Thai Poosam festival or ThaiPusam:Thousands witness Jyothi Darshan at Vadalur,Tamil nadu.The Jyothi Darshan in Vadalur is considered a special event by the followers of the Samarasa Sutha Sanmarga Sathya Sangam.
Large number of devotees from Tamil Nadu and neighbouring Puducherry thronged the Sathya Gnana Sabha on January 24 evening to have a glimpse of the holy light kept in the sanctum sanctorum.Thousands of people witnessed the 'Jyothi Darshan' at Sathya Gnana Sabha founded by saint Ramalinga Adigalar, popularly known as Vallalar, at Vadalur on the occasion of Thai Poosam festival.
Samarasa Sutha Sanmarga Sathya Sangam
The Sathya Jnana Sabhai is the unique Sanctuary in the world for the worship of the Supreme Divine. The deathless divine master Ramalinga Vallalar with the Supreme Will built this Sanctuary in the year 1872 and named it Samarasa Suddha Sanmarga Sathya Jnana Sabhai. Sathya Jnana Sabhai means the Gnostic Centre of the Supreme Truth (The divine Truth-Consciousness) and it is the Sanctuary of Light for the adoration and worship of the Arut-perun-jyothi Aandavar (meaning the Divine Lord of the Supreme-Grace-Light). The Sathya Jnana Sabhai is an octagonal shape shrine facing south direction. The long chain around the Sathya Jnana Sabhai is made of iron metal that is not rusted till date. The metal rings have two holes and they are connected together in a line as if a single mould and it is said that it signifies the two nostrils of nose through which human beings breathes. The first Jyothi Darshan took place on the Thai Poosam – 25 January 1872.
Know what is Thaipusam
Thaipusam or Thaipoosam 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 using a veil, a divine spear granted by Mata Parvati.
The festival include 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 hungry.
Know where it is celebrated
Thaipusam is observed by Tamils in India, Sri Lanka, South East Asia notably in Malaysia, Singapore, Thailand and Indonesia, other countries with significant people of Tamil origin like Fiji, Mauritius, South Africa and Canada, Caribbean countries including Trinidad and Tobago, Guyana and Suriname, countries with significant Indian migrants including United States and Australia. It is a holiday in Mauritius, many states in Malaysia and in the Indian state of Tamil Nadu.
Hindus in Malaysia have marked the festival of Thaipusam, one of the most important in their religious calendar, displaying their devotion in a mass procession with some piercing their bodies with hooks and skewers.