A look back at how Hindu devotees celebrate the colourful festival
Updated 5 years ago · Published on 28 Jan 2021 10:15AM
The Hindu festival of Thaipusam, which commemorates the day when Goddess Pavarthi gave her son Lord Muruga an invincible lance to destroy evil demons, is celebrated by some two million ethnic Indians in Malaysia and Singapore. – Pic courtesy of National Museum of Singapore, January 28, 2021
by Amalina Kamal
MUCH has been said in the recent weeks leading up to the Thaipusam festival in the country.
While debates centred primarily on how it should be observed during the pandemic, we wish to mark the day by going through historical records of the celebration immortalised through images.
During this full moon in the Tamil month of Thai, let's revisit some fascinating bits of the festival that commemorates the feats of the Hindu deity, Lord Subramaniam.
Photo of Thaipusam procession circa the 1940s. – roots.gov.sg picPhoto ofThaipusam procession in the 1970s-1980s. – Pic courtesy of National Museum of SingaporeHindu devotees carrying a ‘kavadi. Picture circa the 1970s-1980s. – Pic courtesy of National Museum of SingaporeThousands of Hindu devotees follow the silver chariot carrying the statue of the Hindu deity, Lord Murugan on the eve of the annual Hindu festival of Thaipusam in Kuala Lumpur on February 3, 1996. – AFP picA Hindu devotee, wearing limes attached to his body with hooks, follows the silver chariot which carries a statue of the Hindu deity Lord Murugan on the eve of Thaipusam on February 3, 1996. –AFP picA Hindu devotee with a spear pierced through his cheeks takes part in the Thaipusam festival to fulfil a vow to Lord Murugan at the Batu Caves temple on February 4, 1996. – AFP picA Hindu devotee bears his chest covered with hooked oranges on February 3, 1996. – AFP picA female devotee with speared cheeks and offerings on her head walks toward the Sri Subramania Swami Temple in Batu Caves on February 10, 1998. – AFP picA Hindu devotee carries a ‘kavadi’ while dancing amongst the crowds at the Batu Caves Hindu temple on January 21, 2000. Before the pandemic, devotees would usually flock the temple. – AFP picDevotees carry decorated pots which contain milk on their arrival at the Batu Caves Hindu temple on January 21, 2000. – AFP picDevotees clean their body before starting the ritual piercing of their flesh with hooks or spikes as they climb up the cave's 272 steps to show penitence in Batu Caves during Thaipusam in Kuala Lumpur on January 28, 2002. – AFP picA devotee in trance before making the final journey to the temple in the Batu Caves on January 5, 2005. – AFP picHindus take a ceremonial shower near the Batu Caves temple during Thaipusam in 2008. – AFP picA Hindu boy cries while having his hair shaved at sunrise during Thaipusam in Batu Caves, Kuala Lumpur in 2009. – AFP picA Hindu devotee with his tongue pierced and a jaw locked makes his way towards the Hill Top Murugan temple during Thaipusam in Georgetown, Penang on January 17, 2014. – AFP picHindu devotees carry free food offerings as they pray in front of Lord Muruga's silver chariot during the Thaipusam Hindu festival in Penang on January 16, 2014. – AFP pic Devotees taking cigar puffs before making their way towards the Batu Caves temple to make offerings during the Thaipusam festival in 2011 and 2020 respectively before the pandemic. – AFP pic
Did you know?
Thaipusam is the day when the Hindu Lord Subramaniam (son of Lord Siva and Goddess Sakti) appeared before his devotees mounted on a peacock known as his ‘vahana’, aka vehicle. It also acknowledges Subramaniam’s triumph over the evil forces.
The story behind it details devas (celestial beings) plagued by asura (demons), pleading with Lord Siva to help them. Lord Siva sent his son Subramaniam to vanquish the demon army.
After accomplishing this task, the victorious Subramaniam was believed to have appeared before his devotees. In the vision, he was bedecked with brilliant jewels, armed with a golden spear, and seated on a chariot.
On Thaipusam day, Lord Subramaniam’s image, adorned and decorated, is placed on a silver chariot before his devotees. This is then taken in a procession. – The Vibes, January 28, 2021
*The Vibes would like to wish a blessed Thaipusam to those observing
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