In most Murugan temples, Kanda Ṣaṣṭi festival is celebrated for six days only. In some temples it is celebrated for seven days, with the divine wedding of Lord Murugan the day after Ṣaṣṭi. But in Tiruchendur the festival is held for twelve days; the first six days of Kanda Ṣaṣṭi comprise Ṣaṣṭi vratam (the vow of Ṣaṣṭi) and Sūra Samhāram (the annihilation of the demon, Sūra), on the seventh day it is the divine wedding of Lord Murugan and Teyvānai, and in the next five days, the Lord in His wedding gear appears and blesses in the Unjal Sevai that is, sitting on the swing.
At Tiruchendur, every day nine times poojas are performed for Lord Murugan. During these poojas different naivedyams (food offerings) like dhal pongal, kanji (gruel), thosai, appam, ghee-rice, balls made of cooked green gram and jaggery are offered. Though there are many temples for Lord Murugan in Tamilnadu, six temples are specially worshipped as paṭai veeṭu(armory house). Where the Commander-in-Chief who goes for battle stays with his army is called his paṭai veeṭu. Accordingly, Tiruchendur is the only place where Lord Murugan with His army stayed, when He went to destroy Sūrapadman. But we also call as Ārupaṭai Veeṭu the other five temples also together with Tiruchendur.
Lord Murugan won and accepted Sūrapadman on Ṣaṣṭi (sixth day) of the waxing moon (bright) night (valar pirai) of the month Aippasi. This day is celebrated as Kanda Ṣaṣṭi. This incident happened at Tiruchendur and hence, the Kanda Ṣaṣṭi festival is celebrated here with all grandeur. In the Kanda Purana of Mahābhārata, two other causes are indicated for the celebration of Kanda Ṣaṣṭi festival, apart from the extermination of Sūrapadman. Once a few sages conducted a yāga (sacred fire worship) with a behest to get a son for the welfare of the world. It was begun on the New Moon day and went on for six days. From the fire erupted out of the sacrificial altar (yāga kundam), six seeds – one seed each day for six days respectively – were collected. Lord Murugan was born on the sixth day, when all these six seeds were made as one. The Mahābhārata asserts that the day of the birth of Lord Murugan is the Kanda Ṣaṣṭi Day.
In the Kanda Purana, Kachiappa Sivāchāriyar says that the Devas, in order to become powerful to challenge the asuras, carried on a vow by soliciting Lord Murugan to be in the kumbham (sacred pot) for six days. Lord Murugan blessed them likewise. This incident is remembered as Kanda Ṣaṣṭi and celebrated after Aippasi New Moon day – so says Sivāchāriyar.
Source…..www.dinamalar.com
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