91-453: Kavvayi Backwaters , located near Payyanur , is the third largest backwater in Kerala and the largest one in north Kerala. The Kavvayi Kayal (backwaters) is dotted with several islands of various size. Valiyaparamba is the largest among them at over 16 square kilometres (6.2 sq mi). The Kavvayi Backwaters, located near Payyannur, are the third largest backwaters in Kerala and
182-418: A mango tree, which was then split in half by Kartikeya using his vel. One half of the tree became his mount, the peacock, while the other half became the rooster entrenched on his flag. Guha (Muruga) You who has form and who is formless, you who are both being and non-being, who are the fragrance and the blossom, who are the jewel and its lustre, who are the seed of life and life itself, who are
273-527: A peacock and a rooster , respectively. After Surapadma was killed, Kartikeya took the peacock as his vahana and the rooster as his pennant . Indian religious literature describes Kartikeya and Ganesha as sons of Shiva and Parvati. Shavite puranas such as Ganesha Purana , Shiva Purana and Skanda Purana state that Ganesha is the elder of the two. Mahabharata and the Puranas mention various other brothers and sisters of Skanda or Kartikeya. In
364-402: A Tamil deity, underwent a process of adoption and incorporation into the pantheon of North Indian deities. In contrast, G. S. Ghurye states that according to the archeological and epigraphical evidence, the contemporary deity worshipped as Murugan, Subrahmanya and Kartikeya is a composite of two influences: Skanda from the south, and Mahasena from the north. He as the warrior-philosopher god was
455-519: A function, and twelve arms, and tells of the temples dedicated to him in the hilly regions and of his victory over evil. The ancient Tamil lexicon Pinkalandai identifies the name Vel with the slayer of Tarakasura. Paripatal , a Sangam literary work from the third century CE, refers to Kartikeya as Sevvel ("red spear") and as Neduvel ("great spear"). In Mahayana Buddhism , the Mahaparinirvana Sutra mentions Kumara as one of
546-927: A hill, there will be a temple dedicated to Murugan. As he is venerated as the lord of Kurinji , which is a mountainous region, most of his temples are located on hillocks. Most renowned among them are the Six Abodes of Murugan , a set of six temples at Thiruparankundram , Tiruchendur , Palani , Swamimalai , Tiruttani , and Pazhamudircholai which are mentioned in Sangam literature. Other major temples dedicated to Murugan are located at Kandakottam , Kumaran Kundram , Kumarakkottam , Manavalanallur , Marudamalai , Pachaimalai , Sikkal , Siruvapuri , Thiruporur , Vadapalani , Vallakottai , Vayalur , and Viralimalai . Places of worship dedicated to Subramanya in Kerala include temples at Haripad , Neendoor , Kidangoor and Kodumbu . In Andhra Pradesh and Telangana , he
637-467: A population of 72,111, with males constituting 46% of the population and females 54%. Payyanur has an average literacy rate of 94.08%. This is higher than the state average of 94.00%. Male literacy is 97.02%, and female literacy is 91.60%. In Payyanur, 10% of the population is under 6 years of age. Payyan is an appellation of the Hindu deity Kartikeya and ooru means town or place. Thus Payyanur means
728-423: A reflection of legends surrounding his birth wherein he was fused from six boys or borne of six conceptions. He is described to have aged quickly from childhood, becoming a warrior, leading the army of the devas and credited with destroying rakshasas including Tarakasura and Surapadma . He is regarded as a philosopher who taught the pursuit of an ethical life and the theology of Shaiva Siddhanta . Kaumaram
819-612: A union of polarities. He is considered a uniter, championing the attributes of both Shaivism and Vaishnavism (which revere Shiva and Vishnu as their supreme deities, respectively). Kartikeya's theology is most developed in the Tamil texts and in the Shaiva Siddhanta tradition. He is described as dheivam (abstract neuter divinity, nirguna brahman ), as kadavul (divinity in nature, in everything), as Devan (masculine deity), and as iraivativam (concrete manifestation of
910-673: A war fought by Kartikeya against the asuras. As Kartikeya was born to save the devas from the tyrnany of the asuras, he was appointed as the commander of the devas and engaged in conflict with the asuras. Shiva granted him an army of 30,000 warriors to assist in the war against the oppressive asura brothers, whom Kartikeya was born to defeat. Kartikeya was assisted by nine warriors, headed by Virabahu , who served as sub-commanders of his army. These nine men were borne by nine lesser clones of Shakti who appeared from her silambu (anklet). Kartikeya believed that asuras and devas were all descendants of Shiva and that if asuras were to correct their ways,
1001-408: A warrior with attributes of a hunter and a philosopher. He wields a divine spear known as the vel , granted to him by Parvati. The vel signifies his power, or shakti , and symbolizes valor, bravery and righteousness. He is sometimes depicted with other weapons, including a sword, a javelin, a mace, a discus and a bow. His vahana or mount is depicted as a peacock , known as Paravani. While he
