✦ Kanda Sashti Days ✦

✦ Monthly Skanda-Subrahmanya Sashti — vrat for Lord Murugan ✦

⚔️

✦ What is Kanda Sashti Days? ✦

Kanda Sashti (Tamil) or Skanda Sashti (Sanskrit) is the Shukla Paksha Shashti tithi, dedicated to Lord Murugan (Kartikeya/Skanda). Each lunar month has one Skanda Sashti — 12 per year.

According to the Puranas, Lord Murugan vanquished the asura Tarakasura and his brother Surapadman on this tithi. Devotees fast, recite the "Kanda Sashti Kavacham", and worship at Murugan temples on this day.

The most significant is "Kanda Sashti Vratam" — a 6-day fast in the Tamil month "Aippasi" (Oct–Nov), beginning the day after Amavasya and ending on Shashti. The grand "Soorasamharam" pageant is staged at the Tiruchendur Murugan temple.

📜

✦ Concept & Rule ✦

Astronomical basis: Skanda Sashti = Shukla Paksha Shashti (tithi-ordinal 6) — the 6th day after Amavasya. Once per lunar month. The Shashti in the Tamil month "Aippasi" (the 7th Tamil month, Oct–Nov) is the culminating day of the "Kanda Sashti Vratam" — of special significance. The fast begins from the preceding day's Pratipada, lasting six days — hence the name "Sashti" (sixth). Major Murugan temples across South India host grand festivals.