Karttikkeya Tanjore Paintings

The Hindu deity Lord Kartikeya, the beloved son of Lord Shiva and Goddess Parvati,  is highly respected, especially in South India.   Several names, including Subramanian, Murugan, Saravana, Shanmuga, Kumaraswamy, Senthil, Guha, Shadanana, and Skanda, are used to allude to him. Kartikeya is revered as the deity of warfare and glory because he is the embodiment of courage, wisdom, and magnificence. He was created to combat evil spirits, which stand for the dark sides of human nature, and is the valiant commander of God's army. Lord Kartikeya was regarded as one of the most alluring and beautiful deities. He is often portrayed as having a serious countenance and an extremely childish face. His face sparkled like the brilliance of the full moon, and he was commonly depicted as a kind and peaceful character. The six heads of Kartikeya, or Shadanana, which is Sanskrit for "one with six heads," are the sensory receptors and the consciousness. The six heads also symbolize his qualities, such as his ability to look in all directions, which is necessary to ensure that he can block any assaults that might be directed at him.

Deva Senapati is the other name of Kartikeya, which denotes "the protector and defender of Heavenly characteristics."  The three great Gods of the Hindu Pantheon, Lord Brahma, Lord Vishnu, and Lord Shiva, obliged all their worshippers with whatever they wanted and those boons sometimes caused trouble when given to evil spirits or people. At such times, Lord Karthikeya would take the initiative to confront the demons who received such boons. He was chosen to serve as the Gods' general for this reason.

Lord Kartikeya’s blessings

He is revered for his wisdom and perpetual youth.   Worshippers of the Lord believe that He will provide them perpetual youth and cleanse them from the five social evils. Lord Kartikeya is also worshiped by childless couples in eastern India in order to have a child. There are countless accounts that indicate that Lord Kartikeya is a strong defender of his worshippers' bodies and minds. He is an incredible healer for his worshippers' mental, physiological, spiritual, and psychological ailments. Some of them became his followers after passing his challenges or gaining his blessing. If one has deep faith in him, he will be able to protect every area of the body and effectively treat all illnesses. Numerous religious literature remain, including Subramania Bhujankam, Kanda Sasti kavasam, Shanmukakavacam, Tiruppukazh, Kandar Alangaram, Kantaranuputi, and other works. The Tirumurukarruppatai of Nakkirar, the Muttukumarasami Pillaittamizh of Kumaraguruparar, etc., all testify the magnificence of Kartikeya.

The Kartikeya celebration is held on the last day of the Kartik month in eastern India, encompassing Orissa and West Bengal. It is celebrated in several areas of West Bengal and lasts for four days. Bansberia is one of these areas. Kartikeya is known as Murugan in South India, where he is revered as the deity of the natural world and has a temple in every town.

Tanjore painting of Lord Kartikeya - The Unsaid Blessings

Lord Karthikeya is a symbol of physical prowess, and serving him can help people resolve issues and empower themselves. Kartikeya signifies the fusion of contradictions. He was created to combat evil spirits, which stand for the darker aspects of human psychology, thus keeping his Tanjore painting at home helps get rid of any negativity.

FAQ

Q1. What are Lord Kartikeya’s powers?

He utilizes his magnificent warrior and inventive martial skills to command an army against Taraka and other evil spirits.

Q2. Why did Lord Kartikeya leave his parent’s abode, Kailash?

Lord Kartikeya was made to compete against his brother, Ganesha and thus chose to leave home and ended up being more respected in the southern part of the country.

Q3. What kind of paint is used for Tanjore painting?

The traditional Thanjavur paintings employed colors derived from natural sources such as plants and mineral stones which were spread on the wooden canvas resulting in an ethereal artistic effect. Modern Tanjore paintings use contemporary, factory-produced colors to increase the age of the artwork, but some of the master artists still prefer using natural colors to achieve similarity with classical Thanjavur art.