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#17327729891241092-424: A while and rest. When he tried to lift them again, he was unable to move one of the hills. He found a youth standing atop the hill and fought with him, only to be defeated. Agasthya identified the youth as Kartikeya, and the two discussed the dispute. The hill was left to remain at its resting location, which later became Palani . Kartikeya later resurrected Idumban as his devotee. The mythology behind Idumban carrying
1183-412: A wish wherein they could only be killed by the son of Shiva, which offered them near-immortality. They subsequently oppressed other celestial beings including the devas, and started a reign of tyranny in the three worlds . When the devas pleaded to Shiva for his assistance, he manifested five additional heads on his body, and a divine spark emerged from each of them. Initially, the wind god Vayu carried
1274-501: Is a fifteenth century anthology of Tamil religious songs composed by Arunagirinathar in veneration of Murugan. Kanda Shasti Kavasam is a Tamil devotional song composed by Devaraya Swamigal in the ninteenth century CE. Murugan (Kartikeya), being known as the God of the Tamils, has many temples dedicated to him across Tamil Nadu . An old Tamil saying states that wherever there is
1365-587: Is a municipal town and a taluk , a sub-district administrative unit, in the Kannur district of Kerala , India. Payyanur is the first municipality in Kerala to establish libraries in all its wards. On 10 March 2018, Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan inaugurated Payyanur as the fifth taluk in the district. Payyanur taluk comprises 22 villages including 16 de-linked from the Taliparamba taluk and six from
1456-571: Is a physical burden which consists of two semicircular pieces of wood or steel which are bent and attached to a cross structure in its simplest form, which is then balanced on the shoulders of the devotee. By bearing the Kavadi, the devotees processionally implore Murugan for assistance, usually as a means of balancing a spiritual debt or on behalf of a loved one who is in need of help or healing. Worshipers often carry pots of cow milk as an offering ( pal kavadi ). The most extreme and spectacular practice
1547-523: Is also associated with sensuality and retribution. Anthropologist Gananath Obeyesekere has suggested that the deity's popularity among Buddhists is due to his purported power to grant emotional gratification, which is in stark contrast to the sensual restraint that characterizes Buddhist practice in Sri Lanka. According to Asko Parpola , the Jain deity Naigamesa , who is also referred to as Hari-Naigamesin,
1638-878: Is also headquarters of one among the four sub divisions in Kannur rural police district formed on 18.02.2021. It is situated about 500 m west of National Highway 66 . The sub division has jurisdiction over five police stations and one control room viz Payyanur, Pazhayangadi , Pariyaram medical college , Peringome and Cherupuzha . Indian Naval Academy at Ezhimala and Central Reserve Police Force Training Camp near Peringome, Pariyaram Govt Medical college and Govt Ayurveda Medical college are situated in Payyanur subdivdison limit. Court complexes in Payyanur The National Highway 66 passes through Perumba junction. Goa and Mumbai can be accessed on
1729-469: Is also known as Valiyaparamba backwaters. This island has a population of 10,000. The island's main source of income come from agriculture and fishing. A secluded beach named Valiparamba beach runs parallel to the backwaters on its western side. Ecologically, the backwater of Kavvayi and its surrounding region is considered to be of significance. The Kavvayi backwater is the biggest wetland ecosystem in north Kerala with an area of 37 km. The backwater and
1820-524: Is also said to have married Valli, the daughter of a tribal chief . In Tamil folklore, both Devasena and Valli were daughters of Vishnu in the previous birth. When they reincarnated , Devasena was adopted as the daughter of Indra as a result of her penance and Valli was born on the Earth. However, both were destined to marry the son of Shiva. There are references in the ancient Vedas to "Skanda", which can be interpreted to refer to Kartikeya. For example,
1911-438: Is depicted in early Jain texts as riding the peacock and as the leader of the divine army, both characteristics of Kartikeya. Kavadi Aattam is a ceremonial act of sacrifice and offering to Murugan practiced by his devotees. Its origin has been linked to a mythic anecdote about Idumban . It symbolizes a form of debt bondage through the bearing of a physical burden called Kavadi ( lit. ' burden ' ). The Kavadi
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#17327729891242002-447: Is divided into 44 wards covering an area of 54.63 km (21.09 sq mi) for which the elections are held every five years. The current ruling party is CPI(M) . Payyanur Assembly constituency is part of Kasaragod Loksabha constituency . The current Payyanur MLA is T. I. Madhusoodanan . The municipality comes under the jurisdiction of Payyanur police station, established on 13 January 1881 during British raj. Payyanur
