🔱 Thaipusam Puja Vidhi — step by step
The order of Murugan puja at home and of joining the temple/procession —
How to do Thaipusam — the steps
- 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.
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
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
Rules — do's and don'ts
✅ 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
Vrat katha
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 whi… Read the full katha →
Frequently asked questions
When is Thaipusam in {Y}?
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.
🏠 Thaipusam 2026 — date, muhurat, full page · All vrat & festivals