Another holiday around this time of the year (Jan - Feb) is Thaipusam; A Hindu festival celebrated mostly by the Tamil community on the full moon of the Tamil month of Thai (Pusam refers to a star that is at its highest point during the time of the festival).
The festival commemorates the birthday of Lord Murugan (also known as Subramaniam), the youngest son of Shiva and Parvati, as well as the occasion when Parvati gave Murugan a vel (lance) so he could defeat the evil demon Soorapadman.
The holiday is, therefore, devoted to values such as self-cleansing and defeating evil... Devotees prepare for the celebration by cleansing themselves through prayer and fasting.
On the day of the festival, devotees will shave their heads and undertake a pilgrimage along a set route, while engaging in various acts of devotion, notably carrying various types of kavadi (burdens). At its simplest, this may entail carrying a pot of milk, but mortification of the flesh by piercing the skin, tongue or cheeks with vel skewers is also common.
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An insight from 'Metropolasia-Man':
During the festival of Thaipusam, Hindu devotees are cleansing their souls through physical suffering of the body... The holiday's most spectacular practice includes carrying large steel altars that are pierced to their bodies with spikes and hooks, and walking with them along a specified route... Fasting, Fire walking and flagellation may also be practiced.
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The most spectacular practice is the carrying of the Vel kavadi, a portable altar up to two meters tall, decorated with peacock feathers and attached to the devotee through 108 vels pierced into the skin on the chest and back.
Fire walking and flagellation may also be practiced. It is claimed that devotees are able to enter a trance, feel no pain, do not bleed from their wounds and have no scars left behind.
The Vel kavadi parade departs from Sri Srinivasa Perumal temple, on Little India's Serangoon Street and ends at Sri Thandayuthapani temple, on Tank Rd., not far from Singapore River's Robertson Quay.
Fire walking is normally held at Sri Mariamman Temple, on South Bridge Street, in Chinatown.
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Next in line: The Chinese springtime holidays
