Thai Pusam is a widely celebrated festival in the Tamil month of Thai (Jan 14th to Feb 14th). The festival falls on the Pusam star of the Thai month, around the Pournami (full moon day). Thai Pusam is a much revered day according to Hindu Mythology and has a number of legends associated to it.

Few consider Thai Pusam as the day when this world came into existence. Lord Siva and his consort Devi Parvathi are believed to have blessed sage Vyagrapadha and Patanjali with their Aanandha Thandavam ( blissful dance) at Chidambaram on this auspicious day.

King Hiranyavarman built magnificent mansions of seven tiers with a golden stage. He is said to have patronised Brahmins of Chidambaram and had engaged them for Vedic recitals as part of the Thai Pusam festival celebrations. Saint Arunagirinathar mentions it in his religious work Thiruppugazh, which is dedicated to Lord Muruga. He says “Oh Lord Muruga! You are enshrined near the western gate of the mammoth temple tower which is like Mount Meru.

Dance of Bliss in Chidambaram

Nataraja Kovil Sivakami Amman Kovil view from tank Chidambaram, India

Lord Siva, in the form of Nataraja, is believed to have performed the Aanandha Thandava ( blissful dance), which is regarded as the eternal dance of creation and destruction. During this event, Uma Devi and the sages Vyagrapadha, along with his wife Patanjali, behold this blissful dance in the sacred town of Chidambaram.

King Hiranyavarman is said to have abdicated his Gowda kingdom and crowned his brother to the throne in order to behold the Aanandha Thandava (blissful dance) of Lord Shiva in Chidambaram. When sage Vyagrapadha came to know about this, he crowned Hiranyavarman as the Chola king and presented him with the royal flag of the Cholas, the emblem of a jumping tiger. The much revered Shaivite Saint Arunagirinathar has references to this event in his religious text Thiruppugazh, titled Avaguna virahanai. He praises King Hiranyavarman as a much acclaimed and just ruler.

King Hiranyavarman is believed to be the son of the fifth Manu of the solar race (descendants of the Sun God). He, along with sage Vyagrapadha and Patanjali was blessed to view the Lord’s Aanandha Thandavam (blissful dance) on the occasion of Thai Pusam.

Saint Arunagirinathar is believed to have seen Lord Nataraja in Lord Muruga and Lord Muruga in Lord Nataraja without any distinction. He considers them one and the same.

Obliteration of Tarakasuran

Thai Pusam is celebrated with much pomp and grandeur in most Murugan temples across the world. According to Mythology, the evil demon Tarakasuran was exterminated by Lord Muruga on this day. Lord Muruga was blessed with eleven powerful weapons by Lord Shiva and the mighty spear (Vel) from his mother Devi Parvathi, in order to destroy the wicked Tharakasuran who was tormenting the Devas. Saint Arunagirinathar has beautifully described this incident in his work Thiruppugazh, starting with Tharakasuran sarinthu.

The demonic instincts arising within our mind instigate us to commit sins. As a normal human being, we are entrapped in it. It is in fact, a chain reaction. The worship of Lord Muruga is said to safeguard our minds from such evil thoughts which result in evil acts. The annihilation or killing of Tarakasuran symbolises the eradication of evil instincts and impurities from one’s mind with his divine power.

Uma Devi’s curse on Lord Muruga

Brahma Deva, the god of creation is said to have failed to pay his obeisance to Lord Muruga once, considering him a mere child. Lord Muruga who was offended by Brahma’s act decided to teach him a lesson. Hence he questioned Brahma’s identity. The arrogant Brahma Deva answered that he was the creator of all the four Vedas (Holy Scriptures) and that there isn’t anything that he doesn’t know.

Lord Muruga then said to have asked the Brahma Dev the meaning of OM. OM is the sacred mantra that is considered the nucleus of the essence of all scriptures according to Hinduism. Finally Brahma accepted his defeat and confessed his ignorance. Lord Muruga then pounded his fist on Brahma’s tuft, declaring him incompetent for the job as a creator and incarcerated him.

Lord Shiva who was witnessing this incident, later asked Lord Muruga whether he himself knew the meaning of OM. Lord Muruga revealed that he had learnt it while Lord Siva was imparting this to Goddess Parvati. He accepted to have eavesdropped on Lord Shiva and Devi Parvathi by hiding in the form of a beetle in the cascading tresses of Parvati. When goddess Parvati came to know of this unethical act of Lord Muruga, she pronounced a curse on him.

Lord Muruga is said to have performed a severe penance to get relieved of the curse. Pleased with his penance, the divine couple is believed to have lifted the curse upon him. Thai Pusam is regarded as the sacred day when this curse was said to be lifted. The great Tamil saint Thiru Ramalinga Adigalar who was an ardent devotee of Lord Muruga is also believed to have converged with the divine light of the Lord ( Arul perum jyothi) on this day.

Destruction of Tripura

….to be contd