Thaipusam in Palani-2013.

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Thaipusam or Thaipoosam is a Hindu festival observed by Tamil communities on the full moon of Tai based on Tamil calendar. It commemorates the day when Parvati, the wife of major Hindu deity Shiva, gave a spear to her son Murugan in order to defeat the evil demon Soorapadam. In some countries, Thaipusam is commemorated as a public holiday.
Date of Thaipusam.
Thaipusam is celebrated on the full moon of Tai in Tamil calendar. In Gregorian calendar, Thaipusam falls on around January or February every year.
When is Thaipusam 2013?
Thaipusam 2013 falls on Sunday, 27 January 2013.
Origin of Thaipusam.
The celebration of Thaipusam was originated from Hindu belief about Hindu deities, Muragan and Parvati. The Hindus believe that Parvati gave Muragan a lance in order to vanquish the evil demon Soorapadam and his army on Thaipusam day. Therefore, Thaipusam is also commemorated as the victory of good over evil.
Thaipusam Celebration 2013.
Tamil people celebrate Thaipusam by wearing yellow or orange clothes and offer yellow and orange fruits to Hindu God Muragan. Yellow and orange are believed to be the favorite color of Lord Muragan. The offerings are put inside kavadi, bamboo structure garnished with peacock feathers and clothes, and carried to certain Tamil hindu temples. Usually, people carry the offerings on their shoulders and walk for several kilometers to reach the temples.
Thaipusam is also famous as a day to atone someone’s sin. Many people commemorate the day by shaving their head and color the rest of their hair with yellow or orange. Some others even pierce their faces or bodies with hooks, skewers, or small lance to redeem their sins. Some Tamil people believe that the more they pierce their bodies on Thaipusam, the more the Lord will cognize them.