History of Lord Murugan (Karthikeyan)

Kartikeya also known as Murugan, Skanda, Kumara, and Subrahmanya, is the Hindu god of war.

 He is the son of Parvati and Shiva, brother of Ganesha, and a god whose l i8ife story has many versions in Hinduism.

An important deity around South Asia since ancient times, Kartikeya is particularly popular and predominantly worshipped in South India, Sri Lanka, Singapore and Malaysia as Murugan.

Kartikeya is an ancient god, traceable to the Vedic era. Archaeological evidence from 1st-century CE and earlier, where he is found with Hindu god Agni (fire), suggest that he was a significant deity in early Hinduism.

He is found in many medieval temples all over India, such as at the Ellora Caves and Elephanta Caves.

The iconography of Kartikeya varies significantly; he is typically represented as an ever-youthful man, riding or near a peacock, dressed with weapons sometimes near a rooster.

Most icons show him with one head, but some show him with six heads reflecting the legend surrounding his birth where six mothers symbolizing the six stars of Pleiades cluster who took care of newly born baby Kartikeya.

He grows up quickly into a philosopher-warrior, destroys evil in the form of demon Taraka, teaches the pursuit of ethical life and the theology of Shaiva Siddhanta.

He has inspired many poet-saints, such as Arunagirinathar.

Kartikeya is found as a primary deity in temples wherever communities of the Tamil people live worldwide, particularly in Tamil Nadu state of India, Sri Lanka, Mauritius, Indonesia, Malaysia, Singapore, South Africa and Reunion.

Three of the six richest and busiest temples in Tamil Nadu are dedicated to him.

The Kataragama temple dedicated to him in Sri Lanka attracts Tamils, Sinhalese people and the Vedda people.

He is also found in other parts of India, sometimes as Skanda, but in a secondary role along with Ganesha, Parvati and Shiva.

Kartikeya is known by numerous names in ancient and medieval texts of the Indian culture. Most common among these are Murugan, Kumara, Skanda, and Subrahmanya.

Others include Aaiyyan, Cheyyon, Senthil, Velaṇ, Swaminatha ("ruler of the gods", from -natha king), saravaṇabhava ("born amongst the reeds"), Arumugam or sanmukha ("six-faced"), Dandapani ("wielder of the mace", from -pani hand), Guha (cave, secret) or Guruguha (cave-teacher), Kadhirvelan, Kandhan, Vishakha and Mahasena.

In ancient coins where the inscription has survived along with his images, his names appear as Kumara, Brahmanya or Brahmanyadeva.

 On some ancient Indo-Scythian coins, his names appear in Greek script as Skanda, Kumara and Vishaka. In ancient statues, he appears as Mahasena, Skanda and Vishakha.

Skanda is derived from skanḍr-, which means "leaper or attacker". In Kalidasa’s epic poem Kumarasambhava (“The Birth of the War God”; 5th century CE), as in most versions of the story, the gods wished for Skanda to be born in order to destroy the demon Taraka, who had been granted a boon that he could be killed only by a son of Shiva.

They sent Parvati to induce Shiva to marry her. Shiva, however, was lost in meditation and was not attracted to Parvati until he was struck by an arrow from the bow of Kama, the god of love, whom he immediately burned to ashes.

After many years of abstinence, Shiva’s seed was so strong that the gods, fearing the result, sent Agni, the god of fire, to interrupt Shiva’s amorous play with Parvati.

Agni received the seed and dropped it into the Ganges, where Skanda was born.

Kartikeya means "of the Krittikas". This epithet is also linked to his birth. After he appears on the banks of the River Ganges, he is seen by the six of the seven brightest stars cluster in the night sky called Krittikas in Hindu texts (called Pleiades in Greek texts).

These six mothers all want to take care of him and nurse baby Kartikeya. Kartikeya ends the argument by growing five more heads to have a total of six heads so he can look at all six mothers, and let them each nurse one.

Ancient coins of the Yaudheyas, dated to 1st and 2nd century CE, show Kartikeya as a warrior with either one or six heads.

Kushan coins show him with one head. In general, single head is far more common regardless of which dynasty minted them.

The earliest statues discovered in Punjab and Kashmir show him with either one or six heads.

The oldest sculptures such as those found in Mathura show him with one head, while six head iconography is dated to post-Gupta Empire era.

All Kushan Empire era artwork show him with one head, even though there are Kushan deities such as a goddess who is shown with multiple heads.

The Kushan Empire era statues of Kartikeya, dated to 1st and 2nd-century CE, have been found at various sites in the Indian subcontinent, particularly at Mathura and Gandhara.

