Thai Poosam

“Thaipoosam” is a Hindu festival celebrated mostly by the Tamil community on the full moon in the Tamil month of Thai (January/February). The word Thaipusam is a combination of the name of the month, Thai, and the name of a star, Pusam. This particular star is at its highest point during the festival.

Every year Thai poosam festival is celebrated in Meenakshi Sundareswarar temple for ten days, last day being the Poosam and will be attended by many people from other places. The outsiders and many from the village pool money by way of Sangalpam to run this festival and also to take care of food for the entire village during these ten days.

The entire village kitchen is closed for these ten days and right from morning 5.30 am coffee to night dinner, neat arrangements are made in the Community hall.

Morning and evenings the ladies show their Kolam caliber. ( see annexure)

Apart from the Lord’s daily Ula to all houses in the morning and night, we can also enjoy evening entertainment by way of Nama sangeerthanam, Katha kalatchebam, Katcheris. Later by 8.30 pm we have wonderful lectures by Tamil scholars. (see annexure) One should be present to feel this.

The Thai Poosam has the following as its time table. Keeping Thai Poosam as Paththaam Thirnaal, it works back as given below:

Sample: RAVANASAMUDRAN SRI MEENAKSHIAMMAN SAMEDHA SRI SUNDARESWARAR TEMPLE
TIME TABLE FOR 2014 VIJAYA VARUSHA THAI POOSA THIRUVIZHA.

PROGRAMME PROGRAMME DETAILS ENGLISH CALENDER TAMIL CALENDER (MARGAZHI THAI) DAY STAR TIME LAGNA
Kaal Nattu 03-01-2014 19 Friday Uthradam
Angurarpanam 07-01-2014 23 Tuesday Uthirattathi
Thirunal Day-1 Kodi Yetram (Flag Hoisting) 08-01-2014 24 Wednesday Revathi
Avahanasivili Yezhundiruppu 08-01-2014 24 Wednesday Revathi
Thirunal Day-6 Therkaal Naattu 13-01-2014 29 Monday Rohini
Thirunal Day-7 Lord Nataraja Renoval from Padhividam 14-01-2014 01 Tuesday Mirugashrisham
Thirunal Day-8 Ther Kadaksham 15-01-2014 02 Wednesday Thiruvadhirai
Thirunal Day-9 Radha Rahanan & Urchavam 16-01-2014 03 Thurs day Punarpoosam
Thirunal Day-10 Theerthavaari & Mangala snanam 17-01-2014 04 Friday Poosam
Dwajavaharanam 17-01-2014 04 Friday Ahilyam
Kalasamedu 21-01-2014 08 Tuesday Uthiram

As per this 1st day of thirunaal is called Kodi Yetral (Temple flag hoisting). The previous day called zeroth day is known as Angurarpanam.

The following pictures ( most of them by Sri.R.M.Hariharan & R.R.Sankarasubramanian ) are sequenced day wise:

0th day (i.e., one day earlier to 1st ThirunaalI Angurarpanam)

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Onraam Thirunaal: Kodi yetral and Avaahanasivili Yezhunthiruppu

Morning
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Night
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Erandaam Thirunaal

Morning
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Night
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Moonram Thirunaal

Morning
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Night
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Naangam Thirunaal

Morning
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Night
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Aindham Thirunaal

Morning
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Night
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Aaraam Thirunaal: Ther Nattu

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A-zhaam Thirunaal: Nataraajar Padhivu Idam Vittu Iranguthal

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Ettam Thirunaal: Ther Kadaaksham

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Onbatham Thirunaal: Radha Rohanam and Radha Urchavam

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Paththaam Thirunaal: Theerthavari Mangala snanam , Dhujava Rohanam

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Photographs of some of the Rudhra Pooja and Evening Programmes

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Swami Ula at night
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