2093-629: Is found in numismatic evidence linked to the Yaudheyas , a confederation of warriors in North India who are mentioned by the ancient Sanskrit grammarian Pāṇini. During the Kushan era , that included rule over the northwest Indian subcontinent , more coins featuring Kartikeya were minted. He is also found on ancient Indo-Scythian coins, where his various names are minted in Greek script . Skanda
2184-477: Is from here. Kelappan Service Center (perhaps the only institution built in memory of K Kelappan , also known as "Kerala Gandhi") and Payyanur Co-operative Stores are among a number of social organizations in the area. Theyyam and religious festivals (Kaliyattam) of various temples attract people to Payyanur. Poorakkali and Kolkali are the major traditional dance ritual performances. Architect Kunhimangalam Narayanan, dancer Vannadil Pudiyaveettil Dhananjayan ,
2275-408: Is generally regarded as a mango . Shiva expressed his intention of dividing the fruit between his two sons, Ganesha and Kartikeya, but Narada counseled that the fruit could not be divided. So, it was decided to award the fruit to whomsoever first circled the world thrice. Accepting the challenge, Kartikeya started his journey around the globe atop his peacock mount . However, Ganesha surmised that
2366-476: Is hailed as the lord of Palani hills , the tutelary deity of the Kurinji region whose cult gained immense popularity. Tamil literary works such as Tirumurukāṟṟuppaṭai by Nakkīraṉãr and Tiruppukal by Arunagirinathar are devoted to Murugan. Archaeological evidence from the first century CE and earlier shows an association of his iconography with Agni , the Hindu god of fire, indicating that Kartikeya
2457-792: Is known by 108 different names, though other names also exist in common usage. Most common amongst these include Skanda (from skand- , 'to leap or to attack'), Murugan ('handsome'), Kumara ('youthful'), Subrahmanya ('transparent'), Senthil ('victorious'), Vēlaṇ ('wielder of vel '), Swaminatha ('ruler of gods'), Saravaṇabhava ('born amongst the reeds'), Arumukha or Shanmukha ('six faced'), Dhanadapani ('wielder of mace') and Kandha ('cloud'). On ancient coins featuring his images, his name appears inscribed as Kumara, Brahmanya, or Brahmanyadeva. On some ancient Indo-Scythian coins, his name appears in Greek script as Skanda, Kumara, and Vishaka. Various Indian literary works recount different stories surrounding
2548-585: Is narrated in the Vana Parva of the Mahabharata , where he is described as the son of Agni and Svaha . It is narrated that Agni goes to meet the wives of the Saptarshi (seven great sages) and, while none of the wives reciprocates Agni's feelings of love, Svaha is present and attracted to Agni. Svaha takes the form of six of the wives, one by one, and has sex with Agni six times. She is unable to take
2639-704: Is one of several extant ancient civilized places in Kerala. The northern town of Kerala claims a rich recorded history. The archaeological remains excavated from Payyanur and nearby places prove the existence of a city in this area centuries ago. The earliest known mention of this town is in the Brahmanda Purana , when Garga Muni talks about this place to the Pandavas during their exile. Several notable travelers have described this area in their writings. Ibn Battuta visited Ezhimala in AD 1342 and wrote about
2730-492: Is part of Shaivite literature. While the text is named after Skanda (Kartikeya), he does not feature either more or less prominently in the text than in other Shiva-related Puranas. The text has been an important historical record and influence on the Hindu traditions related to war-god Skanda. The earliest text titled Skanda Purana likely existed by the sixth century CE, but the Skanda Purana that has survived into
2821-578: Is revered in regions with significant population of Tamil people and people of Tamil origin, including those in Malaysia , Singapore , Sri Lanka , Thailand , Indonesia and Myanmar , Fiji , Mauritius , Seychelles , Réunion , South Africa and Canada , Caribbean countries including Trinidad and Tobago , Guyana and Suriname , countries with significant Indian migrants including the United States and Australia . Sri Subramanyar Temple at
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2912-670: Is the Hindu god of war . He is generally described as the son of the deities Shiva and Parvati and the brother of Ganesha . Kartikeya has been an important deity in the Indian subcontinent since ancient times . It has been postulated that the Tamil deity of Murugan was syncretized with the Vedic deity of Skanda following the Sangam era . He is regarded as the "God of the Tamil people" and
3003-765: Is the Hindu denomination that primarily venerates Kartikeya. Apart from significant Kaumaram worship and temples in South India , he is worshipped as Mahasena and Kumara in North and East India . He is also worshipped in Sri Lanka , Southeast Asia (notably in Malaysia , Singapore , Thailand and Indonesia ), other countries with significant populations of Tamil origin (including Fiji , Mauritius , South Africa and Canada ), Caribbean countries (including Trinidad and Tobago , Guyana and Suriname ), and countries with significant Indian migrant populations (including
