This day again is celebrated as the victory of good over evil - the day when Lord Muruga got the 'Vel' (spear) from Mother Parvathi to defeat Soorapadhman. Lord Muruga is considered the 'Tamizh Kadavul' and hence Thai poosam is a very important festival for all Tamilians even outside India. In fact, the largest celebrations take place Singapore and Malaysia - Thaipoosam day is declared as a public holiday in many states in Malaysia. This does not mean non-Tamilians do not :) actually it is celebrated in all Murugan temples in Kerala too . Just that the number of Murugan temples are comparitively lesser though steadily increasing in the form of new temples or Murugan sannidhis in the existing temples!
Two pictures that come to my mind in connection with Thaipoosam are
1. The Rice Mountain: The Murugan temples and madams do annadhaanam (referred to as 'Vadikkarathu' in our native place). All devotees offer rice and vegetables. The boiled rice is offered in front of God in a huge heap on which is perched a silver Murugan Vel. Then it is served to all the devotees for lunch.
2. Kuthiyottam: The most Thaipoosam celebrations I have been to were at the Subramanaya Swamy temple on the banks of Karamana river in Trivandrum (Kerala). I was always struck in awe and a bit of fear watching the hundreds of devotees that come in a procession to the temple (as a pledge made to God) with spears pierced through their bodies, cheeks and so on. Most of them are in a trance and give out vibhoothi prasaadhams to the people on their way. In Tamilnadu, its called velkavadi.
Another important venduthal or naercha (an offering / activity pledged to God) done around our native place is the paadhayaathirai (more often referred to as nadakkirathu), the promise to undertake a journey by foot to the Murugan temple in Palani. People form groups and start from a central location typically a week before Thaipoosam. They walk during the cooler times of the day and take rest in the night.
I have never done this but have visited people who walked to vaitheeswaran Kovil ( a similar paathayathirai but since it is during summer they walk during the nights) when they take their breaks and sleep like jet-lagged people in the viduthis ( the inns generally associated with a temple) and then resume their journey. I am sure it is pretty tiring but what they say makes it easy is the company and the songs they sing (called vazhinadai paadal) . They are typically the bhajanai songs which are simple group songs. For most of them, the charanams are sung by the lead singer and the repeating pallavi is sung by the whole group as a chorus.
Here is one - Muruga Muruga Vel Muruga that I learnt from my cousin sisters who themselves learnt and sang when they walked to Vaitheeswaran Kovil.
Hope you like it and Happy Thaipoosam!
