Muruga is the divine son of Shiva and Parvati. This unique deity is an exceptional combination of high courage and extreme intelligence. Devotees worship the deity by offering prayers, chanting hymns, and observing fast on Tuesdays, especially on Vaikasi Visakam, his birthday, to bestow them with divine blessings.
Vaikasi Visakam falls between May and June every year. People celebrate the day when the full moon coincides with the auspicious star Visakam. It is a belief Vaikasi Visakam –born people will be rich in wisdom, wealth, and popularity. The temples and devotees celebrate his birthday grandly. Not only in India but worldwide, people from Shaivism, Vaishnavism, and Buddhism commemorate the big day with great pomp.
History of Vaikasi Visakam
Vaikasi Visakam has interesting legends. One of them says how the deity Muruga blessed six children of a sage.
Once upon a time, Sage Parasara had six children. One day, they went to a pond for bathing. While bathing, all the children started playing and thus polluted the water. Due to their play, the fish and frogs in the water began suffering. After seeing it, the Sage warned his children to stop playing in the water as it was worshipped as Shiva. They disobeyed his father’s order and poured water out of the pond. It led to the death of many fish. Seeing their arrogance, the Sage cursed his children to turn them into fish.
As he cursed, all six children turned into six fish. Repenting to their mistake, they asked for a solution to eliminate the curse. The Sage replied that the solution would come from Devi Parvati.
They lived in the pond for a long time. Once in Shivaloka, when Parvati fed Muruga with milk of wisdom in a golden bowl, a drop of the milk fell into the pond. All six fish swallowed it and turned into six sages. When they wanted to thank the deity Shiva, an oracle directed them to reach Thiruchendur and perform penance where Muruga would bless them.
Vaikasi Visakam is the day when Muruga blessed the six sages with the grace of Shiva. Devotees believe Muruga will dissolve their Karma and sufferings by watching their ardent worship. As Muruga blessed the six sons of the Sage Parasara in Thiruchendur, Vaikasi Visakam is grandly celebrated in Thiruchendur Subramanya Temple as a 10-day celebration.
A heat-relieving ceremony, known as Ushana Shanti Utsavam, is held annually here. During this ceremony, the priests keep water in the sanctum sanctorum to cool down Muruga. Small lentils Payasam, Appam, and Tender coconut are offered to the deity as Nivedhyam.
There is another popular legend behind Vaikasi Visakam. The three demons, Tarakasura, Surapadman, and Singamuhan, inflicted problems on Earth and Heaven. As they got a unique boon from Shiva, nobody could kill them. Finally, all devas and deities pleaded with Shiva to destroy them. So, he radiated six fire sparks from his third eye. Each spark was turned into a newborn child on a lotus, and Kartikai maidens brought them up. Mother Parvati combined six children into six faces and twelve hands, Shanmuga, who killed the three demons and protected the world from evil forces.
During Vaikasi Visakam, Abhisekam, special Poojas, Chanting, Homas, Alankara, and Nivedhyam are carried out in temples and houses. On this day, devotees throng in the temple to see the divine marriage of Muruga and Valli. Muruga blesses his devotees with courage, wisdom, health, and prosperity on this propitious day, removing their sins and protecting them from evil powers.