3094-500: Is the carrying of el kavadi , a portable altar up to 2 metres (6 ft 7 in) tall and weighing up to 30 kg (66 lb) decorated with peacock feathers, which is attached to the body of the devotee through multiple skewers and metal hooks pierced into the skin on the chest and back. Once all sages and gods assembled in Kailasha , the abode of Shiva, which resulted in the tilting of Earth due to an increase in weight on
3185-550: Is worshipped under the names Subrahmanya, Kumara Swamy, and Skanda, with major temples at Mopidevi , Biccavolu , Skandagiri, Mallam, and Indrakeeladri, Vijayawada. In Kukke Subramanya and Ghati Subramanya temples in Karnataka , he is worshipped as Subrahmanya and is regarded as the lord of the serpents . In West Bengal , Kartikeya is associated with childbirth and is worshipped in Kartik temples. Temples also exist in
3276-560: The Chandogya Upanishad (eighth to sixth century BCE) equates Sanat-Kumara (eternal son) and Skanda, as he teaches the sage Narada to discover his own Atman (soul, self) as a means to ultimate knowledge, true peace, and liberation. The earliest clear evidence of Kartikeya's importance emerges in the Hindu epics , such as the Ramayana and the Mahabharata , where his story is recited. Mentions of Skanda are found in
3367-596: The Kannur taluk . The town is situated on the banks of the Perumba River . Payyanur is located 36 km North of District HQ Kannur city, 501 km away from State capital Thiruvananthapuram city, 301 km North of Ernakulam city, 126 km North of Kozhikode city, 56 km South of Kasaragod town and 112 km away from Mangalore city. The town lies by the side of three rivers - Perumba River , Punnakka river (Payyanur river) and Kavvayi river (Thattar river). As of 2011 census , Payyanur had
3458-468: The Kurinji landscape. In that role he was seen as a guardian who consistently defended the Tamils against foreign invasions with the stories of his astonishing and miraculous deeds increasing his stature in the community, who began to view him as god. Many of the major events in the narrative of Murugan's life take place during his youth, which encouraged the worship of Murugan as a child-god. According to Raman Varadara , Murugan, originally regarded as
3549-468: The Theravada Buddhist pantheon in countries such as Sri Lanka and Thailand . The Nikaya Samgraha describes Skanda Kumara as a guardian deity of the land, along with Upulvan (Vishnu), Saman and Vibhisana . In Sri Lanka, Skanda, as Kataragama deviyo , is a popular deity among both Tamil Hindus and Sinhalese Buddhists. While many Sri Lankan Buddhists regard him as a bodhisattva , he
3640-689: The United States and Australia ). The epithet Kartikeya is linked to the circumstances surrounding the deity's birth. According to the Skanda Purana , six divine sparks emerged from Shiva , forming six separate baby boys. These boys were raised by handmaidens known as the Krittikas . Later, Parvati fused them into one, creating the six-headed Kartikeya. Kartikeya means "of the Krittikas" in Sanskrit . According to Hindu literature, he
3731-404: The hemisphere where the gathered stood. Shiva asked sage Agasthya to move towards the south to restore the balance. Agasthya employed an asura named Idumban to carry two hills called Sivagiri and Sakthigiri (Mountains of Shiva and Shakti ) on his shoulders to be placed in the south, to balance the weight. Idumban carried the hills and set southward, stopping en-route to place them down for
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3822-551: The land of Lord Kartikeya derived from the presence of the Sri Subramany Swamy temple here. During the Renaissance era , Payyanur was known to English sailors as Delyn, named after the nearby hill of Ezhimala . Payyanur is located at coordinates 12°06′N 75°12′E / 12.1°N 75.2°E / 12.1; 75.2 . It has an average elevation of 16 metres (51 feet). Payyanur
3913-419: The "pithrubali" (ceremony performed for the well-being of the ancestors or departed souls) in the Hindu tradition. The traditional Pavitram is usually made of dharba grass. The formation of Payyanur Pavitram is closely related to Payyanur Sree Subrahmanya Swami Temple. Kartikeya Traditional Kartikeya ( IAST : Kārtikeya ), also known as Skanda , Subrahmanya , Shanmukha and Murugan ,
4004-609: The British Colonial rule, who wrote Malabar Manual, also visited Payyanur and studied the rich heritage of the area. Centuries back, Payyanur was a part of the Ezhimala/Mushika/Kolathiri Kingdom. King Nandan was well known as a great warrior and ruler. The books written during the Sangam period describe the area and King. Ezhimala was also under the rule of the Cheras . A famous ruler there
