The quirky tale of Thaipusam and kavadis

Good morning, dear reader!

Today marks a special day in the Hindu calendar – Thaipusam, a festival lesser-known yet deeply significant, especially among the Tamil community.

Thaipusam, celebrated during the full moon in the Tamil month of Thai is a deep expression of devotion and endurance, remembering the day when Goddess Parvati gave Lord Skanda (Murugan) a powerful spear (Vel) to defeat the demon Soorapadman.

At the Batu Caves in Malaysia, you’ll actually see thousands of people climbing the 272 steps while carrying their Kavadis.

Now, if you want to understand how this festival connects to our everyday lives, you must not miss Aravindan's column on this: https://swarajyamag.com/culture/thai-pusam-special-how-murugan-leads-devotees-into-battle-and-to-victory-in-both-the-inner-and-outer-fields

Raghu