Where to See the 4 Km Foot Procession of Devotees with Skin Piercings
Thaipusam is a national holiday in many countries but it is no longer a public holiday in Singapore
The Hindu festival Thaipusam is celebrated in Singapore on Thursday 25 January 2024. Devotees pierce their skin with skewers and kavadis and walk along a 4 km foot procession aided by the sound of live music from Sri Srinivasa Perumal Temple to the Sri Thendayuthapani Temple.
Thaipusam, the Hindu thanksgiving festival is celebrated on the full moon day in the Tamil month of Thai. The 2024 Thaipusam festival will see more live music stations as two more spots have been added bringing the total to five live music stations along the 4 km walk from the Sri Srinivasa Perumal Temple at Serangoon Road to the Sri Thendayuthapani Temple at Tank Road. If you wish to catch a glimpse of this amazing 2024 Thaipusam festival where devotees carry kavadis spiked through their skin, here’s what you need to know.
Thaipusam is a sacred Tamil thanksgiving festival involving asceticism and control over one’s senses. According to Tamil folklore, Thaipusam and the foot procession are celebrated in honour of Lord Murugan (also known as Lord Subrahmanya), who represents virtue, youth and power, and is the destroyer of evil.
read more
Thaipusam is a temple festival celebrated by Hindus of Tamil descent in Singapore. It is probably the single most important public rite observed by the community every year between January 14 and February 14.
Most Hindu festivals fall either on full-moon day (Punarpusam) or on new-moon day (Amavasi). “Thai Pusam” occurs on the full moon day in the Tamil month, Thai (January–February). Thaipusam is actually derived from thai which means “10th”, and pusam meaning “when the moon is at its brightest”. It is thus celebrated in the month of Thai (10th month according to the Tamil Almanac) on the day when the moon passes through the star “Pusam”.
Thaipusam is a day of prayers and penance. Dedicated to Lord Subramaniam, also known as Lord Murugan, a major South Indian god, the deity of youth, power and virtue, this festival is a time for repentance for devotees with celebrations carried out mainly at the temple.
read more
read more
Why Thaipusam is no longer a public holiday in Singapore
A devotee carrying his kavadi waits to start his procession during Thaipusam festival in Singapore February 3, 2015. Thaipusam is a Hindu festival observed on the day of the full moon during the Tamil calendar month of Thai, and celebrated in honour of the Hindu god Lord Murugan
The manpower ministry says Thaipusam is no longer a public holiday in Singapore because it was one of several religious observances that were given up by various religious leaders in 1968.
In a letter to the Singaporean Today newspaper on Friday evening, Ministry of Manpower (MOM)'s Workplace Safety and Strategy Division director Alvin Lim said the religious public holidays were given up due to the need to compete in the global market, following the withdrawal of British colonial troops. His letter could be viewed as a response to claims that public holidays here were allocated by race, as opposed to what it actually is — religion.
Muslims, he said, chose to give up the Prophet Muhammad's birthday as well as an additional day after Hari Raya Puasa. Christians chose the Saturday and Monday that followed Good Friday and Easter Sunday respectively. Hindus chose between Thaipusam and Deepavali, and opted to give up the former.
Impractical to make all key festivals public holidays
We appreciate the perspectives shared by many Singaporeans on whether Thaipusam should be reinstated as a public holiday. As many have noted, it was a public holiday until 1968. (“Reinstate some public holidays”; Feb 11, online)
The prospect of the British withdrawal and the need to compete for a living in world markets necessitated many changes in the country. The Government decided to reduce the number of public holidays, among other things. The decision on which to give up in 1968 was reached only after careful discussions with various religious groups.
The Muslims chose to give up Prophet Muhammad’s Birthday and an extra day for Hari Raya Puasa. The Christians, who also had to give up two days, chose the Saturday after Good Friday and Easter Monday. The Hindus had to choose between retaining Thaipusam or Deepavali as a public holiday and chose the latter.
Thaipusam
Thaipusam is a temple festival celebrated by Hindus of Tamil descent in Singapore. It is probably the single most important public rite observed by the community every year between January 14 and February 14.
Most Hindu festivals fall either on full-moon day (Punarpusam) or on new-moon day (Amavasi). “Thai Pusam” occurs on the full moon day in the Tamil month, Thai (January–February). Thaipusam is actually derived from thai which means “10th”, and pusam meaning “when the moon is at its brightest”. It is thus celebrated in the month of Thai (10th month according to the Tamil Almanac) on the day when the moon passes through the star “Pusam”.
Thaipusam is a day of prayers and penance. Dedicated to Lord Subramaniam, also known as Lord Murugan, a major South Indian god, the deity of youth, power and virtue, this festival is a time for repentance for devotees with celebrations carried out mainly at the temple.
read more
