🔱 Thaipusam 2027
The Pusam (Pushya) nakshatra in the Tamil month of Thai — the day Lord Murugan received the Vel; kavadi, paal kudam and the great processions of Singapore and Malaysia.
Thaipusam is kept in the Tamil solar month of Thai (the month that begins at Makar Sankranti) on the day of the Pusam (Pushya) nakshatra — usually the Thai full moon. It is the festival of Lord Murugan (Kartikeya/Subrahmanya): on this day Goddess Parvati gave him the divine Vel (spear) to destroy the demon Tarakasura.
In India it is celebrated at Palani, Tiruchendur and Madurai; abroad, lakhs gather in Malaysia (Batu Caves, Kuala Lumpur — the largest Thaipusam procession in the world) and in Singapore (the kavadi foot-procession from Sri Srinivasa Perumal Temple to Sri Thendayuthapani Temple). The date at the top of your country page is from the local calculation.
Significance — why this vrat
The Thaipusam vow and the kavadi — carried when a prayer to Murugan is answered or for his grace — is a festival of discipline of body and mind; devotees keep a sattvik diet, celibacy and vows from 48 days before.
The kavadi (a decorated arch borne on the shoulders, sometimes with vels/hooks through the skin), the paal kudam (a pot of milk on the head) and the long barefoot walk are regarded as penance, not display; behind every kavadi is a vow.
In Singapore it is the biggest day of public religious procession (run by the Hindu Endowments Board); in several Malaysian states it is a public holiday — the largest festival of the year for the Tamil diaspora.
Puja vidhi (step by step)
The order of Murugan puja at home and of joining the temple/procession —
- Fast before the festival (traditionally 48, at least 7 days) — vegetarian food, one meal a day, no intoxicants, celibacy; yellow/saffron clothes.
- On Thaipusam morning bathe and light a lamp before Murugan's picture/the Vel; recite 'Om Saravanabhava' or the Kanda Shasti Kavacham; offer yellow flowers, bananas, coconut, panchamrit.
- Visit the temple for the abhishekam; offering a paal kudam (pot of milk) is the simplest kavadi — children and elders can do it too.
- If you carry a kavadi, follow the temple organisers' rules (registration and music rules in Singapore); let the family walk along with water and fruit.
- At the temple, lower the kavadi, offer the vel/milk, break a coconut; prasad — pongal, vadai, payasam.
- In the evening light a lamp at home and sing Murugan bhajans with the family; break the fast with temple prasad.
📿 How to do Thaipusam — detailed vidhi, samagri checklist & rules →
Puja samagri checklist
For the home puja and the paal kudam —
- A picture/idol of Murugan, a small Vel (spear) — or the Vel symbol on yellow cloth
- Milk (for the paal kudam), a brass/copper pot, yellow cloth and garland
- Bananas, coconut, yellow flowers, sandal paste, vibhuti (sacred ash), kumkum
- Panchamrit — milk, curd, ghee, honey, sugar
- Lamp, camphor, incense; a copy of the Kanda Shasti Kavacham
- For a barefoot walk: water, fruit, a small first-aid kit
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Open panchang →Vrat katha (the story)
The gods were tormented by Tarakasura and his brothers (Surapadman, Simhamukhan); from the radiance of Shiva the six-faced Kartikeya (Murugan) was born. On Thai Pusam, Goddess Parvati gave him the Vel of Shakti, with which he slew Surapadman at Tiruchendur — that is the memory Thaipusam keeps.
📖 Read the full Thaipusam vrat katha →
Pongal, payasam and panchamrit
Murugan receives an abhishekam of panchamrit and milk; the offering is sweet pongal (sakkarai pongal), payasam, vadai, bananas and coconut. The fast is broken with temple prasad; along the procession route the community runs annadanam (free food).
- Sakkarai pongal (jaggery rice)
- Payasam (kheer)
- Vadai, idli — at the annadanam
- Bananas, coconut, panchamrit
Regional customs
From Tamil Nadu to Singapore and Malaysia —
A custom, tale, song or dish heard from your grandmother — 2-4 lines; after reading we add it on this page with your region's name (the phone is never shown — only to ask you back).
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✅ Do
- Keep the vows for the set days — sattvik food, no intoxicants
- Carry kavadi/paal kudam under the organisers' rules and timings — registration is compulsory in Singapore
- On a long barefoot walk mind water, fruit and shade; give children and elders the paal kudam
- Help at the annadanam/water service along the route
- Respect others' kavadi and piercings — ask before photographing
❌ Don't
- No body-piercing kavadi without preparation and the vow — it is penance, not an adventure sport
- No kavadi or walking under intoxication
- No drums/loudspeakers without permission in Singapore — the rules are strict
- Do not stand in devotees' path in the crowd; do not step over fallen vels/milk
- Black clothing is not worn on the festival — yellow/saffron instead
Frequently asked questions
When is Thaipusam in 2027?
On the day of the Pusam (Pushya) nakshatra in the month of Thai — usually the Thai full moon, late January/early February. The exact local date for Singapore/Malaysia/other countries is at the top of the country page; Tamil Nadu keeps the same day.
What is a kavadi and must everyone carry one?
A kavadi is a decorated arch carried on the shoulders when a prayer is answered or for grace — it is not compulsory. The simplest form is the paal kudam (a pot of milk on the head), which children and elders also offer.
What is the difference between Thaipusam and Pongal?
Pongal is the harvest festival on the first day of Thai (Makar Sankranti, 14 January); Thaipusam is Murugan's festival two to three weeks later in the same month, on the Pusam nakshatra.
How do I watch the procession in Singapore?
From dawn along the route from Serangoon Road (Sri Srinivasa Perumal Temple) to Tank Road (Sri Thendayuthapani); roads are closed, so use public transport; do not block the kavadi bearers' path.
Is Thaipusam a holiday in Malaysia/Singapore?
A public holiday in several Malaysian states (Selangor, Penang, Johor, Perak, Negeri Sembilan, Kuala Lumpur, Putrajaya); not a holiday in Singapore, but the procession is officially permitted.
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Also read: Pongal · Makar Sankranti · Festival calendar
⚠️ This description follows traditional custom and community practice; your own family/temple practice comes first. Body-piercing kavadi only under experienced guidance; health first.
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