Kartikeya, otherwise called Murugan, Skanda, Kumara, and Subrahmanya, is the Hindu divine force of war. He is the child of Parvati and Shiva, sibling of Ganesha, and a divine being whose biography has numerous variants in Hinduism. An imperative god discovered everywhere throughout the Indian subcontinent in its history, Kartikeya is especially mainstream and prevalently revered in South India and Sri Lanka as Murugan, among the Tamil individuals.
Kartikeya is an old god, traceable to the Vedic time. Archeological confirmation from the first century CE and prior, where he is found with Hindu god Agni (fire), recommend that he was a critical divinity in early Hinduism. He is found in numerous medieval sanctuaries all finished India, for example, at the Ellora Caves and Elephanta Caves.
Derivation and terminology
Kartikeya is known by various names in antiquated and medieval writings of the Indian culture. Most normal among these are Murugan, Kumaran, Skanda, and Subrahmanyan. Others incorporate Aaiyyan, Cheyon, Senthil, Velaṇ, Svaminatha, Saravanan, Arumugam or Shanmuga, Dandapani, Guha or Guruguha, Kadhirvelan, Kandhan, Vishakha and Mahasena. In antiquated coins where the engraving has made due alongside his pictures, his names show up as Kumara, Brahmanya, or Brahmanyadeva. On some old Indo-Scythian coins, his names show up in Greek content as Skanda, Kumara, and Vishaka. In old statues, he shows up as Mahasena, Skanda, and Vishakha.
Skanda is gotten from skanḍr, which intends to "spill, overflow, jump, assault". This root is gotten from the legend of his uncommon birth. The legend interprets Lochtefeld, states "Shiva and Parvati are exasperated while having intercourse, and Shiva accidentally spills his semen on the ground". This semen broods in River Ganges, saved by the warmth of god Agni, and this embryo is conceived as child Kartikeya on the banks of Ganges. The "spill" sobriquet prompts the name Skanda.
Antiquated
There are antiquated references which can be deciphered to be Kartikeya, Skanda, Kumara, or Murugan in the Vedic writings, in the progress of Palani, in the Mahabhasya of Patanjali, and in Kautilya's Arthashastra. The Kumara of verse can be translated as Skanda, or simply any "kid". In any case, whatever is left of the verses delineate the "kid" as brilliant shaded, throwing weapons and different themes that later have been related with Skanda. The trouble with deciphering these to be Skanda is that Indra, Agni, and Rudra are additionally delineated in comparable terms and as warriors.
In Tamil writing
The Tolkappiyam, a standout amongst the most antiquated writings of the Tamil writing, notice ceyon "the red one", who is related to Murugan, whose name is truly Murukan "the young" alternate divine beings alluded to in the Tolkappiyam are Mayon "the dim one" (related to Vishnu), Ventan "the sovereign" (related to Indra) and Korravai "the successful" (related to Kali) and Varunan "the ocean god". Surviving Sangam writing works, dated between the third century and the fifth century celebrated Murugan, "the red god situated on the blue peacock, who is ever youthful and shining," as "the favored divine force of the Tamils." Korravai is regularly recognized as the mother of Murugan.
Puranas
Kartikeya is said in Shaiva Puranas. Of these, the Skanda Purana is the biggest Mahapuraṇa, a kind of eighteen Hindu religious writings. The content contains more than 81,000 verses and is a piece of Shaivite writing, titled after Skanda, a child of Shiva and Parvati, who is otherwise called Kartikeya and Murugan. While the content is named after Skanda, he doesn't include either pretty much unmistakably in this content than in other Shiva-related Puranas. The content has been an essential chronicled record and impact on the Hindu customs identified with war-god Skanda. The most punctual content titled Skanda Purana likely existed by the sixth century yet the Skanda Purana that has made due into the cutting edge time exists in numerous renditions.
