Singapore Travel Roundup: Don't Miss Thaipusam in Little India!

Singapore has a unique blend of multi-ethnic cultures, and therefore some of its festivals attract many international visitors who come to participate. Go City is introducing Singapore's Thaipusam festival.

Thaipusam is held every January. It is a Hindu festival particularly revered in Singapore's Little India cultural district, an annual event for Singapore's Hindus to pray, fulfill vows, and give thanks, usually lasting two days. The festival commemorates Lord Subramaniam (also known as Lord Murugan), who defeated evil and endowed Hindus with virtue, youth, and strength.

Source: Time Out

The most attractive part of Thaipusam is the annual grand colorful parade, which is also very shocking, making you think that Thaipusam is the world's most 'painful' festival.

The Thaipusam ritual starts in the early morning. Devotees who pray and fulfill vows set out from Sri Srinivasa Perumal Temple, travel along Serangoon Road, and finally arrive at Sri Thandayuthapani Temple on Tank Road, a distance of about 4.5 kilometers.

Procession devotees carrying Kavadi (spiked frames) *Kavadi: a ritual instrument used in Hindu ascetic practices)

Procession devotees with steel skewers piercing their tongues. Source: Singapore Tourism Board official website.

Does the Thaipusam parade make you feel a physical ache? Besides experiencing the festival atmosphere, Go City suggests visiting the Indian Heritage Centre located on Campbell Lane in Little India to explore the rich cultural heritage and history of Singapore's Indian community and learn about cultural features that can only be seen in India.

Exterior of the Indian Heritage Centre

The exhibits at the Indian Heritage Centre tell the story of Indians in Singapore from the 19th century to the present, showing how Indian culture first arrived, how it interacted with other cultures, and how it shaped today's Little India.