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Skanda Shashti on 07 Jul 2019 (Sunday)

Lord Muruga who is also known as Subrahmanya, Kartik, Kartikeya, Skanda or Kanda is the deity for whom this festival is conducted. It appears on the sixth day of every Lunar fortnight. It has special significance according to Hindu calendar. Its basic calculations is being done on the basis of Tamil Calendar and Panchang. The waning phase of the Moon is the time to carry forward the celebration in the form of fast.  It falls twice one after the Purnima and other after Amavasya. Fasting takes place after the Amavasya one.

Celebrated in: Tamil Nadu is the place where people in large number observe this fast and contain it with proper rituals and tradition. Kerala also sees this festival with great joy and happiness. Its world wide reaches to Singapore, Malaysia and Sri Lanka.

The Kanda Sashti fast is observed in Arupadai Veedu of Murugan - the six sacred temples of Lord Muruga in Tamil Nadu. They are Tiruchendur (Sea shore Murugan temple near Tirunelveli), Thirupparankunram (temple near Madurai), Palani Hill Temple, Swami Malai (hill temple near Kumbakonam), Thiruthanigai (hill temple near Chennai) and Pazhamudhir Solai (hill temple near Madurai). 
Significance of the "Festival’s Name”: This is the day at which Lord Muruga killed the devil Taraka. Its beginning is self descriptor as it falls after Diwali and Navratri which means the end of all the bad spirits.This festival helps the devotees to attain the state of immortalness. It helps to find out the God who reside in our body. If we are able to find it then we got the importance of everything around us. We start recognising our powers and features if pay full attention toward this festival.

We always tend to focus more on exterior outlook without even desire to know what exist inside us which means unawareness on our part. The outer make over can be taken care by the cosmetics available but the inner self is wholly depend upon our wisdom and thoughts. Through them only we can make the theme of our soul pure and fresh. 

This pooja is also carried out for the attainment of children.
Legend of "Festival’s Name”: The most important feature found in the Skandapuranam (the story of Lord Muruga), is that its similarity in some aspects to Ramayana. Like Sri Rama, Murugan also goes to war with Veerabadran and as in Ramayana, Murugan sends off the defenseless Tarakasuran to return the following day fully decked with weapons to fight him. Devotees fast for this period and meditate on the glory of Lord Murugan. Married couples who do not have any children offer their special prayers to seek Murugan's blessings for a child.
Pooja Items: Rose water, sandal paste, turmeric paste, kumkum, flowers, garland, milk, small idol of Ganesha, picture of Lord Muruga.
Pooja Vidhi/How to do the Pooja: Kanta Shasti Kavasam pooja conducts by the devotees. Its recitation will keep all the worries and tensions away from the people and secure them. All the evil forces working against the humanity will be killed by the deity if revered properly.The fast starts at sunrise and ends at the next day by paying homage to Lord Surya. Clean the house and take bath early in the morning. Then offer flowers and other material to the deity one by one with the chanting of mantra and the katha.
Sree Subramhanya Astothram
Om Skandaya namah
Om Guhaya namah
Om Shanmu-khaya namah
Om Phala-netraya namah
Om Prabhave namah
Om Pinga-laya namah
Om Krutti-kasunave namah
Om Shikhi-vahaya namah
Om Dvishad-bhujaya namah
Om Dvishan-netraya namah
Om Shakti-dharaya namah
Om Pishitasha-prabham-janaya namah
Om Tarakasura samhartre namah
Om Rakshobala-vimardanaya namah
Om Mattaya namah
Om Pramattaya namah
Om Unmattaya namah
Om Surasainya-surakshakaya namah
Om Devasena-pataye namah
Om Pragnyaya namah
Om Krupalave namah
Om Bhakthavastalaya namah
Om Uma-sutaya namah
Om Shakti-dharaya namah
Om Kumaraya namah
Om Kroumcha-daranaya namah
Om Senanaye namah
Om Agni-janmane namah
Om Visha-khaya namah
Om Shankaratmajaya namah
Om Shiva-swamine namah
Om Guna-swamine namah
Om Sarwa-swamine namah
Om Sana-tanaya namah
Om Anamta-shaktaye namah
Om Akshobhyaya namah
Om Parvati priya-nanda-naya namah
Om Ganga-sutaya namah
Om Sharo-bhutaya namah
Om Aahutaya namah
Om Pavakatmajaya namah
Om Jrumbhaya namah
Om Prajrumbhaya namah
Om Ujrumbhaya namah
Om Kamala-sana-samstu-taya namah
Om Ykavarnaya namah
Om Dvivarnaya namah
Om Trivarnaya namah
Om Sumanoha-raya namah
Om Chaturwarnaya namah
Om Pancha-varnaya namah
Om Praja-pataye namah
Om Ahaspataye namah
Om Agni-garbhaya namah
Om Shami-garbhaya namah
Om Vishwa-retase namah
Om Sura-rigne namah
Om Hari-dwarnaya namah
Om Shubha-karaya namah
Om Vatave namah
Om Vatu-vesha-bhrute namah
Om Pushaya namah
Om Gabhastine namah
Om Gaha-naya namah
Om Chandra-varnaya namah
Om Kala-dharaya namah
Om Maya-dharaya namah
Om Maha-maene namah
Om Kaivalyaya namah
Om Shankara-tmajaya namah
Om Vishwayonaye namah
Om Ameyatmaya namah
Om Tejonidhaye namah
Om Anamayaya namah
Om Para-meshtine namah
Om Para-bramhaya namah
Om Veda-garbhaya namah
Om Verat-putaya namah
Om Pulinda-kanya-bhartaya namah
Om Mahasara-swatavrutaya namah
Om Aashrita-khiladatre namah
Om Choragnaya namah
Om Roga-nashanaya namah
Om Anamta-murtaye namah
Om Aananda-daya namah
Om Shikhandi-kruta ketanaya namah
Om Dambhaya namah
Om Parama-dambhaya namah
Om Maha-dambhaya namah
Om Vrushamkapaye namah
Om Karano-patta-dehaya namah
Om Karana-teeta-vigrahaya namah
Om Aneswa-raya namah
Om Amrutaya namah
Om Pranaya namah
Om Prana-yama-parayanaya namah
Om Virudha-hantre namah
Om Veeragnaya namah
Om Rakta-syaya namah
Om Shyama-kandha-raya namah
Om Subramhanyaya namah
Om Guhaya namah
Om Pritaya namah
Om Bramhanyaya namah
Om Bramhana priyaya namah
Om Veda-vedyaya namah
Om Akshaya-phala-daya namah
Om Valli-devasena-sameta subramanya swamiye namah
Om naanavidha parimala pathra pushpaanni samarpyami.
Do’s & Don’ts: Avoid eating non vegetarian and spicy food.
FAQs : 1. People normally ask about the way to conduct the vrat?
Ans: Different people has different way of keeping it. The most important part is not to take any solid material. Only liquid intake is allowed and for whole six days. Liquid is prefer because it is the only thing which cleans our body from inside and make it disease free. 
Some people because of their profession find it difficult to observe the fast so one day fasting is recommended for them and that too with only skipping of one meal mostly breakfast or lunch.

2. Why it is believed not to take food during fast?

Ans: As a matter of fact it is not mandatory to skip the meal. It is just the process through which you tend to divert your attention. Utmost dedication and patience is require to reach that stage at which you only though of your deity and no one else not even about yourself.