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Thai Pusam (தை பூசம்) in Mauritius

26 January 2010 9 Comments

தை பூசம் (Thai Pusam) is an important Hindu festival mainly celebrated in Tamil Nadu and Kerala during the Tamil month of Thai (January – February). It is also referred to as Thaipooyam in Malayalam language. But if you think these photos belong to one of these states of India then you are wrong !

Outside India, the festival is celebrated mainly by the Tamil speaking community settled in Malaysia, Singapore, South Africa, Sri Lanka and many more countries around the world. But I never knew this festival is popular in Mauritius as well !

Thai Pusam @lemonicks.com

Thai pusam is dedicated to the Hindu god Murugan, the son of Shiva and Parvati and is a celebration of the victory of good over evil. It usually takes place in a temple.

Thai Pusam @lemonicks.com

On the Thaipusam day, most devotees of Lord Murugan adorn dresses of yellow or orange colour and offer him fruits and flowers of the same colour. It is said to be Lord’s favorite color.

Thai Pusam @lemonicks.com

I am not telling you the whole story about it because I myself do not know. :P

In short, the devotees vow to dedicate a Kavadi to the Lord in return for a favour. They perform various acts of devotion such as walking over burning coals.

Thai Pusam @lemonicks.com

Many fanatical ones go to an extent to torture their bodies to appease the Lord. So, a major feature of Thaipusam celebrations is body piercing with hooks, skewers and small lances called ‘vel’. Many of these devotees even pull chariots and heavy objects with hooks attached to their bodies.

Thai Pusam @lemonicks.com

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9 Comments »

  • anjuli said:

    great pictures!! Wow- Mauritius- I would have never guessed. I know growing up in Singapore and Malaysia- Thai Pusam was familiar to me. I was always amazed by the fish hook type things stuck in the bodies- how they would pull on the flesh as the devotees walked slowly through the streets.

    # 26 January 2010 at 10:01 PM
  • Doli said:

    ohh didnt think it was in Mauritius :)

    # 26 January 2010 at 10:19 PM
  • Nisha (author) said:

    Anjuli,
    I think I’ll have to give you special award ! You are always first to comment. :D
    Many thanks.

    I can never understand why we torture ourselves to please God.

    Till I visited the place, I didn’t know Mauritius has so much of Tamil population.

    Doli,
    As I told Anjuli, even I was not aware of Tamil population in Mauritius. :)
    See, how much we learn if we travel. :D

    # 26 January 2010 at 11:10 PM
  • Zhu said:

    I’m sure some celebrate the festival in Toronto, it’s a such a multicultural city! I wish I could see the celebrations. Ottawa also has a big Tamil population but I wouldn’t know where to go.

    # 27 January 2010 at 7:17 AM
  • Renu said:

    Lovely pictures Nisha! Everybody keeps telling that Mauritius is very beautiful but only for the beaches, now I know they have beautiful temples also.

    # 27 January 2010 at 9:32 AM
  • Ram N said:

    Mauritius was definitely a surprise, also people in Seychelles too follow is what i heard …. some legend about Thai Poosam … http://festivalsofindia.in/Thai_poosam/Legend.aspx

    # 27 January 2010 at 5:52 PM
  • Nisha (author) said:

    Zhu,
    Slowly you’ll come to know where to go. I am sure it must be happening somewhere if it has Tamil population.

    Renu,
    Welcome here.
    I also thought so. There is much more to Mauritius than lovely beaches.

    Ram,
    Thai Pusam in Seychelles ?? Never knew about it. Now I’ll have to go there to check that. :P

    Ha ha ha… V will kill me if I keep adding places to my list on these pretexts. :D

    # 28 January 2010 at 8:53 AM
  • Jerryale said:

    Thai Pusam is amazing. Thousands of Hindus in both Malaysia and Singapore subjected themselves to painful rituals such as piercing themselves with hooks, skewers and small lances in honor of the Thaipusam festival.

    # 11 July 2011 at 7:27 AM
  • sivamjothi said:

    தை பூசம் வடலூர்(2012)
    பிப் 6 கொடியேற்றம்
    பிப் 7 ஜோதி தரிசனம்
    பிப் 9 சித்திவளாகம் திறப்பு!!

    கூட்டம் அதிகமாக இருக்கும். சுத்தம் காக்க நம்மால் முடிந்த பணி செய்வோம்!!பிளாஸ்டிக் குப்பைகளை அதிகம் சேராமல் பார்த்து கொள்ளவேண்டும் !!

    # 19 January 2012 at 2:28 PM

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