Thaipusam

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Thaipusam or Thaipoosam (Tamil: Taippūcam, IPA: [t̪əjppuːsəm]) is a Tamil Hindu festival celebrated on the first full moon day of the Tamil month of Thai coinciding with Pusam star. The festival is celebrated to commemorate the victory of Hindu god Murugan over the demon Surapadman. During the battle, Murugan is believed to have wielded a vel, a divine spear granted by his mother, Parvati. The festival includes ritualistic practices of Kavadi Aattam, a ceremonial act of sacrifice carrying a physical burden as a means of balancing a spiritual debt. Worshipers often carry a pot of cow milk as an offering and also do mortification of the flesh by piercing the skin, tongue or cheeks with vel skewers. Devotees prepare for the rituals by keeping clean, doing regular prayers, following a vegetarian diet and fasting while remaining celibate. Thaipusam is observed by Tamils in India, Sri Lanka, Southeast Asia notably in Malaysia, Singapore, and Indonesia. It is also observed by other countries with significant Tamil diaspora like Fiji, Mauritius, Seychelles, South Africa, Canada, the Caribbean countries including Trinidad and Tobago and Guyana, and in countries with significant Indian migrants like the United States. It is a public holiday in Mauritius, select states in Malaysia and in the Indian state of Tamil Nadu.