Kandha
Sashti Viratham
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.
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.
