Tamil Nadu Chief Minister Edappadi K. Palaniswami on Tuesday announced that the State government would grant a public holiday on Thai Poosam day every year.
“In view of Thai Poosam on January 28 this year, I have ordered the announcing of a public holiday. I have also ordered that Thai Poosam be included in the list of public holidays every year,” Mr. Palaniswami said in a statement.
According to the Chief Minister during his visits to various districts, members of the public cited the public holiday for Thai Poosam in Sri Lanka and Mauritius and represented to him to declare a similar holiday in Tamil Nadu.
“Thai Poosam is one of the major festivals celebrated in Tamil Nadu for Tamil God Muruga Peruman. Thai Poosam is celebrated in not just Tamil Nadu but also in Kerala, Sri Lanka, Singapore, Malaysia, Mauritius and Indonesia,” he said.
Thai Poosam is celebrated by a cross-section of Hindu Tamils on the full moon day of the Tamil month of Thai. The festival symbolises the victory of good over evil. As per religious belief, on this day, the ‘vel’ (the holy lance) was given to Lord Muruga by His mother Goddess Parvathi to annihilate Tharakasuran and his three brothers.