4095-613: The Main road, Payyanur. Payyanur is one of the major station that lies in the Shoranur-Mangalore Section of Southern Railway and comes under A category stations under Palakkad division . The station has 3 platforms and 4 tracks. The nearest Airport Kannur is 57 km (35 mi) away and Mangalore of 115 km (71 mi) away. Orator and freedom fighter KP Kunhirama Poduval, who founded Sanjayan Smaraka Grandhalayam at Annur (Sanjayan Memorial Library),
4186-491: The Sanskrit scholar E. Sreedharan, are all from the area. The native place of legendary Kathakali master Kalamandalam Krishnan Nair is not far from this town. Kandoth in Payyanur is famous for pottery. The weaver's streets of various villages around Payyanur contribute to the fame of the handlooms of Kannur. Payyanur Pavithram , or Pavithra Mothiram is a particular ring worn during performing Vedic or holy rituals or during
4277-462: The South Indian iconography and mythology for Murugan have remained unique to Tamil Nadu. According to Fred Clothey, the evidence suggests that mythology relating to Kartikeya became widespread in North India sometime around 200 BCE or later. In addition to textual evidence, his importance is affirmed by the archeological , epigraphic , and numismatic record of this period. For example, he
4368-405: The Tamils." Korravai is often identified as the mother of Murugan. Tirumurukarruppatai , estimated to be have been written in the second to fourth century CE, is an ancient Tamil epic dedicated to Murugan. He is called Murugu and described as a god of beauty and youth, with such exaltations as "his body glows like the sun rising from the emerald sea". It describes him with six faces—each with
4459-460: The actual fruit of wisdom for his devotees rather than any physical fruit such as a mango or a pomegranate. Though Kartikeya had powers derived from Shiva, he was innocent and playful. Shiva granted him celestial weapons and the divine spear vel , an embodiment of the power of Shakti (Parvati). On obtaining the vel, Kartikeya was imparted with the knowledge of distinguishing between good and evil. Texts Kanda Puranam and Kumarasambhavam recount
4550-552: The birth of Kartikeya. In Valmiki 's Ramayana (seventh to fourth century BCE), he is described as the child of deities Rudra and Parvati, with his birth aided by Agni and Ganga . The Shalya Parva and the Anushasana Parva of the third-century BCE Hindu epic Mahabharata narrate the legend of Skanda, presenting him as the son of Maheshvara (Shiva) and Parvati: Shiva and Parvati were disturbed during sex, causing Shiva to inadvertently spill his semen . The semen
4641-448: The coming of age of Kartikeya. Kartikeya killed the next brother Simhamukha and faced off with Surapadma in the final battle. Surapadma took a large form with multiple heads, arms and legs trying to intimidate Kartikeya. When Kartikeya threw his vel, Surapadma escaped to the sea and took the form of a large mango tree , which spread across the three worlds. Kartikeya used his vel to split the tree in half, with each half transforming into
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#17327729891244732-419: The conflict could be avoided. He sent messengers to communicate as much and to give the asuras a fair warning, which they ignored. Kartikeya killed Tarakasura and his lieutenant Krowchaka with his vel. While Tarakasura was confused at facing Shiva's son, as he thought his war was not with Shiva, Kartikeya felt it necessary to vanquish him, as his vision was occluded by Maya . Zvelebil interprets this episode as
4823-401: The daughter of Indra and his wife Shachi . In Tamil literature , he has two consorts: Devayanai (identified with Devasena) and Valli . In Kanda Puranam , Devayanai ( lit. ' Divine elephant ' ; as she was brought up by Airavata , the elephant ) is depicted as the daughter of Indra, who was given in marriage to Kartikeya for his help in saving the devas from the asuras. Kartikeya
4914-429: The devotees to enter a state of trance . Devotees usually prepare for the rituals by keeping clean, doing regular prayers, following a vegetarian diet , and fasting while remaining celibate . They make pilgrimage to the temples of Kartikeya on bare feet and dance along the route while bearing these burdens. Tonsuring is performed by devotees as the ritual fulfillment of a vow to discard their hair in imitation of
5005-437: The divine fruit of knowledge. The practice is followed in modern times in temples where the devotees are provided the mixture as a prasad . Vetrivel Muruganukku Arogara (meaning 'victory for vel wielding Murugan') is a Tamil mantra commonly chanted by devotees while worshiping Kartikeya. Om Saravana Bhava is a common chant used by the devotees to invoke Kartikeya. Tiruppukal (meaning 'holy praise' or 'divine glory')
5096-469: The east of Iritty connects to Mysore and Bangalore . The nearest railway station is Payyanur on Mangalore - Palakkad line. Trains are available to almost all parts of India subject to advance booking over the internet. There are airports at Kannur , Mangalore and Calicut . All of them are international airports but direct flights are available only to Middle Eastern countries. Payyanur Payyanur ( Malayalam: [pɐjːɐnːuːr] ),
