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Skanda
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- With time Skanda worship began to trail off
and it is only in Tamil Nadu that he has any significant presence. The
most important temple there is on the shores of the sea and is called
Tirucchentur. Other temples lie scattered about the state too and in the
rest of South India. This retreat of Skanda from the other Quarters of
India into the south is documented in the myth that says he was infuriated
with his parents for preferring his younger brother Ganapati, when it came
to who should get married first. A contest designed to solve this issue
came to naught - for Skanda made the trip round the universe physically,
while Ganpati merely went round his parents stating that they are the
world. At a metaphysical level he was right, but Skanda went off in a rage
that has still not abated. In many south Indian temples they have an
annual ritual where his Himalayan dwelling parents come to visit their
still sulking son! The myth also accurately potrays an increasing Indian
preference for Ganapati, something that shows no sign of receding as yet.
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- Skanda
rides a peacock called Paravani- surely the perfect vehicle for a cosmic
dandy. His preferred weapon is the Vela or spear hence the popular
name Velayudhan - he whose weapon is a spear. He is called
Yuddharanga or the wisdom of war too. He is represented with six heads and
twelve hands. He is popularly known as Subramanium too which is a common
south Indian name.
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