How to Perform Kanda Sashti Pooja at home? Kanda Sashti Poojai seivadhu eppadi/Simple method to do Sashti Pooja at home Along with all Neivedhyams.

 Today I am going to share with you all of how to perform pooja for Lord Murugan during the Kanda Sashti Viratham. You can do this Pooja on all the six days of the Skanda Sashti or only on Soorasamharam day also. This year Kanda Sashti starts on 13 th November 2023 and ends on 18 th November 2023 followed by Lord Murugan Thirukalyanam on 19^th November 2023. 

Please check out

Skanda SashtiViratham 2023 dates here,

Origin of Skanda Sashti Festival here,

How to observe Skanda Sashti Viratham/Fasting here.

    2022 Skanda Sashti Pooja at my home

Before starting the pooja, create a calm and pleasant atmosphere. Clean the pooja room and keep all the pooja items ready.

Here I am going to share details of Skanda Sashti Pooja which we will perform for six days and complete it on the Soorasamharam day.

Here is the list of items you will need for Pooja

Lord Murugan Picture/Idol

Vel [If you don’t have one it is ok]

Two Kuthu Vilakkus

Six small lamps/ugals or brass lamps

Pancha Pathiram

Sandal Powder

Turmeric

Kum kum

Flowers

Fruits

Water

Milk or any Neivedhyam of your choice

Agarbathi, Camphor

Many people start the Sashti Viratham by tying “KAAPU” on day one. The eldest member of the house will tie the Kaapu to all the members of the house to mark the beginning of the start of fasting/Viratham. If your family has the practice of tying Kaapu then you can follow that procedure.

Please check out

Skanda SashtiViratham 2023 dates here,

Origin of Skanda Sashti Festival here,

How to observe Skanda Sashti Viratham/Fasting here.

Step One:

Clean the pooja room and the place where the Idol or Lord Murugan Picture is going to be placed. Draw kolam in front of the main door. Make sure you wash your hair on the first day of the pooja.

Step Two:

Clean the Lord Murugan Picture or Lord Murugan Idol or Vel thoroughly. Now mix little sandal powder & turmeric powder. Keep small pottus [small dots] on the picture/idol or Vel. Keep kum kum on top of it.

 Step Three:

If you have Murugan idol and new vasthram/cloth of Lord Murugan then keep some turmeric paste on the edges of the cloth and tie for Lord Murugan.

Step Four:

Decorate the Picture/Idol with flowers of your choice.

Step Five:

Draw a kolam like the one shown below in from of the Lord Murugan.

Step Six:

Apply turmeric and Kumkum for kuthu vilakku, keep some flowers, pour oil and keep it ready. Place the Kuthu Vilakkus on both sides of Lord Murugan Picture/Idol/Vel.

Step Seven:

I have mentioned about 6 ugals [mud/brass],

On day One you will light one ghee lamp and keep it on the alphabet “SA” in the kolam and also one flower in the the alphabet “OHM” in the middle of the kolam.

On second day you will light two ghee lamps and keep it on the alphabets “SA” & “RA” in the kolam.

On third day you will light three ghee lamps and keep it on the alphabets “SA”, “RA”, “VA” in the kolam.

On fourth day you will light four ghee lamps and keep it on the alphabets “SA”, “RA”, “VA”, “NA” in the kolam.

On fifth day you will light five ghee lamps and keep it on the alphabets “SA”, “RA”, “VA”, “NA”, “BHA” in the kolam.

On Sixth day you will light six ghee lamps and keep it on the alphabets “SA”, “RA”, “VA”, “NA”, “BHA”, “VA” in the kolam.

Step Eight:

Now light both the kuthu vilakkus, light on one small ghee lamp and place it as shown in the picture.

First day - one lamp

Sixth Day - Six Lamps

Step Nine:

Keep Pancha Pathiram filled with water, offer neivedhyam like fruits, milk or any other neivedhyam you have prepared in your home to Lord Murugan.

Step Ten:

Start doing your pooja by offering flowers and pooja to lord Ganesha and Sun god. Tell all your daily routine slokams. Next start with Skanda Sashti Kavacham, Subramaniya Bhujangam, Vel Maaral, Thirupugazh songs which ever you know.

This has to be followed by Aarthi.

Rules to be followed

Pooja has to be done two times a day, morning and evening.

If you are going to work, then come back home take bath and do the pooja. It is alright even if you do this pooja a little late.

Make sure to read Sashti Kavacham everyday with out fail.

If you are not able to say sashti kavacham fully or you don’t time due to work constraints you can just listen to them or atleast say this small slokam from Thirupugazh

ஏறு மயிலேறி விளையாடும் முகமொன்று

ஈசருடன் ஞான மொழி பேசும் முகமொன்று

கூறும் அடியார்கள் வினை தீர்க்கும் முகமொன்று

குன்றுருவ வேல்வாங்கி நின்ற முகமொன்று

மாறுபடு சூரரை வதைத்த முகமொன்று

வள்ளியை மணம்புணர வந்த முகமொன்று

ஆறுமுகமான பொருள் நீயருள வேண்டும்

ஆதி அருணாசலம் அமர்ந்த பெருமாளே

This routine is followed until the sixth day morning of the Skanda Sashti.

Sixth Day Evening Pooja Procedure

On the sixth day evening is the Soorasamharam, where Lord Murugan kills Soorapadhman, Taarakasooran and Simhamugan. On the sixth day evening after the Soorasamharam happens in the Murugan Temple [you can watch it on tv or youtube, if you cannot visit the temple], take head bath.

Prepare all the neivedhyams like

SakkaraiPongal/Sakkarai Pongal in a Pot -traditional method/Akkara Vadisal

Ullundhu Vadai with Onions/Ullundhu Vadai without Onions

Arisi Thengai Payasam/Arisi Paruppu Payasam

Kathrikkai & Murungaikkai Sambar or Dhal

ThinaiUrundai/Thaen Thinai

UrulaikizhanguVaruval

ThalichaThayir Sadam

Light all the lamps for Lord Murugan, offer all the neivedhyams , light agarbathis, chant all the slokams and finally show the Aarthi by saying “Vetrivel Muruganukku Arogara, Veeravel Muruganukku Aragara, Valli Manavaalanukku Arogara, Kandhanukku Arogara, Subramaniya Swamikku Arogara.

After this pooja the Skanda Sashti Viratham gets over, you can give food as charity to some poor people and then have it.

Those who are observing one day fasting will stat in the morning, follow the same procedure and do the pooja after the soorasamharam and complete it.

Please check out

Skanda SashtiViratham 2023 dates here,

Origin of Skanda Sashti Festival here,

How to observe Skanda Sashti Viratham/Fasting her

The next day is Lord Murugan’s Thirukalyanam with Deivayanai [Daughter of Lod Indra]. Lord Indra is so happy that Lord Murugan has saved the entire abode of heavenly gods and every living being on Earth and gives his daughter in marriage to Lord Murugan.

Thank you all for visiting my space, please come back again for more interesting articles about Indian Festivals and Poojas here. Meanwhile check out interesting articles about Navarathri, Golu, Pongal and other Indian Festivals here.

If you find this post really interesting, it will really be nice if you can share it with your facebook friends or twitter friends or pin it today. I will be very happy if you like, share and subscribe to Priya’s Virundhu youtube channel at https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCTsVaemF70ifZPLfgtEvMjg. All of this means a lot to me and a great encouragement as well.

Have a great day and enjoy.

Until then I am signing off...