturthi, (Ganesh Festival) is an occasion or a day on which Lord Ganesha, the son of Shiva and Parvati, makes his presence on earth for all his devotees. ... The Khanda Baisakhi (Punjabi: , , also known as Vaisakhi) marks the Punjabi New Year and the beginning of the harvest season in Punjab, India. ... It has been suggested that this article or section be merged with Dussehra. ... Durga Puja (Bengali: à¦¦à§à¦°à§à¦—à¦¾à¦ªà§à¦œà¦¾ DurgÄ PÅ«jÄ) is the biggest festival of Bengali Hindus. ... Vijayadashami (also known as Dussehra) is a festival celebrated across India. ... Dasara, also called Navaratri, is among the most important festivals celebrated in Southern India. ... Karwa Chauth is celebrated by married women in India by fasting for the long life of their husbands. ... This article or section does not cite its references or sources. ... Maha Shivratri or Maha Sivaratri or Shivaratri or Sivaratri (Night of Shiva) is a Hindu festival celebrated every year on the 14th day in the Krishna Paksha of the month Maagha (as per Shalivahana) or Phalguna(as per Vikrama) in the Hindu Calendar. ... Ekadasi is the eleventh lunar day (Tithi) of the shukla (bright) or krishna (dark) paksha (fortnight) respectively, of every lunar month in the Hindu calendar (Panchang). ... MahaLakshmi vratha is a sacred day in Hinduism. ... A sample of rakhis, tied by sisters on the wrists of brothers in celebration of Raksha Bandhan Raksha Bandhan (the bond of protection in Hindi) or Rakhi (à¤°à¤¾à¤–à¥€ in DevanÄgarÄ«) is a Hindu festival which celebrates the relationship between brothers and sisters. ... Bhaubeej/Bhau-Beej (in Marathi) or Bhai-Dooj (in Hindi) or Bhai Beej (in Gujarati) is a festival or ceremony performed by Hindus on the second day after Diwali, which is the second day of the new year. ... Puthandu (Tamil New Year) On the Tamil New Years Day, a big Car Festival is held at Tiruvadamarudur near Kumbakonam. ...

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Notes and references

See also