Skanda - God of War

Skanda, is the Hindu god of war. Skanda is derived from skand-, which means "to leap or to attack". Also known as Subramanya, Kumāra, Murugan, Shanmugha and a host of other names. An important deity in the Indian subcontinent since ancient times, Skanda is particularly popular and predominantly worshipped in South India, Sri Lanka, Singapore and Malaysia as Murugan.
Skanda is an ancient god, traceable to the Vedic era. Archaeological evidence from the 1st-century CE and earlier, where he is found with the Hindu god Agni (fire), suggests that he was a significant deity in early Hinduism. In Kalidasa's epic poem Kumarasambhava ("The Birth of the War God"; 5th century CE), as in most versions of the story, the gods wished for Skanda to be born in order to destroy the demons Taraka, Simhamukha, and Surapadma. He is found in many medieval temples all over India, such as the Ellora Caves and Elephanta Caves.
Kartikeya iconography shows him as a youthful god, dressed as a warrior, carrying the weapon called Vel. It is a divine spear, often called sakti, signifying the Kundalini shakti. His vahana (vehicle, mount) is a peacock/ Indian Pea Fowl called Paravani, adorned with weapons and sometimes with an emblem of a rooster in the flag he holds. He grew up quickly becoming a philosopher-warrior, taught the pursuit of an ethical life and the theology of Shaiva Siddhanta. His iconography symbolizes his attributes as a hunter, warrior and philosopher.
Kartikeya is found as a primary deity in temples wherever communities of the Tamil people live worldwide, particularly in Tamil Nadu state of India, Sri Lanka, Mauritius, Indonesia, Malaysia, Singapore, South Africa, Canada, and Réunion Islands.

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