Murugan

How to recognise Murugan

1. Youthful formLook for a beardless, radiant young man, for Muruga is glossed as "handsome" and Kumara as "youthful"; he is also worshipped as a child, Balamurugan.
2. The velA slender lance with a long, broad, pointed blade, often drawn leaf-shaped, given by his mother Parvati as an embodiment of her shakti and read by devotees as wisdom that pierces ignorance.
3. PeacockHis mount Paravani, on which he rides or beside which he stands; a Tamil story tells how one half of a split mango tree became the peacock and the other the rooster.
4. Rooster bannerHis flag, the seval kodi, bears a rooster emblem, which the Tirumurukarruppatai describes as the flag of flawless rooster.
5. Consorts Valli and DevasenaIn Tamil images he stands between Valli, the hunter chief's adopted daughter, and Devasena (Deivanai), Indra's daughter, while in much of North India Kartikeya is honoured as a celibate commander.
6. Ornaments and dressA waist cloth with golden ornaments, garlands and armlets, sometimes a crown, a golden forehead band or a cross-belt chain across a bare chest, and in early sculpture a dhoti with armour.
7. Shanmukha formAn alternative form shows six faces and twelve arms, recalling the six sparks from Shiva or the six children raised by the Krittikas.

Names and titles

• Velan, Bearer of the VelIn Tamil he is called Velan, the one who bears the vel
• Rider of the PeacockHis mount Paravani the peacock
• The Beautiful OneTamils know him as Murugan, 'The Beautiful One'; Muruga is glossed as handsome
• Two Companions from One TreeA demon turned mango tree was split and became his peacock and his rooster
• Swaminatha, Teacher of ShivaAt Swamimalai he is said to have taught his father Shiva the meaning of the sacred syllable Om

Feast days

• Kanda Sashti (Skanda Sashti)10 November 2026

  Kanda Sashti is the first day of the six-day fast and festival for Murugan (Skanda). It is kept in the Tamil month of Aippasi and builds towards Soorasamharam. This is the same observance as the other Kanda Sashti entry in this list.

  How it's celebrated. Many temples hoist a sacred flag, and priests tie a protective thread (kappu) on the deity and on devotees. Fasting varies by person: fruit only, milk only, one meal a day, or water alone. Devotees read the Kanda Puranam and chant the Kanda Sashti Kavacham, and some stay in the temple at Tiruchendur for the whole festival.

  Sources: Tiruchendur.org: Kanda Sasti festival · Wikipedia: Shashthi Vrata

• Soorasamharam15 November 2026

  Soorasamharam is the sixth and final day of Kanda Sashti. Devotees remember Murugan's victory over the demon Surapadman, which they believe he won with his spear (vel). This is the same celebration as the other Soorasamharam entry in this list.

  How it's celebrated. At Tiruchendur, special pujas and abhishekam in the morning lead to an enactment on the seashore, with a procession. At Palani, the image of Murugan is taken through the town beforehand. Fasting devotees often break their fast after the enactment. Tiruttani is an exception: it does not stage the battle, and Murugan is showered with flowers instead.

  Sources: Wikipedia: Surasamharam · Wikipedia: Subramaniya Swamy Temple, Tiruttani · India TV: Soorasamharam at Tiruchendur

• Tiru Kalyanam16 November 2026

  Tiru Kalyanam is the divine wedding of Murugan and Deivanai (Devasena), kept the day after Soorasamharam. Devotees see it as the joyful completion of the Kanda Sashti festival. This is the same celebration as the other Tiru Kalyanam entry here. Murugan's wedding is also remembered at Panguni Uthiram.

  How it's celebrated. Tiruchendur and Thiruparankundram hold major wedding ceremonies, and many other Murugan temples hold them too. The image of Murugan is wed to Deivanai with traditional wedding rites. Local temples announce their own timing, and published listings sometimes differ.

