Singapore Namadwaar – Thaipusam 2026 Volunteering
Thaipusam is a significant Hindu festival celebrated worldwide. Thaipusam symbolises the triumph of good over evil and signifies spiritual transformation. In Singapore, the festival is celebrated with great enthusiasm and devotion by many communities, with devotees coming together to participate peacefully, following guidelines.
The annual Thaipusam festival here is jointly organised by Sri Srinivasa Perumal Temple, Sri Thendayuthapani Temple, and the Hindu Endowment Board. Numerous volunteering organisations and individuals are involved with these organisers to render services for participating devotees during the festival. Given the scale of the event, it is widely acknowledged that volunteer contributions are essential for safety, logistics, and maintaining the sanctity of the rituals. For more than a decade, Singapore Namadwaar members have been actively volunteering during the Thaipusam event and are ever grateful for this opportunity to play a part in helping organisers manage the event in various measures.
This year (2026), the festival began at around 11.20 pm on Jan 31, when devotees started carrying ‘Paalkudams’ and set off on a 3.2- 4 km procession route from the Sri Srinivasa Perumal temple in Serangoon Road towards the Sri Thendayuthapani temple in Tank Road. In subsequent batches, devotees set out to carry ‘alagu kavadis’ and pull chariots in a procession along the route. The festival ended at about 11.30 pm on Feb 1. It is estimated that about 19000 devotees have participated actively this year.
Members from Singapore Namadwaar served as volunteers this year, covering various time slots and positions. They attended briefings held prior to the start of the event, played the roles of ‘Route Marshals’ and were stationed along the route to offer support and manage the flow of devotees along the way. At ‘Music points’ where traditional music instruments were played, volunteers helped to manage the procession safely. They also helped cheer on devotees and cleaned up the walking paths from leftover towels, cans, and trinkets. The event rewarded the volunteers with a sense of satisfaction, cultural pride, and enhanced team spirit.