5187-541: The eighty gods worshipped by the common people. The Arya Kanikrodhavajrakumarabodhisattava Sadhanavidhi Sutra (T 1796) features a section for the recitation of a mantra dedicated to the deity, where he is also paired with Isvara . Yi Xing 's Commentary of the Mahavairocana Tantra clarifies that Kumara is the son of Isvara. The sixteenth-century Siamese text Jinakalamali mentions him as a guardian god. Ancient Yaudheya and Kushan period coins dated to
5278-514: The first and second centuries CE show Kartikeya with either one or six heads, with one-headed depictions being more common. Similarly, sculptures show him with either one or six heads, with the six head iconography dated to post- Gupta Empire era. Artwork found in Gandhara and Mathura dated to the Kushan period shows him with one head, dressed in a dhoti (a cloth wrapped at the waist, covering
5369-436: The flow of River Ganges, among other feats. He imprisons Brahma as he could not explain the meaning of Aum . When Shiva asks for the meaning of the mantra , Kartikeya teaches it to his father. According to the Mahabharata , the devas and gods gift him various objects and animals. As per Kanda Puranam , sage Narada once visited Shiva at Kailasha and presented him with a Gnana palam (fruit of knowledge). This fruit
5460-426: The form of Arundhati, Vasishtha 's wife, because of Arundhati's extraordinary virtuous powers. Svaha deposits the semen of Agni into the reeds of Ganges river, where it develops and is born as the six-headed Skanda. In Kanda Puranam , Kartikeya is portrayed as a child playing in the cosmos . In his childhood, he fiddles with the orbits of planets , stacks the mountains in Kailasha on top of Mount Meru and stops
5551-480: The form that Kartikeya assumed in childhood. Newborns may undergo a ritual of tonsuring and ear piercing at temples dedicated to Kartikeya. Panchamritam ( lit. ' mixture of five ' ) is a sacred sweet mixture made of banana , honey , ghee , jaggery and cardamom along with date fruits and Sugar candies , which is offered to Kartikeya. It is believed to have been prepared before by Ganesha to soothe his brother Kartikeya after their battle for
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#17327729891245642-497: The hills on the shoulder may have influenced the practice of Kavadi. Worshipers also practice a form of mortification of the flesh by flagellation and by piercing their skin, tongue or cheeks with vel skewers. These practices are suppressed in India, where public self-mutilation is prohibited by law. Vibuthi , a type of sacred ash, is spread across the body, including the piercing sites. Drumming and chanting of verses help
5733-665: The large seaport and the Chinese ships anchored here. Abul Fida in AD 1273, Marco Polo in AD 1293, the Italian explorer Niccolò de' Conti in the 15th century and the Portuguese scholar and traveler Barbosa all visited this place and gave extensive accounts of Ezhimala port, which was then known as "Heli". The scholar and author Hermann Gundert and William Logan, the Malabar District Collector during
5824-626: The largest one in north Kerala. Locally called as Kavvayi Kayal or the backwaters of Kavvayi, this lesser known lake of northern Kerala is fed by the River Kavvayi and its tributary streams: Kankol, Vannathichal, Kuppithodu, and Kuniyan. The Kavvayi Backwaters are named after the Kavvayi Islands close to Payyannur. Kavvayi used to be an inland port and a major administrative center during the past centuries and during British East India Company rule. The northern portion of Kavvayi Lake
5915-442: The late Vijayanagara period , when he was accepted as a single deity with diverse facets. In Mahayana Buddhism , he is described as a manifestation of Mahābrahmārāja with five hair coils and a handsome face emanating purple-golden light that surpasses the light of the other devas. In Chinese Buddhism , Skanda (also sometimes known as Kumāra) is known as Weituo, a young heavenly general, the guardian deity of local monasteries and
6006-455: The legs) armour , wielding a spear in his right hand with a rooster on his left. Artworks from Gandhara show him in Scythian dress, likely reflecting the local dress culture of the time, with a rooster-like bird that may draw from Parthian influence to symbolize Kartikeya's agility and maneuverability as a warrior god. Kartikeya's iconography portrays him as a youthful god, dressed as
6097-490: The means and the existence itself, who are the supreme guru, come and bestow your grace, O Guha [Murugan] Kantaranuputi 51 , Arunagirinathar (Translator: Kamil Zvelebil), Consistent elements of Kartikeya's narrative across the diverse corpus of legends relating to him include his birth by a surrogate in difficult circumstances, his upbringing by a host of mothers, and his later reunion with his biological family. According to Fred Clothey, Muruga thus symbolizes
6188-431: The modern era exists in many versions. Ancient Tamil text Tolkappiyam from the second century BCE mentions Ceyon ("the red one"), identified with Murugan, whose name is mentioned as Murukan ("the youth"). Extant Sangam literature works dated between the third century BCE and the fifth century CE glorify Murugan, "the red god seated on the blue peacock, who is ever young and resplendent," as "the favoured god of
