Skanda Sashti is a major religious festival celebrated with great devotion in Subrahmanya Swamy (Murugan) temples across Tamil Nadu.
Significance in Murugan Temples:
Skanda Sashti commemorates Lord Murugan’s victory over the demon Surapadman, symbolizing the triumph of good over evil. It is observed on the sixth day (Sashti) of the bright fortnight of the Tamil month Aippasi (October–November). This six-day festival is one of the most important events in Murugan worship.
Celebrations in Tamil Nadu:
In temples such as Tiruchendur Murugan Temple, Palani, Swamimalai, Thirupparankundram, Thiruthani, and Pazhamudircholai, the festival is celebrated with grand rituals, Soorasamharam re-enactments, devotional music, fasting, and processions. Tiruchendur, in particular, is famous for its dramatic and spiritually charged Soorasamharam event.
It is a deeply religious occasion that draws lakhs of devotees to Murugan temples in Tamil Nadu every year.
Devotional Practices and Spiritual Observances:
During Skanda Sashti, devotees undertake fasting, chant Skanda Sashti Kavacham, and engage in pujas and abhishekams to seek the blessings of Lord Murugan. Many observe a six-day viratham (austerity), culminating in the symbolic victory over inner negativities. The air in and around Murugan temples becomes vibrant with bhajans, Vedic chanting, and kavadi offerings, especially in Tamil Nadu’s rural heartlands. For devotees, this festival is not merely a celebration but a period of intense spiritual purification, devotion, and inner transformation, drawing them closer to the divine valor and grace of Skanda.
Kavadi offerings are a deeply symbolic and devotional act of penance performed by devotees of Lord Murugan, especially during festivals like Skanda Sashti and Thaipusam. Devotees carry elaborately decorated structures called kavadis—ranging from simple wooden arches to large, ornate frames—on their shoulders, often walking long distances barefoot to Murugan temples. These offerings represent the devotee’s burden, humility, and unwavering faith, undertaken to seek blessings, fulfill vows, or express gratitude to the deity.