This year, Thai Pusam falls on January 25, 2024. Thai is regarded as one of the most critical months in the Tamil Hindu calendar. On the first day of the Tamil month, Thai and Tamil Hindus celebrate Thai Pongal. It is widely celebrated in India and worldwide by Tamil Hindus. In other words, the Thai Pongal festival takes place on the first day of the Tamil month of Thai.
The festival is known as Thai Pongal in Tamil Nadu and Sri Lanka. It occurs on the first day of the Hindu Tamil calendar, Thai. Even though it is generally considered a Hindu Tamil festival, especially in Sri Lanka, it is considered Ullavar Thirunal. Ullavar means farmer, and Thirunal means an auspicious day.
The Thai month in the Tamil calendar is preceded by the month of Markali, associated with several Hindu events. Markali is usually considered a dull and rainy month. It is followed by the bright and pleasant month of Thai. The farmers make two varieties of Pongal rice. One is the non-sweet Pongal prepared with cow milk and coconut milk, and the other variety is the sweet Pongal rice made with fresh jaggery, coconut milk, cow milk, ghee, honey, and numerous other ingredients for flavour, offered to the Sun God as a thanksgiving offering.
Auspicious day
This year, the particular festival took place on January 14. Typically, Thai Pongal falls on January 14, except in leap years. In leap years, it falls on January 15. A year consists of 365.24 days, yet we usually take 365 days for a year. The extra .24 days each year are added as one more day for February every four years. So, in a leap year, February has 29 days. Thai Pusam is another auspicious day that follows Thai Pongal. It is a festival dedicated to Lord Muruga.
The Hindu calendar is mainly based on the Hindu constellation Natchathra or a star named Pusam. It falls on the full moon day of the Tamil calendar. This year, Thai Pusam falls on January 18, 2022. It is widely celebrated in India and by the Indian migrant population in Sri Lanka, Malaysia, Singapore, Mauritius, and South Africa. It is also celebrated in South Asian states like Indonesia and Thailand. At present, it is celebrated by the migrant Tamil Hindu population of Europe, Canada, and America.
It is believed that on this auspicious day, Goddess Parvathi gave the spear commonly known as “Vel” to Lord Muruga. Goddess Parvathi presented the spear to Lord Muruga to destroy the demon (Asura) family of Surapadman, who had caused untold misery to Devaloka and Pooloka (world).
Origin of Kaavadi
According to Hindu history, Idumban was one of the Asura (Demon) family survivors in the war between Lord Muruga and the Demons. However, Idumban repented and later became an ardent devotee of Lord Muruga. According to Hindu Puranic history, there was a dispute between Lord Muruga and his brother Lord Ganesha over a mango fruit. Their father, Lord Siva, arranged for them to win the mango fruit to settle the competition, symbolising knowledge.
Lord Ganesha won the competition, and Lord Muruga, despite appeals from his father, decided to leave his abode. He reached a place called ThiruAyanankadu at the foot of Shiyagiri hills, where Lord Siva provided the Palani or the fruit resembling wisdom or knowledge. Ultimately, Lord Muruga settled at the top of the mountain Palani.
A devotee of Lord Muruga, the demon Idumpan, carried the Shivagiri and Shakrigiri on his shoulders as a form of Kaavadi and walked a long distance. At one point, he felt tired and kept the Kaavadi down to rest. When he tried to continue his journey, he couldn’t lift it. Lord Muruga, testing his devotion, did not allow him to carry the heavy Kaavadi. Idumpan sought the assistance of a young boy (Lord Muruga) wearing yellow robes, but the boy refused to help. Frustrated, Idumpan attacked the boy, and Lord Muruga revealed his divine identity.
Since then, Lord Muruga appointed Idumpan as his guard and declared that those who carry the Kaavadi for his festivals, especially on Thai Pusam day, symbolising the two hills (Shivagiri and Shakrigiri), would be blessed and granted relief from all their sins and problems.
Idumpan is the guardian deity of Murugan temples worldwide, and on Thai Pusam Day, Kaavadi plays an important role. People prepare Kaavadi Attam about 48 to 50 days prior to the festival, which is generally celebrated for two days.
There are various types of Kaavadis used for Attam in a street procession, including Pal (milk) Kaavadi, Puspa (flower) Kaavadi, Paneer Kaavadi (scented water), ParavaiKaavadi (bird Kaavadi), Anna Kaavadi (swan Kaavadi), Unjal Kaavadi (swing Kaavadi), Alavu Kaavadi, Macha Kaavadi (fish Kaavadi), Thol Kaavadi, and Sarpa Kaavadi (snake Kaavadi). Initially, only a specific music called Kaavadi Sinthu was used for Kaavadi, which is closely associated with the worship of Lord Muruga.
In the 19th century, Annamalai Reddiar compiled a series of songs on Lord Muruga, the presiding deity of the KalkhuMalai temple in Tamil Nadu. His compositions are mainly used as background music for KaavadiAttam, and today, Kaavadi is used as background music for devotional songs and devotional Tamil films.
Dr Subashini Pathmanathan