Significance
Skanda Shashti is an important
Hindu festival dedicated to the worship of Lord Skanda – God of war. It
celebrates the Victory of Lord Skanda who defeated the demon Surapadma to
memorialize the triumph of good over evils. This auspicious festival is
observed on the 6th day of the lunar month as per the Tamil Calendar. Skanda Shashti
is also known as Kanda Shasti. Lord Skanda is also known as Kartikeya,
Subramaniya, Skanda, Kumara Swami, and Kumaran.
The Shashti tithi (6th day) of the
Shukla paksha in the month of Kartika (October-November) is the most auspicious
of them all. It is one of the renowned and the auspicious occasions celebrated
in the Indian States of Tamil Nadu. On this felicitous day, Lord Murugan is
revered across the country especially in the South Indian States. It is
believed that a person who offers prayers and observes fasting on Shashti will
generously receive blessings of Lord Murugan.
Observation
Corresponding to the six days of
the war over the evil forces; devotees undertake fasts, prayers and devotional
singing to Lord Murugan. Most of the devotees stay in the temples during these
six days. During these days, devotees recite various inspiring hymns and read
stories connected with Lord Subramanya. They go on pilgrimage to the various
Lord Skanda shrines.
The festival of Skanda Shashti is
a ten days long event in Tamil Nadu and some other states. In the temple for
Lord Subramanya located in Tiruchendur, a grand festival is celebrated on these
days and to conclude the festival the event of Sura Samhara or the killing of the demons by Lord Skanda is enacted
to this day. Devotees throng to witness this grand event and seek the blessings
of Lord Skanda.
Being a major sacred observance in South- India state, most of the temples and numerous holy places across India celebrate this distinguished festivity with magnificence and grandeur everywhere. Import places in Karnataka include Kukke Subramanya and Ghati Subramanya for celebrating rituals.