Thaipusam Festival Date 2024
Thaipusam is a Tamil Hindu festival celebrated on the first full moon day of the Tamil month of Thai. It commemorates the victory of the deity Murugan over the demon Surapadman. The festival involves rituals like the Kavadi Aattam and offerings of cow milk. Devotees follow strict regimens of cleanliness, prayer, vegetarianism, and celibacy. Thaipusam is celebrated in various countries with Tamil communities, including India, Sri Lanka, Malaysia, Singapore, and others. It is recognized as a public holiday in some places.
Thaipusam 2024 Date in India: 25th January, Thursday
Thaipusam 2024 Overview
| Festival Name | Thaipusam |
| Observed by | Tamil Nadu |
| Type | Hindu |
| Significance | Commemoration of Murugan’s victory over Surapadman |
| Celebrations | Kavadi Aattam |
| Date | First full moon with Pushya star in the month of Thai |
What is Thaipusam?
Thaipusam is derived from the amalgamation of two Tamil terms, namely the designation of the Tamil month known as Thai and the appellation of the celestial body denoted as Pusam.
Every year, the vibrant festival of Thaipusam takes place, joyfully commemorating the auspicious alignment of the full moon day in the Tamil month of Thai with the converging star Pusam.
Thaipusam Date and Time 2024
Thaipusam, a significant religious festival celebrated by Hindus, is eagerly anticipated and is scheduled to take place on Thursday, January 25, 2024. The auspicious Poosam Nakshathram, a celestial alignment that is believed to enhance the spiritual potency of the festival, commences at 08:16 AM on January 25, 2024, and concludes at 10:28 AM on January 26, 2024. During this sacred time, devotees will gather at temples, adorned in vibrant traditional attire, to offer prayers and seek blessings from deities. It is a time of fervent devotion and deep spiritual significance for the Hindu community.
Story Behind Thaipusam
In accordance with the Kanda Puranam, the asuras Surapadman, Tarakasuran, and Singamukhan undertook rigorous penances to appease lord Shiva. As a result, Shiva bestowed upon them various blessings that granted them dominion over the three realms and almost eternal life. Consequently, they oppressed the celestial beings, including the devas, and established a reign of oppression in their respective domains. Moved by the pleas of the devas, Shiva manifested five additional heads, and from each emerged a divine spark.
Initially, the wind god Vayu carried these sparks, but due to the unbearable heat, he relinquished them to the fire god Agni. Agni then deposited the sparks into the Ganga river. The water in the Ganga began to evaporate under the intense heat, prompting Ganga to transport the sparks to Saravana lake, where they eventually developed into a baby boy. These six boys were nurtured by the Kriththikas handmaidens, until Parvati merged them into one entity. Thus, Murugan, with his six heads, came into existence. Parvati gifted him a divine spear known as the vel.
Accompanying Murugan was Virabahu, who served as his chief commander, along with eight others who were the offspring of nine shaktis arising from the gems of Parvati’s broken anklet when she fled her seat due to the sparks’ intense heat. Teaming up with the forces of the devas, Murugan waged war against the asuras. He used his vel to split Surapadman in two, causing the halves to transform into a mango tree and later a peacock and a rooster. Murugan chose the peacock as his mount and adopted the rooster as his banner. Within Hinduism, Murugan is revered as a deity associated with yogic discipline and ascetic practices. His devotees believe that by venerating him, one can achieve spiritual liberation, known as mukti.
Celebration of Thaipusam 2024
Kavadi Aattam, a sacred ritual observed by devoted individuals, entails an act of sacrifice and offering. This practice holds great significance during Thaipusam and underscores the concept of indebtedness. The term “kavadi,” originating from Tamil, connotes a weighty burden that adherents carry. It is through the bearing of this burden that devotees beseech Murugan for assistance, often on behalf of loved ones in need of healing or to restore spiritual equilibrium.
As an offering, worshipers may present a pot of cow milk, accompanied by a form of self-mortification involving the piercing of the skin, tongue, or cheeks using vel skewers. It is important to note that due to legal prohibitions on public self-mutilation in India, these practices are constrained.
To enter a trance-like state, individuals engage in drumming and chanting verses, while Vibuthi, a sacred ash, is applied to their bodies, including the pierced areas. Devotees diligently prepare for these rituals by maintaining cleanliness, engaging in regular prayers, adhering to a vegetarian diet, and observing fasting and celibacy. With bare feet, they embark on a pilgrimage, dancing along the route while bearing their burdens.