The Kantha Sashti Festival – Part 4 (Soora Samhaaram at Sri Kandaswamy Temple)
Soorapanman, his two brothers (Singgamuhaasuran and Thaaraahaasuran) along with more than 200,000 siblings and their armies were subdued by Lord Muruhan. The highlights of this battle have been enacted at Sri Kandaswamy Temple in the evening of the sixth day of the Kantha Sashti Festival for many, many years.
Let us see the scenes enacted at Sri Kandaswamy Temple:
*On the eve of the day of Sooran Poar, Soorapanman surveys the battle-field and its vicinity.
* On the day of Sooran Poar, Lord Kanthan arrives in His chariot in preparation for the battle, initially.
* Lord Kanthan’s younger brother – cum – Commander-in Chief, Veeravaahu dhaevar, and Soorapanman take turns to survey the battle-field.
* Thaarahaasuran, the elephant-faced ‘asuran’, comes first to fight the Lord; his head is cut off by Lord Muruhan’s Vel.
(Devotees can see Veeravaahu dhaevar coming in front of Lord Muruhan and exhibiting his joy whenever Lord Muruhan defeats Thaarahaasuran, Singgamuhaasuran and Soorapanman).
* Singgamuhaasuran, the lion-faced ‘asuran’ comes next and is killed by Lord Muruhan.
* i. Finally, Soorapanman comes. He had been blessed with immense power because of his austere fast and worship.Therefore, due to his austere penance and the help of his mother, Maayaa, he tries to confuse the Lord Himself by using his magical power.
In order to show such efforts of Sooran, he is brought with light at one time, and with himself covered by a black cloth at another time.
Sooran comes in his original form and fights with Lord Muruhan. As he is defeated by Lord Muruhan, Sooran uses his magical powers to fight Lord Muruhan. At one time he would make the entire vicinity glaring; this is indicated by bringing him with light. At another time he would make the entire vicinity pitch dark; this is depicted when he is brought, fully-covered by a black cloth. All his tricks are subdued by Lord Muruhan’s ‘Nyaana Vel’.
ii. Soorapanman comes again in his original form. Since he is not able to win over the Lord, he becomes a mango tree and hides deep under the sea. When Lord Muruhan’s ‘Nyaana Vel’ splits the tree into two halves, one half becomes a peacock and the other a rooster and they get the divine fortune of permanently being with Lord thereafter, in accordance with Soorapanman’s prior request to the Lord.
These are the events of Soora Samhaaram that are enacted at Sri Kandaswamy Temple.