6279-565: The mythology in the earlier Vedic texts is different. In these, Agni is described as Kumara, whose mother is Ushas (goddess Dawn) and whose father is Purusha. Section 10.1 of the Taittiriya Aranyaka mentions Sanmukha (six faced one), while the Baudhayana Dharmasutra mentions a householder's rite of passage that involves prayers to Skanda (Kartikeya) and his brother Ganapati (Ganesha) together. Chapter 7 of
6370-404: The northern and eastern Indian traditions, Kartikeya is generally regarded as a celibate bachelor. In Sanskrit literature , Kartikeya is married to Devasena ( lit. ' Army of Devas ' ; as her husband was 'Devasenapati' lit. ' Commander of army of Devas ' ). Devasena is described as the daughter of Daksha in the Mahabharata , while Skanda Purana considers her as
6461-510: The northern side and Cochin and Thiruvananthapuram can be accessed on the southern side. National Highway 66 is given node for construction of 6 lane road on Payyanur and other stretches of Kerala. Payyanur has several private and KSRTC buses plying places inside and outside the district. Payyanur is well-connected to its suburbs through several bus services. Payyanur town has three bus terminals — KSRTC Bus terminal, Payyanur on NH-66 road, Old Bus Stand, Payyanur and New Bus Stand, Payyanur on
6552-485: The patron deity for many ancient northern and western Hindu kingdoms, and of the Gupta Empire , according to Ghurye. After the seventh century, Skanda's importance diminished while his brother Ganesha's importance rose in the west and north, while in the south the legends of Murugan continued to grow. According to Norman Cutler, Kartikeya-Murugan-Skanda of South and North India coalesced over time, but some aspects of
6643-667: The protector of Buddhist dhamma . According to Henrik Sorensen, this representation became common after the Tang period , and became well established in the late Song period . He is also regarded as one of the twenty-four celestial guardian deities , who are a grouping of originally Hindu and Taoist deities adopted into Chinese Buddhism as dharmapalas . Skanda was also adopted by Korean Buddhism , and he appears in Korean Buddhist woodblock prints and paintings. According to Richard Gombrich , Skanda has been an important deity in
6734-874: The rest of India in Pehowa in Haryana , in Manali and Chamba in Himachal Pradesh and Rudraprayag in Uttarakhand . Kartikeya is worshipped as Kumar in Nepal . In Sri Lanka , Murugan is predominantly worshipped by Tamil people as Murugan and by the Sinhalese as Kataragama deviyo , a guardian deity. Numerous Murugan temples exist throughout the island, including Kataragama temple , Nallur Kandaswamy temple and Maviddapuram Kandaswamy Temple . Murugan
6825-426: The sacred, saguna brahman ). According to Fred Clothey, as Murugan, he embodies the "cultural and religious whole that comprises South Indian Shaivism". He is a central philosopher and a key exponent of Shaiva Siddhanta theology, as well as the patron deity of the Tamil language . Originally, Murugan was not worshipped as a god, but rather as an exalted ancestor, heroic warrior and accomplished Siddhar born in
6916-465: The ships from China and other countries used to visit this port and were anchored in the nearby river Changoorichal. Kavvayi retained its position during the rule of British East India Company also. They established the first Magistrate 's court and Registrar's Office in Kavvayi. Later, Kokkanisseri became the city center. The main road, which starts from Perumba in the east, up to old post office in
7007-472: The sparks, later handing them to the fire god Agni because of the unbearable heat. Agni deposited the sparks in the Ganges river. The water in the Ganges began to evaporate due to the intense heat of the sparks. Ganga took them to Saravana lake, where the sparks developed into six baby boys. The six boys were then raised by the Krittikas and they were later fused into one by Parvati. Thus, the six-headed Kartikeya
7098-542: The term Kumara appears in hymn 5.2 of the Rig Veda . The verses mention a brightly-colored boy hurling weapons, evoking motifs associated with Kartikeya such as his bright glowing skin and his possession of divine weapons including the vel . These motifs are also found in other Vedic texts, such as in sections 6.1-3 of the Shatapatha Brahmana : while Kumara is one of the names used to mention Kartikeya,
7189-491: The west and Kunhimangalam Mana in the south to government hospital in the north is called Kokkanisseri. The south of this town was called Payyanur village and the north of Kokkanisseri is called Moorikkovval village. The business center was called Kokkanisseri Bazaar. Later, the name Payyanur became common and thus the developed city of today came into existence. During the regime of the Kolathiri Dynasty, Payyanur
