Kartikeya - God of War and Victory

Kartikeya, also known as Kartik in Bangladesh, Murugan, Skanda, Kumara, and Subrahmanya, is the Hindu god of war. He is the son of Durga/Parvati and Shiva, brother of Ganesha, and a god whose life story has many versions in Hinduism. An important deity around South Asia since ancient times, Kartikeya is particularly popular and predominantly worshipped in South India, Sri Lanka, Singapore and Malaysia as Murugan.

Kartikeya is an ancient god, traceable to the Vedic era. Archaeological evidence from 1^st-century CE and earlier, where he is found with Hindu god Agni (fire), suggest that he was a significant deity in early Hinduism. He is found in many medieval temples all over India, such as at the Ellora Caves and Elephanta Caves.

His main weapon is called Vel. It is a divine spear. Other weapons are the bow and arrows, a sword, a javelin, a mace, and a discus. His vehicle is the peacock.

All pictures are © Dr. Günther Eichhorn, unless otherwise noted.