They show him as a warrior dressed in dhoti (sheet wrapped at waist, covering the legs), armour like a warrior, spear in his right hand and a bird (rooster) in his left.

There is some difference between his ancient iconography in Mathura and Gandhara artwork.

The Gandhara arts show him in more a Scythian dress, likely reflecting the local dress culture prevalent in those times. Further, it is in the oldest Gandharan statues where he is shown with a bird that looks like a chicken or cock.

According to Richard Mann, the bird may symbolize Kartikeya's agility and maneuverability as a warrior god, and may be a Parthian influence.

His iconography symbolizes his attributes as a hunter, warrior and philosopher.

Kartikeya iconography shows him as a youthful god, dressed as a warrior, carrying the weapon called Vel.

It is a divine spear, often called sakti. He is sometimes depicted with many weapons including: a sword, a javelin, a mace, a discus and a bow although more usually he is depicted wielding the sakti or spear.

His vahana (vehicle, mount) is a peacock. He has either one head or six, depending on the region or artist.

Kartikeya is a major deity among the Hindus of Tamil Nadu, Kerala, Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh and Telangana.

Tamil Nadu

He is considered the God of Tamil language and he is mentioned a lot in Tamil Sangam literature. The six abodes of Murugan are all in Tamil Nadu.

Each of these temples has a unique history and different reason to worship Lord Murugan.Thirupparamkunram Murugan Temple he is worshiped as he (Lord Kartikeya) worshiped Lord Shiva.

As per tradition, devotes who go to the six abodes of Murugan tonsure their head in imitation of Palani deity.

Thai Poosam during January – February month is celebrated as a 6-day festival.

On Thai Poosam day, Kavadis and Palkudams are taken by devotees in procession around Chhedanagar.

Special Abhishekams are performed to the Moolavar and Utsavar. Annadhanam is provided to all devotees participating in the functions.

In the night, Lord Muruga is taken in procession accompanied by Nadaswaram, Veda Parayanam around Chhedanagar.^[77]

Vaikasi Visakam day, (during May –June month), Kavadis and Palkudams are taken by devotees in procession around Chhedanagar.

Skanda Sashti during October-November month is celebrated as a 6-day festival.

Spiritual discourses by learned scholars and/or music concerts by popular artists from South or from Mumbai are organized.

Beyond India

Malaysia

Kartikeya is revered by the Hindus in Malaysia and other South-East Asian countries such as Singapore and Indonesia. 

Thaipusam is one of the important festivals celebrated. Sri Subramanyar Temple at Batu Caves temple complex in Malaysia is dedicated to Kartikeya.

There are some other temples in Malaysia such as:

Kallumalai Temple in Ipoh

Arulmigu Balathandayuthapani Temple, Penang

Sannayasi Andavar Temple in Cheng, Malacca

Sri Lanka

Karthikeya is worshipped by the Sinhalese as Kataragama deviyo also by Sri Lankan Tamils as Muruhan, a guardian deity of Sri Lanka.

Numerous temples exist throughout the island. He is a favourite deity of the common folk everywhere and it is said he never hesitates to come to the aid of a devotee when called upon.

In the deeply Sinhalese south of Sri Lanka, he is worshipped at the Kataragama temple, where he is known as Kathiravel or Kataragama deviyo.

Local legend holds that Murugan alighted in Kataragama and was smitten by Valli, one of the local girls. After a courtship, they were married.

This event is taken to signify that Murugan is accessible to all who worship and love him, regardless of their birth or heritage. The Nallur Kandaswamy temple, the Maviddapuram Kandaswamy Temple and the Sella Channithy Temple near Valvettiturai are the three foremost Murugan temples in Jaffna.

The Chitravelayutha temple in Verukal on the border between Trincomalee and Batticaloa is also noteworthy as is the Mandur Kandaswamy temple in Batticaloa.

The late medieval-era temple of the tooth in Kandy, dedicated to the tooth relic of the Buddha, has a Kataragama deiyo shrine adjacent to it dedicated to the veneration of Skanda in the Sinhalese tradition.

Almost all Buddhist temples house a shrine room for Kataragama deviyo reflecting the significance of Murugan in Sinhala Buddhism.

By the 16th century, the Kataragama temple had become synonymous with Skanda-Kumara who was a guardian deity of Sinhala Buddhism.

The town was popular as a place of pilgrimage for Hindus from India and Sri Lanka by the 15th century.

The popularity of the deity at the Kataragama temple was also recorded by the Pali chronicles of Thailand such as Jinkalmali in the 16th century.

There are number of legends both Buddhist and Hindu that attribute supernatural events to the very locality.

