What is Kartikeya?
{{Infobox deity | type = [[Tamil]] | image = Batu caves.jpg | alt = Kartikeya | caption = Kartikeya at Batu caves, [[Malaysia]] | affiliation = [[Deva (Hinduism)|Deva]] | father =[[Shiva]] | mother =[[Parvati]] | other_names = Kumara, Murugan, Skanda, Velavan, Arumukha, Saravana, Shadanana, Shanmukha, Subrahmanya | god_of = God of War and Victory<br />Commander of the Gods | gender = [[Male]] | day = [[Tuesday]] | animals = [[Indian Peafowl|Indian Peacock]], [[Chicken|Cock]], [[Snake]]<ref>https://www.deccanherald.com/content/373661/land-snake-god.html#main-content {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170425032916/http://www.deccanherald.com/content/373661/land-snake-god.html |date=25 April 2017 }}</ref> | weapon = [[Spear|Vel]], [[Bow and arrow]] | mantra = {{IAST|Oṃ Saravaṇa Bhava}} <br> {{IAST|Om Saravaṇa Bhavāya Namaḥ}} <ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.rudraksha-ratna.com/articles/lord-kartikeya |title=Lord Kartikeya, Birth of Lord Kartikeya, , Lord Murugan, Story of Lord Kartikeya – Rudraksha Ratna |accessdate=2018-06-09 |url-status=live |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20171117075322/http://www.rudraksha-ratna.com/articles/lord-kartikeya |archivedate=17 November 2017 |df=dmy-all }}</ref> | planet = [[Mangala]] | color = [[Red]] | consort = Devasena and Valli | mount = [[Indian Peafowl|Indian Peacock]] | siblings =[[Ganesha]] |abode = [[Mount Kailash]] | festivals = Soorasamharam, Vaikasi Visakam, Thai Poosam | Kannada_script =ಕಾರ್ತಿಕೇಯ }} '''Kartikeya''' ({{lang-ta|கார்த்திகேயன் }}), also known as '''Murugan''', '''Skanda''' is the Hindu [[Deity|god]] of [[war]] and [[victory]]. Kartikeya is the major god popularly worshipped in [[India]], [[Sri Lanka]], [[Mauritius]], [[Singapore]], [[Malaysia]] and many other places of the world, where many [[Tamil people|Tamils]] widespreadly live. Kartikeya has six [[shrine]]s in [[Tamil Nadu]], which are known as [[Arupadai V