Written by Aqil Nasri
Oh Malaysia, we’re blessed with so many different cultures and celebrations that public holidays are coming in droves. We’ve just had the Chinese New Year celebration last week and now we’re gonna be celebrating Thaipusam this weekend (And we’re only in February!). What a way to start 2020.
But, although Thaipusam has been celebrated as long as we can remember, there might be some interesting new facts that some of you might not have known previously. As such, let me share 5 interesting things about Thaipusam that you may not know about Thaipusam in Malaysia.
Well, the word is actually split into two, into Thai and Pusam, with Thai holding the meaning of the “10th month in the Tamil calendar”, and pusam meaning “when the star is at its brightest” So, this is why Thaipusam is celebrated in the 10th month according to the Tamil Almanac, on the day when the moon passes through the star “Pusam”.
I feel that most people might’ve assumed that Thaipusam has been celebrated in this country for as long as time can remember. However, that is not the case, as the festival was brought into Malaysia back in the 1800s. This was when Indian immigrants started working in Malaysian rubber estates and government offices.
The first celebration at Batu Caves occurred in 1888, and ever since then, the celebration has even gotten bigger here in Malaysia.
If you are going to see the celebrations for the first time this year, don’t be surprised to see that many of the devotees are in a state of trance. Before you go making scared faces and more, know that there’s a reason for this.
The worshippers during Thaipusam would regularly pierce their tongues, cheeks, and even their faces with sharp objects. This is to symbolize the burdens carried by them. So, if you see a worshipper having their tongues pierced, it is done so as a symbolic gesture of giving up the gift of speech.
The whole celebration of Thaipusam is in dedication to the Hindu deity Murugan, the son of Lord Shiva. Based on stories and legends, it is told that Lord Shiva sent Murugan to help devotees being disturbed and plagues by asura (demons). He is given an invincible lance by Goddess Parvati in order to destroy the demon army of Tarakasura and fight the evil deeds that they brought forth.
In the end, Lord Murugan manages to be victorious, in which he appears before the devotees while holding a golden spear and seating on a silver chariot. The celebration of the victory that good has over evil is the main reasoning behind Thaipusam.
For many devotees, the preparation for Thaipusam does not start a few days before the festival or on the festival day itself. Instead, the preparations start 48 days (one mandala) before the Thaipusam festival. In preparing themselves, they need to be purged of all physical and mental impurities by doing observing certain rules and guidelines like:
- Fasting or eating only one simple vegetarian meal or fruits and milk a day
- Coldwater bathing
- Refrain themselves from smoking cigarettes, alcohol, or other intoxicants
- Sleeping on the floor
- For men, usually no shaving or cutting of hair during this period
- Constant prayers, poojas, chanting of mantras, singing hymns, reading of Sastras and spiritual books and remembrance of Lord Murugan.