  Sources: India TV: Murugan Thirukalyanam · Varnam: Thirukalyanam of Lord Murugan

• Subrahmanya Sashti (Kukke Subramanya Sashti)15 December 2026

  Subrahmanya Sashti is the sixth lunar day of the bright half of Margashirsha. It is kept mainly in Karnataka and Andhra Pradesh, and at Kukke Subramanya it is known as Champa Shashti. It honours Subrahmanya's victory over Tarakasura and his wedding to Devasena. It is separate from the Aippasi Kanda Sashti. This is the same observance as the other Subrahmanya Sashti entry here.

  How it's celebrated. At Kukke Subramanya, a multi-day festival opens with the flag hoisting. It includes processions and the Maha Rathotsava (chariot procession), a float festival on the temple tank, and an enacted divine wedding. Elsewhere, devotees bathe at dawn, fast, offer milk at snake mounds and present urad dal naivedyam. Some keep one day of fasting and others keep six.

  Sources: Kukke Subramanya Devasthanam: Festivals · Kukke Subramanya Festivals 2026 guide · Apni Sanskriti: Subrahmanya Sashti

• Thaipusam22 January 2027

  Thaipusam falls on the full moon of the Tamil month of Thai, when the Pusam star is ascendant. It is a festival of Murugan, closely linked with his vel (spear), and is kept by Tamil Hindus in India and abroad.

  How it's celebrated. Devotees carry kavadi (burden-offerings) and pots of milk to Murugan's shrines, often after weeks of fasting. Some fulfil vows with vel-shaped skewers through the skin. Palani's hilltop temple is a main centre. At Batu Caves in Malaysia, pilgrims climb 272 steps, and in Singapore there is a procession on foot between temples.

  Sources: Murugan.org: Thaipusam, the Murugan Festival · Bhaktiras: Thaipusam · Murugan.org: Kavadi Worship at Batu Caves

• Panguni Uthiram22 March 2027

  Panguni Uthiram is a Tamil festival held when the Uttiram star meets the full moon of Panguni. It commemorates several divine weddings, among them Murugan and Deivanai, and Shiva and Parvati. It also marks the manifestation of Ayyappan.

  How it's celebrated. Temples hold special pujas, processions, car festivals and ceremonial weddings of the deities. Murugan temples perform his marriage to Deivanai, while the Meenakshi Amman Temple in Madurai celebrates the wedding of Meenakshi and Sundareswarar. Some Murugan temples abroad also hold abhishekam and wedding rites. Murugan's wedding is also kept the day after Soorasamharam, as a separate observance.

  Sources: Wikipedia: Panguni Uthiram · Wikipedia: Panguni · Giri USA: Panguni Uthiram

• Vaikasi Visakam20 May 2027

  Vaikasi Visakam falls when the moon is in the Visakam star during the Tamil month of Vaikasi. Devotees keep it as Murugan's birth star and birthday.

  How it's celebrated. Murugan temples hold special pujas and abhishekam, and devotees carry milk pots in procession to the shrines. Panchamirtham is given as prasad, and the deity is taken out in chariots or on special mounts. Tiruchendur and Thiruparankundram draw large crowds. Palani holds a ten-day festival with a chariot procession on the tenth day. Communities in Malaysia, Singapore and Sri Lanka also keep it.

  Sources: Wikipedia: Vaikasi Visakam · Palani.org: Vaikasi Visakam · Palani.in: Vaikasi Visakam

• Kanda Sashti30 October 2027

  Kanda Sashti begins the six-day vow of fasting and prayer to Murugan, kept in the Tamil month of Aippasi after Deepavali. It leads up to Soorasamharam. This is the same observance as the earlier Kanda Sashti entry in this list.

  How it's celebrated. Families light a lamp morning and evening before Murugan, recite the Kanda Sashti Kavacham and visit a Murugan temple. Many avoid onion, garlic and meat for the six days. Some eat one meal a day, and others take only fruit and milk. Some temples tie a protective thread (kappu) on devotees at the start.

  Sources: Siva Pooja Store: Kanda Sashti Viratham guide · Tiruchendur.org: Kanda Sasti 2026