Worship of Lord Kartikeya – He has several names and known as Skanda, Subrahmanya, Shanmugam, Kumaran, Seyon, Saravaṇa, Guhan, Murugan, Dandapani and many other names. He is the eldest son of Lord Shiva and the goddess Parvati and born to slay the asuras. The legend says that the Tarakasura and Surapadma received the blessing of Lord Shiva that none other than Lord Shiva can kill them. The asura thus became invincible and attacked devas and made them slaves. Hearing this enraged Lord Shiva frowned and six sparks emerge from his third eye. The six sparks are the six heads of Lord Kartikeya. The six heads of Lord Kartikeya represent six attributes those are wisdom, quietism, fame, strength, wealth, and divine power. The six heads also mean the five senses or temptations he conquered; those are, lust, anger, avarice, passion and jealousy and the sixth one is the mind.
Reasons for worship
He is worshipped for eternal youth and his knowledge. He taught the Lord Shiva the meaning of OM. Those who worship the Lord believe that Lord will free them from the five vices and give them eternal youth. In eastern India, Lord Kartikeya is also worshipped by the childless couple to get a child.
How to worship
Devotion is what you need to worship Kartikeya. The arrangement is very simple. You will need incense stick, camphor, sandal paste, kumkum, the holy water of the Ganges, or any clean water. At first, you light a lamp and incense stick and meditate before the idol. Once you feel your mind is free from other thoughts chant the mantra and sprinkle holy water, and then offer the deity sandal paste, chant the mantra and then offer kumkum. Now you can perform Archana. You can do it like your daily puja. Offer flowers and fruits to the deity and keep the camphor burning. In India, Tuesday is dedicated to the war god Mars and is considered auspicious to worship Lord Kartikeya.
Festivals based on Lord Kartikey
In eastern India including Orissa and West Bengal, the Kartikeya festival is on the last day of the month of Kartik. In parts of West Bengal, it is done with much festivity and it goes on for four days, Bansberia is one such place. In South, India Kartikeya is called Murugan and every town has Murugan temple and is worshipped as god of the Nature. The full moon day in the month of Karthik is an auspicious day and on this day the Karthikeya has received his Vel from goddess mother Parvati and is celebrated. In South India and also in other parts of the world Kartlkeya festival is celebrated, in the Tamil month of Thai. The Lord Kartikeya is worshipped in Sri Lanka, Malaysia, and Singapore and there are temples in UK and USA.