Thaipusam – an Indian Tamil festival
Dr. Parish Pandaya doing rituals at Windsor Hindu Temple. (Photo by Jagjivan Kumar)
The Tamil community gathered at Windsor Hindu Temple on Thursday Jan. 28 to celebrate Thaipusam.
This event was organized by the Windsor Tamil community and started at 6:30 in the evening. Due to the pandemic restrictions, a maximum of ten people were allowed at Temple.
Sivaram Arumugam is a member of Windsor Tamil Community. He said, on this day in the Tamil history Lord Murugan got a vel, a powerful spear to fight evils. Thaipusam is a way to celebrate this victory.
“It’s like a sacrifice festival,” said Arumugam. “On this day people shave their heads, some pierce their cheeks and tongue.”
He said the Tamil community has a small population in Windsor. The community celebrates by prayer and sharing food.
Dr. Parish Pandya is a priest at Windsor Hindu Temple.
“On this day, people wear new clothes, they make rangoli and they do all the rituals to please Lord Murugan,” said Pandya.
Due to the pandemic, Priest Pandya also goes live on Facebook so people can hear it at home.
Arumugam said he is from Sri Lanka and it is a ten-day celebration over there. During these days people party and dance.
Hindu and Tamil communities celebrate this festival every year in the month of January on full moon.
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