Taste of Thaipusam

Pancha Mirtham is the classic thaipusam offering. It is a wonderfully sweet delicacy (nectar) made from 5 ingredients (pancha) jackfruit, banana date, honey and rock candy. This is the symbolic reward for finishing the thaipusam walk with the kavadi. It is a must for every family that undertakes this ritual. Yesterday one of these families shares their pancha mirtham with me - on a beautiful banana leaf. That is what I love about our Tamil culture - our intimate connection with fruits, flowers and nature.

On Thaipusam many many Hindus also show their commitment to the cause by setting up Thanner Pandal - or water stands to give water to those on the mini-pilgrimage route. Many others also offer food and sweet drinks to all the devotees. So you can taste vadai, yogurt, vadai, bee hoon, ediyapam and many other food offerings. It is very much up to the donor who sets up the Thaneer Panthal as to what he wants to offer. It is a beautiful gesture - giving back to the community and it fosters a wonderful sense of community and selflessness. Kindness from strangers.

My mom also said how when she was a young girl and lived in a shophouse on 156 Serangoon Road she would pour Manjal Thaneer (yellow water) ie water mixed with tumeric powder) on the road. The tar on the road gets super hot in the course of the day. The kavadi bearers and most of the devotees walk barefoot along the 4 km route (on the road). To make the trek more bearable many people would pour pails of water of Manjal Thaneer on the road to cool it down for the kavadi-bearers.