Scholars such as Paul Younger and Heinz Bechert speculate that rituals practiced by the native priests of Kataragama temple betray Vedda ideals of propitiation.

Hence they believe the area was of Vedda veneration that was taken over by the Buddhist and Hindus in the medieval period.

Temples

Within India

South India

Tamil Nadu

Palani Murugan Temple

Swamimalai Murugan Temple

Thiruchendur Murugan Temple

Thirupparamkunram Murugan Temple

Thiruthani Murugan Temple

Pazhamudircholai Murugan Temple

The above six temples are dedicated to Kartikeya as their primary deity. These six temples in Tamil Nadu, together are referred to as Aru Padaiveedu (Tamil: Arupatai veedu), that are mentioned in Thirumurugatrupadai, written by Nakkeerar and in Thirupugal, written by Arunagirinathar.

Kerala

There are many temples dedicated to Subramanya in Kerala such as:

Atiyambur Sri Subramanya Temple in Kanhangad Kasaragod

Subramanya Swamy temple in Payyanur

Panmana Subramanya Swamy temple in Panmana

Haripad Sree Subrahmanya Swamy temple

Andhra Pradesh

Anantapur District Pampanuru Subramanyam Swamy temple Kothur, Kurnool District

Skandagiri, Secunderabad

Biccavolu

Mopidevi

Mallam

Karnataka

Kukke Subramanya Temple Kartikeya is worshipped as Subrahmanya where he is regarded as Lord of the serpents.

North India

Delhi

Malai Mandir, a prominent temple complex

Haryana

Pehowa temple in Haryana

Punjab

Achaleshwar Temple in Gurdaspur.

Chandigarh

Sri Karthikeya Swami Temple

Himachal Pradesh

Kartik Swami Temple in Manali

Uttrakhand

Karthik Swami temple above Rudraprayag

Madhya pradesh

Kartikeya Mandir, Gwalior. It opens only once a day in an year.

Gujarat

Sri Balamurugan Devasthanam in Ahmedabad

Maharashtra

Kartik Swami Thirumal Murugan Temple

Thiruchembur Murugan Temple, Chembur, Mumbai

West Bengal

Sri Ganesh & Murugan Temples in Kolkatta

Outside India

Sri Lanka

Kataragama (Kadirgamam) in the south

Temple in Tirukovil in the east

Shrine in Embekke in Kandy

Nallur Kandaswamy temple in Jaffna.

Malaysia

Batu Caves near Kuala Lumpur which has a 42.7-m-high statue of Murugan at the entrance, the largest Lord Murugan statue in the world.

Arulmigu Balathandayuthapani Temple, Penang

Nattukkottai Chettiar Temple, Penang

Sri Marathandavar Bala Dhandayuthapani Alayam

Sri Kandaswamy Kovil, Brickfields

Sannasimalai Temple in Malacca.

Kallumalai Temple in Ipoh

Indonesia

Langkat, Indonesia which has 16 meter high and standing outside of its temple named as Shri Raja Rajeshwari Amman Kovil Temple. It has second largest Murugan statue in the world.

Singapore

Sri Thendayuthapani Temple in Singapore is a major Hindu temple

Arulmigu Velmurugan Gnana Muneeswaran Temple, 50 Rivervale Cres Sengkang, Singapore

Sri Holy Tree Balasubramaniam Temple

Sri Murugan Hill Temple, 931 Upper Bukit Timah Rd,

USA

Shiva Murugan Temple in Concord, Northern California

Murugan Temple of North America in Maryland, Washington DC.

Carolina Murugan Temple (planned) in Chatham County, North Carolina. To include “the tallest statue of Lord Murugan in the world.”

Canada

Kanthasamy Temple in Toronto, Ontario, Canada

Murugan temple in Val-Morin, a suburb of the city of Montreal

United Kingdom

Highgate Hill Murugan temple in London

Sri Murugan Temple in Manor park, London

Shri Siva Murugan Temple in Leicester is a popular temple.

Skanda Vale in Carmarthenshire, Wales is an ashram and place of pilgrimage

Australia

Murugan temple in Parramatta (Mays Hill)

Perth Bala Muruguan temple in Mandogalup

Kundrathu Kumaran temple in Rockbank, Melbourne

New Zealand

Thirumurugan Temple in Auckland

Kurinji Kumaran Temple in Wellington

Switzerland

Sri Sivasubramaniar Temple, located in the Sihl Valley in Adliswil is the largest Hindu temple in Switzerland.

South Africa

Clairwood Shree Siva Soobramoniar Temple

Fiji

Sri Siva Subramaniya temple

Source - Wikipedia