The ultimate guide to Thaipusam in Singapore

A thanksgiving of sorts, Thaipusam sees thousands of devotees rise at daybreak in preparation for this religious festival to celebrate and honor Lord Subramaniam (also known as Lord Murugan), who represents virtue, youth, power, and is the destroyer of evil. 

While it is a thanksgiving festival, its name doesn’t really translate to mean ‘thanksgiving’. Instead, the word ‘Thaipusam’ is a combination of the name of the month, Thai, and the name of a star, Pusam. This festival is celebrated on the full moon day in the Tamil month of ‘Thai’ which coincides with the timing of when the Pusam star is at its highest.

This year, Thaipusam falls on Thursday, January 28, 2021. One common misconception is that the festival marks Lord Murugan’s birthday. However, the date actually honours his brave act of vanquishing the demon Soorapadman. The festival also generally lasts for two days, and actually begins on the eve of the day itself. Prior to the festival, worshippers usually spend a month spiritually preparing themselves for the big day, and this includes following a strict month-long vegetarian diet.

The ceremony starts in the early hours of the morning, with devotees carrying the main draw: the kavadi. It’s an intricate structure decorated with flowers and peacock feathers – symbols of Lord Murugan – and used for religious self-mortification in Hinduism. It can also be as heavy as 80-kilograms and reach up to four-metres high. While it might seem quite intimidating to see some of the kavadi bearers with skewers pierced through their tongues, they often feel a sense of peace and may even enter a trance-like state.

For those who choose not to partake in piercings from the kavadi can carry the wooden structures without spikes or milk pots as offerings for Lord Murugan. The procession is also accompanied by live music played by urumi melam (traditional drum) groups.

Pre-Covid-19, the procession usually takes place between Sri Srinivasa Perumal Temple at Serangoon Road and Sri Thendayuthapani Temple at Tank Road, with some lanes closed to traffic for the occasion. Devotees will walk for about 4.5-kilometre, along with relatives and friends who chant hymns and prayers to support and encourage them.