Events

Thai Poosam or Thai Pusam is celebrated on 30 January 2010 (Saturday).


Thai Poosam

'Thai' refers to the tamil month

'Poosam' refers the name of the star.

Thaipusam is a Hindu festival celebrated on the full moon in the Tamil month of Thai.

Legends

Lord Muruga destroyed Tharakasuran on the Poosam Nakshatra day in the Tamil month of Thai and hence Thai Poosam is celebrated in all Murugan temples.

According to another legend, as Siva was imparting a mantra to Parvati, Lord Muruga eavesdropped on them. For that error, Parvati laid a curse on him. To be redeemed from her curse, Lord Muruga offered hard penance at Thiruparankundram. Pleased with his penance, Shiva and Parvati appeared before him and it is said that the day on which the curse was removed is Thai Poosam.

The Festival

The ten-day festival starts with hoisting of the flag. Daily yegyams, ablishegams and singing devotional hymns are held in honour of Lord Murugan. On the main day of the Kavady festival, devotees carry the Kavady to the temple, preferable from a river, back to the temple. Devotees usually carry milk and honey on either end of their Kavadies. After entering the temple grounds the devotees carry their Kavadies three times around the temple. When they are inside the temple, the milk and honey are poured over the statue of Lord Murugan. The festival concludes with the de-hoisting of the flag.

Thaipoosam Recipe

Panakam


Ingredients:
Jaggery : 200gm
Dry Ginger Powder Or Fresh ginger : 2 tsp
cardomom powder : ½ tsp
Juice of 1 lemon

Method:
Melt the jaggery in ½ cup of water. Strain to remove dirt. Boil it. After cooling add 4 cups of water, lemon juice, ginger powder and cardamom powder or small pieces of ginger and blend it in the blender to extract the juice. Strain and add to the panakam.

More about Lord Muruga  http://hindugodsguides.blogspot.com/