Thirukarthigai & Thirukalyanam at the Concord Temple
Following the tradition, Northern California - Pillayar Nonbu 2026 Organizers are coordinating the Thirukarthigai & Thirukalyanam at The Shiva Murugan Temple, 1803 2nd St, Concord, CA 94519.
Devotees are invited to participate with friends and family. Please feel free to offer flowers for pooja.
Program
- 10:00 AMAbhishekam
- 11:15 AMThirupugazh Reciting
- 12:00 PMAarthi & Archanai
- 12:30 PMLunch
- 2:00 PMMurugan Thirukalyanam
- 4:00 PMThamboolam to Devotees
For directions and schedule visit www.temple.org.
Lord Muruga & Significance of Periya Karthigai
Lord Muruga is most popular among Tamil people. Famously referred as Thamizh Kadavul (God of Tamils), Lord Muruga is the patron deity of the Tamil land. Like most Hindu deities, he is also known by many other names, including Senthil, Saravana, Kārtikeya, Arumugam, Shanmuga, Shadanana, Kumāra, Dhandapany, Guhan or Guruhuha, Skanda, Subrahmanya, Vēlan and Swaminatha.
The Atharva Veda describes Kumaran. Chandogya Upanishad refers to Skanda as the way that leads to wisdom. The Aranya Parva canto of the Mahabharata relates the legend of Kartikeya Skanda in considerable detail. Tolkappiyam, possibly the most ancient of the Tamil literature, mentions him as Seyon. Other Sangam era works in Tamil that refer to Murugan in detail include the Paripaatal, the Akananuru and the Purananuru.
In the Bhagavad-Gita (Ch.10, Verse 24), Krishna, while explaining his omnipresence, names the most perfect being, mortal or divine, in each of several categories. While doing so, he says: "Among generals, I am Skanda, the lord of war". Lord Muruga is seen in the Gupta sculptures and in the temples of Ellora and Elephanta. Kalidasa made the birth of Kumara the subject of his lyrical epic, the Kumaarasambhavam.
Significance of Periya Karthigai
Karthigai Deepam, the festival of lights, is celebrated by Tamils on the full moon day of the Karthigai month, which coincides with Krithikai star. Karthigai Deepam is one of the oldest festivals celebrated by Tamils. Unlike many other Hindu festivals, Karthigai is basically a Tamil festival and is virtually unknown in most other parts of India.
One of the earliest references to the festival is found in the Akananuru, a book of poems dating back to the Sangam Age. The Akananuru clearly states that Karthigai is celebrated on the full moon day of the Tamil month of Karthigai. It was one of the most important festivals of the ancient Tamils.
Lord Muruga and Periya Karthigai
The first day of the Thiru Karthigai Deepam is called Periya Karthigai. Lord Muruga was formed from the third eye of Lord Shiva as six flames in a lake called Saravana Poigai. During Thiru Karthigai, all his six forms were united by Parvathi, his mother, and so he is celebrated as Shanmuga, meaning one with six faces. Special poojas are performed for Lord Muruga on this auspicious day.
References: wikipedia.org