By C.K. SUBRAMANIAM
Thai Poosam pooja in Shree Subramanya Seva Samaj in Sanpada and other parts of the world
Thai Poosam poojas were conducted by Shree Subramanya Seva Samaj at Balalayam. On the occasion of Thai Poosam a Bhajan by Guru Paduka Bhajan Mandal, Chembur was arranged. Devotees were chanting Muruga Muruga Muruga as the proposed Murugan Temple of Shree Subramany Seva Samaj will be coming up in the allotted plot soon.
All Murugan Temples in the city and all over India did celebrate Thai Poosam with great devotion. In Palani in Tamil Nadu, the celebrations touched a new high with Milk abhisekam assumed great importance to Lord Karthikeya. Taking ‘Kavadi’ to please Lord Muruga is also considered to be another way of worshipping Lord Muruga. The devotees takes a vow to live the life of an ascetic for a particular period and the travel ends to the temple of Lord Muruga by bare foot bearing the Kavadi. Devotees can carry different varieties of Kavadi like flower, milk paneer etc. But usually devotees carry a semi-circled Kavadi with decorated canopy supported by a wooden rod to the temple of Lord Muruga where special prayers are offered. The offerings to the Lord includes: Honey, Kumkum, Sugarcane juice, Sandal paste, Vibhuti, Milk and Panchamirtham. Apart from Palani, Tirutanni and Thiruchendur, the Thai Poosam celebrations assumes greater importance.
A giant statue of Lord Murugan stands next to the 272 steps leading up to the Batu Caves temple at dawn during the Thaipusam festival in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. In Batu Caves in Malaysia celebrated Thai Poosam in a very big way. Some 2 million people attended the Thaipusam celebration in Batu Caves this year, an increase from last year. It is notable that the devotees are advised not to wear revealing sarees and dress and attend in traditional and decent attire. This is a religious festival. Devotees are also not advised to wear expensive jewellery for the fear of getting stolen in the crowd. Such an organised way of Thai Poosam is not followed even in India. Batu Caves will not offer coconut archanai (offering) for prayers because it would be too time consuming to break the coconut for the prayers. Only banana archanai will be offered. How Murugan magic mesmerises mankind all over the world and more so in Malaysia.
Hindu devotees with hooks embedded into his backs participate in a procession during the Thaipusam festival at Batu Caves in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia on Jan. 21, 2019. Thaipusam, which is celebrated in honor of Lord Murugan, is an annual procession by Hindu devotees seeking blessings, fulfilling vows and offering thanks. Hindu devotees in Malaysia gets their cheeks pierced with a metal rod as they participated in a religious procession during Thaipusam festival.
Thaipusam celebrations are usually special and grand at these abodes and devotees gather in big crowds to get a glimpse of Lord Murugan at each of the temples.