Worship
South India
In Sri Lanka and India, Murugan is well known with more intricate records of his folklore in the Tamil dialect, coming full circle in the Tamil variant of Skanda Purana, called Kandha Puranam. It was composed by Kacchiappa Sivachariyar (1350– 1420) of Kumara Kottam in the city of Kanchipuram. Amid His bachelorhood, Murugan is likewise viewed as Kumaraswami, Kumara meaning an unhitched male and Swami meaning God. Muruga rides a peacock and employs a bow in a fight. The spear called Vel in Tamil is a weapon intently connected with him. The Vel was given to him by his mom, Parvati, and exemplifies her vitality and power. His armed force's standard portrays a chicken. In the war, Surapadman was part into two, and every half has conceded aid by Murugan. The parts, subsequently transformed into the peacock and the chicken his banner, which likewise "alludes to the sun"
East India
Bengal
Kartikeya is respected amid the Kartik Puja celebration, seen in November in eastern conditions of India. Amid Durga Puja in Bengal, Kartikeya is included as a child of Durga (Parvati) and Shiva, sitting alongside his sibling Ganesha.
Odisha
Kumara Purnima, which is praised by young ladies and recently wedded ladies on the full moon day after Vijayadashami. It is committed to Kartikeya in Odisha. The merriments unite young ladies, they sing and move, and play an amusement called Puchi. The petitions on the day are pointed bearing in mind the end goal of getting a spouse like Kartikeya. Kartikeya is adored amid Durga Puja in Odisha and in addition in different Shiva sanctuaries consistently. Kartik Puja is praised in Cuttack alongside different parts of the state amid the last periods of the Hindu month of Kartik.
North India
Himachal Pradesh
Kartikeya is the fundamental god in the Chamba area of Himachal Pradesh. The sanctuary of Kartikeya in Kugti town is gone by consistently by a huge number of fans when the trek is opened in the long stretch of March-April.
Beyond India
Malaysia
Murugan is loved by the Tamil Hindus in Malaysia and other South-East Asian nations, for example, Singapore and Indonesia. Thaipusam is one of the vital celebrations celebrated. Sri Subramanya Temple at Batu Caves sanctuary complex in Malaysia is committed to Murugan. Batu Caves in short likewise alluded to as tenth Caves or Hill for Lord Muruga as there are 6 essential blessed sanctuaries in India and 4 more in Malaysia. The 3 others are in Malaysia.
Kallumalai Temple in Ipoh
Arulmigu Balathandayuthapani Temple, Penang
Sannasimalai Temple in Malacca
Sri Lanka
Karthikeya is venerated by the Sinhalese as Kataragama deviyo additionally by Sri Lankan Tamils as Murugan, a watchman god of Sri Lanka. Various sanctuaries exist all through the island. He is a most loved divinity of the regular society all over the place and it is said he never wavers to go to the guide of a lover when called upon. In the profoundly Sinhalese south of Sri Lanka, he is adored at the Kataragama sanctuary, where he is known as Kathiravel or Kataragama deviyo. Neighborhood legend holds that Murugan landed in Kataragama and was stricken by Valli, one of the nearby young ladies. After a romance, they were hitched. This occasion is taken to mean that Murugan is available to all who love and adore him, paying little mind to their introduction to the world of legacy. The Nallur Kandaswamy sanctuary, the Maviddapuram Kandaswamy Temple, and the Sella Channithy Temple close Valvettiturai are the three principal Murugan sanctuaries in Jaffna. The Chitravelayutha sanctuary in Verukal on the fringe amongst Trincomalee and Batticaloa is additionally imperative just like the Mandur Kandaswamy sanctuary in Batticaloa. The late medieval-time sanctuary of the tooth in Kandy, committed to the tooth relic of the Buddha, has a Kataragama deity place of worship nearby it devoted to the worship of Skanda in the Sinhalese custom. All Buddhist sanctuaries house a holy place space for Kataragama deviyo mirroring the essentialness of Murugan in Sinhala Buddhism.
Arupadai Veedu
- Swamimalai Murugan Temple - Swamimalai
- Palani Murugan Temple - Palani
- Thiruchendur Murugan Temple - Thiruchendur
- Thirupparamkunram Murugan Temple - Thiruparankunram
- Thiruthani Murugan Temple - Thiruthani
- Pazhamudircholai Murugan Temple - Pazhamudircholai
