While some might view Thaipusam as a series of painful rituals and tough sacrifices, for devotees, it is a celebration as they prepare their body and minds to fulfil their vows to Lord Murugan.
Apart from that, Thaipusam is indeed a colourful religious event – with the sounds of thunderous drums, peacock dancing, the midnight chariot procession, and devotees clad in yellow carrying milk offerings and flowers.
Listed below are the rituals and sacrifices performed during Thaipusam and explanations as to why they carry such significance.
1. Celebrating Lord Murugan’s victory over evil
For many Hindu devotees, Thaipusam starts on the full moon of the Thai month, known as ‘punarpusam’, typically in January or February.
In Kuala Lumpur, devotees fulfil their vows at the famous Batu Caves temple, where a larger-than-life gold-coloured Lord Murugan statue stands victorious holding a long-handled spear in his hand.
Known as the universal granter of desires, Murugan is always depicted with the divine spear by his side, believed to have been gifted to him by his mother, Goddess Parvati, to defeat the evil forces.
Other temples dedicated to Lord Murugan include the Thaneer Malai Murugan temple in Penang and the Kallumalai temple in Ipoh.
2. Fasting or observing a vegetarian diet
For Hindus, Thaipusam isn’t just a three-day religious event. In fact, preparations start a month before.
Devotees who wish to carry the kavadi, a short wooden pole surmounted by a wooden arch, must first cleanse their body and minds in order to perform such rituals as walking on fire.
These rituals are part of how they fulfil their vows after being granted their petitions for either good health, a promotion at work or conceiving a baby.
In the lead up to Thaipusam, many abstain from the luxuries of life, sacrificing the comfort of a soft bed to sleep on hard floors, or give up meat to eat only vegetarian food. Some even vow to eat only one meal a day.
3. Piercing skin with metal skewers and rods
On Thaipusam day, some devotees have their skin pierced with sharp rods or metal skewers.
Most times, sharp metal hooks or mini spears are pierced into their skin to support the weight of the kavadi that bears the image of Lord Murugan. The devotees do this as a mark of reverence to Lord Murugan.
Surprisingly despite the imagined pain, most kavadi-bearers feel nothing at all. This is because they fall into a half-conscious state known as a trance, brought on from reciting mantras over and over again, and praying to Lord Murugan.
It is said that by carrying the kavadi, devotees are repenting for their sins. In the same vein, the kavadi is symbolic of helping them surrender their ego, anger, lust, and greed.
4. Offering yellow flowers and milk pots
The chariot procession from the Sri Mariamman temple in Kuala Lumpur to Batu Caves in Selangor covers 15km.
As the colour yellow is associated with Lord Murugan, it is common to see a sea of devotees clad in yellow as they climb the flight of 272 steps to the top of the temple in Batu Caves.
Meanwhile, women and children often carry the paal kudam, also known as milk offerings, on their shoulders along with yellow flowers as offerings to Lord Murugan.
Devotees residing in the Klang Valley start their journey – covering 15 kilometres – carrying the milk offerings from the Sri Mariamman temple in Kuala Lumpur to the Batu Caves temple in Selangor.
5. Shaving heads as an act of sacrifice
Hair is a symbol of femininity and beauty for women. So, shaving their heads and offering their hair to Lord Murugan during Thaipusam is regarded as the ultimate sacrifice. The same applies to men who also shave their heads as an act of sacrifice during Thaipusam.