Lord Muruga
is worshipped in a significant and grand manner in Tamil Nadu,
India. The festival of Kandha Sashti Viratham lasts for
six days, starting with the day following the new moon in the
month of Aswin, and is extremely important for devotees of
Lord Muruga. This year the festival is from November 12 to
17, 2004.
The ‘sashti’ or sixth
day of the full moon and the sixth day of the new moon are
favorite days for Lord Muruga. Some devotees of Lord Muruga
observe partial or full fast on each Sashti day and throughout
the Kanda Sashti period.
The Sashti falling in on the waxing
moon period in the Hindu lunar month of Aippasi or Aswin (October-November)
is the day on which Lord Muruga is believed to have killed
a super-demon called Sura Padman. This is commemorated in the
six-day festival of Kanda Sashti as a symbol of perpetual destruction of evil
by God. Each of these six days is, by custom, set apart to recite the glory
of Lord Muruga from one of the six scriptures in His praise, namely: Tirumurukarruppadai,
Kandar Kalivenba, Kandar Anubhuti, Kandar Alankaram, Kanda Sashti Kavacam and
Kanda Puranam. Giant-sized images of four demons (asuras) are moved on uplifted
chariots, and these are symbolically encountered and destroyed by the Lord.
For this festival only,
the deity of Chinnakumarar comes down from the hill temple,
kills the demons (asuras) at the corners of the four direction
while on a festive procession around the hill, and triumphantly
returns to His abode in the hill. This is on the sixth day,
i.e., the sashti day. All the other events of the festival
take place in the hill temple. On the seventh day, Muruga marries
Valli. This divine marriage is celebrated both in the hill
temple and in the Periyanayaki Temple.
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