That sounds like a lot of fun right? It is believed that only when the mind is free of material worth and the body free from physical pleasures can a devotee undertake the sacred task without feeling any pain. In Greece, according to "The Bacchae" of Euripides, the Dionysian rites are said to have deeply disturbed some elements of the community. Spears are driven through tongues and cheeks. A hammock sways lazily in the breeze, comfortable armchairs are laid out. And not a drop of blood is shed in the process. Your email address will not be published. Fire walking and whipping are also practiced to prove the devotion by the pilgrims during the Thaipusam. I offer prayers not for myself but for my family, friends and the world. Shielded by jute blinds from one side to block out the harsh sun, this deck is surrounded by lush green palm fronds and ferns, from somewhere comes the soothing gurgle of a water body. Thaipusam is a Hindu Festival celebrated in January or February (it falls on the full moon day in the Tamil month of Thai when the astrological star, Pusam, reigns). As I prepare to take leave, I shoot one last look at the grand piano and ask him who plays it.
This is what I told him: "I go to Thaipusam because it makes me profoundly joyous.". Whether it’s your first time travelling to Penang or you’re a local that has never seen or experience Penang Thaipusam, then we suggest you should this year. For myself, I don’t need anything since I have experienced supreme happiness.
Not knowing what to expect and coming face to face with a kavadi bearer, who must have presumably undertaken extreme piercing, clouded my initial enthusiasm but I went ahead nevertheless.
No simple stroll in the park; this walk of faith undertaken by the devotees has a certain system to it. There is no coercion; it is entirely a voluntary act.” He goes on to tell me how he is the first person from his family to take part in Thaipusam. On this day, Goddess Parvathi gave her son Murugan the invincible vel (lance) to vanquish the evil asura (demons). Thus Thaipusam is a commemoration of the triumph of good over evil. Of course we feel pain.
They’re being skewered and pierced on the back and front of their bodies as an act of penance. Hooks are sunk into fleshy backs and spikes pass through the chest. There seem to be several origins to Thaipusam which is essentially a Tamil festival, the more popular one being the day Lord Murugan destroyed the demon Tharakasura. The actual day of Thaipusam is preceded by fasting, abstinence from alcohol and meat along with praying, chanting and meditation. Join them and have some fun, there will be stalls distributing food and drinks to the devotees. This would be helpful, as they then don the kavadis, which can weigh up to 50 pounds. "Why do you come to Thaipusam? There is no coercion; it is entirely a voluntary act.” He goes on to tell me how he is the first person from his family to take part in Thaipusam. This is done by skilled persons and mostly a relative will help in the piercing. They do not feel any pain, nor do they bleed from their wounds and also even no scars are left behind. What interests you about it? When we got to the caves, the crowd was already huge. When I had asked her to come, she had answered, "No offense, but the thought of a million sweating people all crammed together climbing a mountain under a tropical sun doesn't sound like my idea of a good time." Thaipusam is celebrated every year by the Hindu Tamil community on the full month in the Thai month (February) of the Hindu lunar calendar. Some vels are steel rods about the diameter of a little finger and three to four feet long that are pierced through the cheeks. As the master of the house, Mr.Rajoo approaches me. He smiles and says "Yes, that is what everyone wants to know. Of course, Thaipusam is strange. The chest, back, tongue, cheeks. It is believed that only when the mind is free of material worth and the body free from physical pleasures can a devotee undertake the sacred task without feeling any pain. You could still join the crowd as they’re still dancing and singing along while sending the chariots back. Thaipusam was an unforgettable experience, very intense and emotional. Flash forward to this morning, time for my meeting. During the festival, this star is at its highest point. Then on the 14th day you may feel you are ready to participate. This is why during Thaipusam, devotees pray to Murugan to receive his grace and favours and to make penance. And now comes the extreme part. There is no drug given or hypnotic trance induced to nullify the pain and there are no supernatural forces at work. He gives me his card and says “Everyone, all my children”. Penang, it’s time of the year again where we welcome one of the major celebrations happening in our state, Thaipusam. Then on the 14th day you may feel you are ready to participate. They are in a trance, but seem to be very aware and present at the same time. At least some of the members of the entourage are not in trances, and these people clear a path through the onlookers, carry a chair for the kavadi bearer, wipe away sweat, provide water and steer. According to legend, Parvati (the Hindu goddess of fertility, love, devotion, divine strength and power) gave Murugan (the universal granter of wishes) a spear – the vel, so he could vanquish the evil demon Soorapadman. Watching Thaipusam from Penang [Best viewed in IE 10+, Firefox 20+, Chrome , Safari5+, Opera12+], Five Delicious Bihu Festival Recipes of Assam, Unheard Stories that surround Raksha Bandhan, KAVANT FAIR Gujarat is a festival of celebration and love, KUMBH the science, history and significance of the parva, The ALL WOMEN Kerala festival is Attukal Pongala, Amazing Traditions and Statues of Lord Ganesh, Worship of Lord Shiva during the holy month of Shravan, April 14 is celebrated as New Year across India, How PANA SANKRANTI is celebrated in Odisha, Usaba Dangsil is Bali`s Festival of Gratitude, Navratri and Dandiya Raas in the Indus Valley, World Culture Festival Curtain Raiser - Chalo Delhi, BOITA BANDANA UTSHAVA AND BALI YATRA IN ODISHA, Krishna expands to create Raas Raaseshwari Sri Radhey, Kanvar Mela - Adventure holiday in Indian style, The deeper symbolic meaning of Ganesha and the message conveyed, Now that Diwali is over__lets have some more fun, Deepavali- A Heady Cocktail of Fun, Frolic and Philosophy, All you wanted to know about the Kumbha Mela, Indian Army Welfare
Address: 17, Jalan Kebun Bunga, Pulau Tikus, 10350 George Town, Pulau Pinang, Read Also: Top 10 Events Happening In Penang This February 2018, Your email address will not be published. Kavadis can reach three to four metres in height, and weigh at least 30kgs.