7280-469: The wetlands are home to a variety of fauna and flora . Valiyaparamba is one of the main tourist spots of the Kasaragod district and is also a fishing centre. There is bus and jeep service to Payyanur town. The national highway passes through Perumba junction. Goa and Mumbai can be accessed on the northern side and Cochin and Thiruvananthapuram can be accessed on the southern side. The road to
7371-470: The works of Pāṇini (fifth century BCE), in Patanjali 's Mahabhasya and Kautilya 's Arthashastra (third to second century BCE). Kalidasa 's epic poem Kumarasambhava from the fifth-century CE features the life and story of Kartikeya. Kartikeya forms the main theme of Skanda Purana , the largest Mahapurana , a genre of eighteen Hindu religious texts. The text contains over 81,000 verses, and
7462-525: The world was no more than his parents Shiva and Shakti combined, circumambulated them, and won the fruit. When Kartikeya returned, he was furious to learn that his efforts had been in vain, and felt cheated. He discarded all his material belongings and left Kailasha to take up abode in the Palani Hills as a hermit . According to Fred Clothey, Kartikeya did this out of a felt need to mature from boyhood. According to Kamil Zvelebil , Kartikeya represents
7553-482: Was Pazhassi Raja. Payyanur Pattu, the ballad written by an unknown person belonging to the Chettiar community sometime during the 13th or 14th century, was set here. In the past, the city of Kachil Patanam (presently Kavvayi ) was the main town due to the proximity of waterways through Kavvayi River and its large seaport. It was both the administrative and business center during that time. According to historians,
7644-860: Was a part of Kolathu Nadu , ruled by the Kolathiri Rajas based in Chirakkal near Kannur. During British rule , Payyanur was considered as a "farka" which in turn is a part of the Chirakkal Taluk. Until the formation of Kerala State in 1957, Payyanur remained in the Malabar District of the Madras State . Colleges in Payyanur Payyanur Taluk is one among the five taluks in Kannur district which has administration over 22 villages. Payyanur Municipality
7735-420: Was a significant deity in early Hinduism. The iconography of Kartikeya varies significantly. He is typically represented as an ever-youthful man, riding or near an Indian peafowl (named Paravani), and sometimes with an emblem of a rooster on his banner. He wields a spear called the vel , supposedly given to him by his mother Parvati. While most icons represent him with only one head, some have six heads,
7826-526: Was armed with near immortality . In his quest to rule the three worlds, he expelled the devas from Svarga . Indra , the king of devas, devised a scheme to disrupt Shiva’s meditation and beguile him with thoughts of love, so that he could sire an offspring and thusly end Tarakasura's immortality. Shiva was engaged in meditation , and hardly noticed the courtship of Parvati , the daughter of Himavan who sought him as her consort. Indra tasked god of love Kamadeva and his consort Rati to disturb Shiva. Shiva
7917-580: Was born, conceived to answer the devas' pleas for help and deliver them from the asuras. Kumarasambhava ( lit. ' Birth of Kumara ' ) from the fifth-century CE narrates a similar story on his birth wherein Agni carries the semen of Shiva and deposits them in Bhagirathi River (headstream of Ganges). When the Krittikas bathe in the river, they are impregnated and give birth to Kartikeya. An alternate account of Kartikeya's parentage
8008-469: Was depicted with an elephant mount in early iconography, his iconography of a six faced lord on a peacock mount became firmly enshrined after the sixth century CE, along with the progression of his role from that of a warrior to that of a philosopher-teacher, and his increasing prominence in the Shaivite cannon. According to the Skanda Purana , when Kartikeya faced asura Surapadma, the latter turned into
8099-444: Was furious with the act and burnt Kamadeva to ashes. But Shiva's attention then turned towards Parvati, who had performed tapas in order to win his affection, and married her, then conceiving Kartikeya. According to the seventeeth-century CE text Kanda Puranam (the Tamil rendition of the older Skanda Purana) , the asura brothers Surapadma, Simhamukha and Tarakasura performed tapas to Shiva, who granted them with various weapons and
8190-441: Was regarded as a philosopher in his role as Subramanhya, while Murugan was similarly regarded as the teacher of Tamil literature and poetry. In the late Chola period from the sixth to thirteenth centuries CE, Murugan was firmly established in the role of a teacher and philosopher, while his militaristic depictions waned. Despite the changes, his portrayal was multi-faceted, with significant differences between Skanda and Murugan until
8281-492: Was then incubated in the Ganges , preserved by the heat of the god Agni, and eventually born as baby Kartikeya. According to Shiva Purana , asura Tarakasura performed tapas to propitiate the creator god Brahma . Brahma granted him two boons: one, that none shall be his equal in all of the three worlds , and two, that only a son of Shiva could slay him. As Shiva was a yogi and thus unlikely to bear children, Tarakasura
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