Batu Caves Murugan Temple are located in the Gombak District, just 13 kilometers north of Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. Batu Caves are as old as 400 million years old. Thaipusam 2023 is a popular Hindu festival celebrated annually in Malaysia, typically in January or February. Thaipusam 2024 will be a significant event, with many devotees preparing for months in advance to participate in the festivities.
Thaipusam, sometimes referred to as Thaipoosam, is a Hindu Tamil holiday that is celebrated on the Pusam star on the first full moon day of the Thai month. The festival commemorates the triumph of the Hindu deity Murugan over the demon Surapadman, equipped with a vel, a celestial spear provided by Parvati. Many guests pierce their skin, tongues, or cheeks as part of the festival’s rituals, which involve diverse acts of devotion and mastery over their senses. Some walk on hot coals. Devotees hope to uphold their Hindu faith and atone for their transgressions by such acts.
One of the biggest festivals on their liturgical calendar, Thaipusam, is celebrated by Hindus in Malaysia. They show their devotion by participating in a large procession, with some participating in body piercings with hooks and skewers.
Up to two million visitors and devotees are expected at the Batu Caves temple on the outskirts of Kuala Lumpur on Thursday, according to authorities. The festival on the northern island of Penang was projected to draw an additional million attendees.
Thaipusam honors the day that Goddess Parvati gave her son Lord Murugan a “divine spear” in order to defeat a malevolent demon that had taken over heaven and imprisoned its celestial inhabitants.
The celebration, which is observed not just in Malaysia but also in Singapore, India, Sri Lanka, and other nations with sizable Tamil populations, symbolizes the conflict between good and evil.
At Batu Caves, devotees ascend 272 stairs to the summit of the temple, which is tucked away inside a limestone cave.
Some devotees wear massive metal objects called kavadis, which are fastened to their bodies with jagged metal spikes and can weigh up to 100 kg (220 pounds).
Some use metal skewers to puncture their faces and tongues as a sign of contrition and gratitude.
Many participants experience “arul vaku,” a trance in which they are unaware of any pain or bleeding from their piercings.
Devotees usually observe a strict vegetarian diet, refrain from having sex, and perform daily prayer sessions in the weeks leading up to Thaipusam in order to “purify” their bodies.
Out of Malaysia’s 34 million inhabitants, approximately 7% are ethnic Indians, the majority of them are Tamil.
The date and Shubh Muhurat of Thaipusam 2024
This year, on Thursday, January 25, the auspicious festival of Thaipusam 2024 will be celebrated with great fervor and enthusiasm. The following are the auspicious timings and shubh muhurat for the occasion, according to Drik Panchang:
Poosam Nakshathram Commences on January 25, 2024, at 08:16 AM
On January 26, 2024, at 10:28 AM, Poosam Nakshathram concludes.
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