Thaipusam devotees to worship in groups of 5, entry limited to vaccinated visitors
Head shaving, which has been conducted at the Sri Thendayuthapani Temple since December through pre-booked slots, will stop on Sunday. ST PHOTO: TIMOTHY DAVID
Devotees will be able to worship in groups of five at this year's Thaipusam festivities which falls on Tuesday (Jan 18), although entry is limited to those who are fully vaccinated.
Those who are medically ineligible for Covid-19 vaccines under the national vaccination programme and unvaccinated children below 12 will be allowed to participate too. A total of 14,000 devotees are expected to visit Sri Thendayuthapani Temple in Tank Road on Tuesday, including 7,000 who will be carrying milk pot offerings called paal kudams into the temple.
There will again be no foot processions featuring kavadis from the Sri Srinivasa Perumal Temple in Serangoon Road this year - part of steps to minimise the risk of Covid-19 infection.
In Singapore, Thaipusam has been a major religious festival for over a hundred years, and preparations for the entire festival start months before the actual procession. Kavadi-bearers also take special care to condition their minds and bodies beforehand so that they may safely perform their rites of devotion, while other devotees prepare themselves spiritually with prayers, fasting, and acts of penance.
On Thaipusam, kavadi-bearers and their supporters walk the traditional route, which starts at the Sri Srinivasa Perumal Temple on Serangoon Road, and ends at the Sri Thendayuthapani Temple on Tank Road. Barefoot, kavadi-bearers walk this path that is more than a hundred years old, while other worshippers carry offerings such as paalkudams or milk pots, fruit and flowers. Along the way, devotees may pause in front of the Sri Veeramakaliamman Temple, where they pray for the goddess Kaliamman’s blessings.
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