As part of the ritual, some devotees had shaved their heads and those of their children, brought offerings of fruit and milk and bathed in the nearby Batu River. Before we touch on Thaipusam Penang 2018, let’s go deeper into its history and culture. Dress yourself in beautiful and vibrant Indian traditional clothes and learn (of course have fun too!) From Kovil Veedu on Lebuh Penang, Little India, to the Arulmigu Balathandayuthapani temple (Waterfall Temple Penang) atop the hill of Jalan Kebun Bunga. In Penang, it is more reserved. Some of the entourage also wear vels or hooks. Many had asked for something in particular -- a child or the health of a family member, for example -- and had vowed to perform one of the Thaipusam devotions such as wearing a vel, bearing a kavadi (literally, "burden," such as a pitcher or jug) or carrying a milk pot offering up the 276 steps to the cave temple. The venue is the Sri Srinivasa Perumal Temple.
Quiet at first, then minute by minute, as the grey of dawn lifts like a veil, the temple starts coming to life and soon it is teaming with tourists and Singaporeans alike. I was in pain and discomfort. I said it was like Halloween in Greenwich Village, with more S&M. I could not believe they feel no pain, despite being reassured by several people. It's about the cleansing of the soul. I also watched the devotees as they left the cave and observed no signs of violence on any of them.
Similarly in the house I am enveloped by an aroma of solid teak, incense and sandalwood. 29th Jan 2010, a 5:30 am morning in Little India, Singapore. ", An interesting question. While the reasons for participation may vary from person to person, the common factor that binds everyone is faith. This is to show their faith in the Lord. With the passing years, my faith is unshakeable and I have experienced extreme forms of piercing. Penang Thaipusam is a very important celebration, not only it’s a Hindu Festival but also one of the biggest Thaipusam held in the whole Malaysia. He is not sure whether his son will go on to participate, but again, the desire to participate must come from within. One of the most beautiful things about Thaipusam is the closeness and support that one sees -- children gathered around a laboring father; husbands supporting entranced wives; adolescents steering entranced parents; and mothers and fathers bearing babies and young children. The devotees claim that they enter a trance like state and feel no pain during the piercings and the subsequent pilgrimage. Other people wear skewers to represent the vel. Penang, it’s time of the year again where we welcome one of the major celebrations happening in our state, Thaipusam.Penang Thaipusam is a very important celebration, not only it’s a Hindu Festival but also one of the biggest Thaipusam held in the whole Malaysia. Thus, as befits a religious devotion, the ordeal is a communal endeavor. The women in the throes of religious ecstasy -- with their hair unbound and uncombed, tongues artificially reddened with saffron powder and lewdly flitting in and out of their mouths, crazy/sensual smiles, eyes rolling and breasts and hips undulating -- violate even my notions of propriety on a deeply visceral level. I think I come because Thaipusam is the happiest celebration of the year: the flat plain and steep hill between the Batu River and Caves encompassing spirituality, catharsis and social bonds, but also the celebration of life, of love, of happiness. The night before Thaipusam the Kavadi bearers and their family will gather at Sri Srinivasa Perumal Temple, they will pray and chant and prepare the Kavadis. After going into a trance state, devotees are said to be unaware of pain. And this feeling of accomplishment, of extreme peace and satisfaction is something that no money and no worldly object can bring. Do we feel pain? Fund, By