The second son of Lord Shiva and Goddess Parvati, Lord Karthikeya is also a war god. He rides a peacock and carries a spear gifted to him by his father. He is the bestower of spiritual powers, especially that of knowledge.
Lord Kathikeya was born from the six sparks that emitted from Lord Shiva when the gods approached him to destroy the demons that were troubling them. The six sparks formed six babies who became one child with six heads when embraced by the goddess Parvati. The six heads of Lord Karthikeya relate to the mind and five senses.
He is the embodiment of perfection that humans seek to attain. The Lord hints and shows the ways with which humans can attain this level of perfection.
Lord Karthikeya is known by many names like Shanmukha, Subramaniam, Skanda, Muruga etc. The legends of this god are narrated in Skanda Purana.
In northern India, Karthikeya is known as the bachelor god while devotees in the south worship him with his two wives, Devyani and Valli. Devyani and Valli stand for the power of action and desire respectively. The Spear in Karthikeya`s hand represents the power of knowledge. All three forces reside in Karthikeya, the Supreme Being.
Most of the famous temples of Lord Kathikeya are situated in Southern India. They are mostly based on top of the hills and are surrounded by scenes of natural beauty. Of these temples the one at Palani is said to have tremendous powers. It is said that devotees visiting this temples have been cured of deadly diseases.