Vaikasi Visakam: Significance, History, and Celebration of This Auspicious Day

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Lord Muruga is supposedly the most handsome and bravest of the Hindu gods. He is the son of Lord Shiva and Goddess Parvati. He is also the patron god of the Tamil people, who celebrate the festival of Vaikasi Visakam as his birthday. Vaikasi Visakam 2022 is on June 12. It is a full moon day or Pournami in the month of Vaikasi (May-June) that coincides with Visakam Nakshatra. Lord Muruga’s Janma nakshatra/star, so he has the name of Visakan.

There was a purpose for Lord Muruga’s birth.

Muruga’s Birth Story

A demon, Tarakasura, did severe penance and got a boon from Lord Brahma that only the son of Lord Shiva could kill him. Tarakasura became very powerful and conquered the devas who were reduced to slaves under him. Tarakasura felt invincible, especially since he did not think that Shiva would have a son. At that time, Shiva was grieving over the death of his wife, Sati, and was in deep meditation. He was in the state of Vairagya. This emboldened Tarakasura further.

He also had two brothers, Soorapadman and Simhamukhan, who were as evil as he was.

However, Sati, who was reborn as Parvati, was determined to marry Shiva and did severe penance to achieve her aim. She finally succeeded and got married to Shiva.

When the devas approached Shiva to rescue them from Tarakasura, he decided to create a powerful deity who would destroy evil and also become a universal teacher of the highest knowledge.

Shiva ejected 6 sparks of divine fire from His third eye, which represented the element, ether, or akasha. Agni, the Fire God, Agni (the element of fire), and the wind God Vayu (the element of air) carried the sparks and dropped them into the sacred Ganga, which represents the Divine Mother as flowing water (element of water).

Ganga carried the sparks to Lake Saravana, where lotus flowers bloomed from the mud. Hence, the lake represents the earth element. The sparks turned into six baby boys who lay on the lotus flowers. Parvati then gathered the babies into her arms, and they turned into one child with six heads.

Thus, the five elements, or Pancha Bhootham, governed by Shiva, united with Shakti (Pure Consciousness) to create Murugan. Shiva is known as Panchaanana – the Lord with five heads. His five heads represent the five natural elements. When these united with the sixth - Chaitanya Shakti or Pure Consciousness, they formed Shadaanana (the six-headed), or Murugan.

Muruga became the Commander-in-chief of the gods’ army. He and his huge army camped at Thiruchendur, and he sent his lieutenant, Veerabhu, to Soorapadman. When Veerabhu said that Muruga wanted him to release the Devas. Soorapadman refused. A fierce battle raged for 6 days. Tarakasura, Simhamukha, and all the other demons were defeated during the first 5 days.
Soorapadman went on fighting. At last, he realized that he was facing Murugan himself. He fled the battlefield and turned into a mango tree.

Murugan broke the mango tree into two with his lance. The two pieces turned into a rooster and a peacock. Murugan took the peacock as his vehicle and the rooster on his banner.

How did Muruga become the Tamil god?

One day, Sage Narada, who was the son of Lord Brahma, came to Kailasa, the abode of Shiva and Parvati, with a divine mango. He wanted to give the mango to whoever was wiser of the divine couple’s children- Ganesha or Murugan. It was decided that the first person to circle the world and return would get the mango.

Murugan immediately got on his peacock and began to circle the world. But Ganesha merely went around his parents. He said that they were his world, and he won the divine mango. Murugan felt cheated and, in a huff, went off to Palani in Tamil Nadu, where he settled down. So he is known as the Tamil Kadavul. Also, Murugan supposedly taught Sage Agathiyar, the head of the first Tamil Sangam, Tamil language and grammar.

Agathiyar wrote the Tamil language grammar compilation, and his disciple Tholkaapiyar used his master's manuscripts to write the Tolkappiyam. Tolkappiyam is a very ancient Tamil literary work. It glorifies Murugan as "the red god seated on the blue peacock, who is ever young and resplendent," and the favored god of Tamils”. Thus, Murugan is seen to have played a major role in the development of the Tamil language and culture. One can see his influence on Tamil culture in things ranging from literature to archaeology.

How to Celebrate Vaikasi Visakam?

On this day, special poojas are performed in Muruga temples to invoke his blessings. Many devotees go in procession to the temples carrying Paal Kudams or milk pots. They also perform Milk Abishekam for him. Many also bear kavadis on their shoulders, which contain the offerings for Muruga.

There are 6 important Murugan temples in Tamil Nadu. These are known as Aru Padai Veedu. Grand celebrations are held here on Vaikasi Visakam day. Palani, Thiruchendur, Swamimalai, Thirupparamkundram, Thiruthani, and Pazhamudircholai are the Aru Padai Veedu temples.