Research Library

The Murugan.org Research Library brings together scholarship on Skanda-Murugan from religious studies, literature, history, archaeology, anthropology, art history and the study of ritual. The collection ranges from classical Tamil and Sanskrit traditions to regional, Asian and diaspora forms of Murugan devotion. Use the subject gateways below to enter the archive, or follow cross-links by person, place, text and practice.

Complete Research Index

General & Comparative Murugan Studies

• Viswarupa of Skanda
• Past and Future Trends in Contemporary Hinduism — anthropologist and sannyasin Agehananda Bharati
• Representations of Bala Murukan in Kunrutoradal Temples, Western Ghats, Tamil Nadu
• Kinetic Art Forms in the Iconograpy of Murugan
• Legends of Karttikeya in Puruliya Chau
• Skanda’s Sister Jyoti — Dr. Alagappa Alagappan
• Cult of Skanda-Murukan in ancient Tamil Nadu
• Lord Murukan, the embodiment of beauty and love
• Arunakirinathar’s Views on Acquisition of Wealth
• Facets of Murukan
• Facets of Murukan (Tamil Original)
• Tai Pucam In Malaysia
• Pan-Hindu Pilgrimage Traditions, Batu Caves and Murukan Worship (Tamil Original)
• Viralimalai Murukan as described by Arunagirinathar
• ரொட்டிகளை வீசிய குரங்குகள் (Tamil Original)
• Mission Appropriation: How They Are Trying To Christianise Murugan — Aravindan Neelakandan
• The Many Faces Of Murukan: The History and Meaning of South Indian God by Fred W. Clothey
• Pierced by Murugan’s Lance
• Cult of the Child-God Crosses a Millennial Milestone — Patrick Harrigan (PDF)
• Skanda-Murukan: time and nature associations
• Some Observations on Kurinci Poetry
• Skanda Legends in the Puranas
• Skanda Legends in the Puranas (Tamil Original)
• Following Murukan: Tai Pucam in Singapore
• Skanda: The Alexander Romance in India
• Murukan worship in Fiji
• Murukan worship in Fiji (Tamil Original)
• Skanda-Subrahmanya in Sanskrit Tradition
• Murukan Worship through Musical Forms
• Murukan Worship through Musical Forms (Tamil Original)
• Skanda’s Sister Jyoti — Dr
• Skanda’s Sister Jyoti — Dr (Tamil Original)
• Goddess Jyoti
• The Iconography of Murugan — Prof Raju Kalidos
• The Iconography of Murugan — Prof Raju Kalidos (Tamil Original)
• Iconography of Skanda-Murukan: Flashes of Insight — Prof Raju Kalidos
• Murugan: The Kali Yuga Varada
• Murugan Temples In Australia
• Cevvel (Murukan) as depicted in the Paripatal (Tamil Original)
• Murukan Cult in Cilappatikaram
• Skanda the Merciful and His Devotees
• The Story of Skanda as told in the Northern and Southern Recensions
• My experience with Vallimalai Satchidananda Swami — Arunagirinathar
• My experience with Vallimalai Satchidananda Swami — Arunagirinathar (Tamil Original)
• The Skanda Concept: Rustic and Poetic — Suganthy Krishnamachari
• The Human Interface between Polytheism and Absolute Reality
• Publication of Tiruppukal a Century Ago by V.T. Subramania Pillai: The Man and His Mission
• Publication of Tiruppukal a Century Ago by V.T. Subramania Pillai: The Man and His Mission (Tamil Original)
• Murukan in the Indus Script
• Murukan, Tamil God of Justice
• Peranda Boomiyil Perinbam petra Sasan Bhoganathar (Tamil Original)
• Devotion to Murukan
• Vallakkottai Murukan Temple
• Vallakkottai Murukan Temple (Tamil Original)
• Pāda Yātrā to Palani Murukan Temple: A Folk Tradition — R. Kannan (PDF)
• Guha Jnana Bodham
• Karttikeya in the folk life of Orissa
• ஒரிஸ்ஸா மானிலத்தில் கார்த்திகேய வழிபாடு (Tamil Original)
• Murukan Worship in Sri Lanka: New Archaeological Evidence
• Murukan Worship in Sri Lanka: New Archaeological Evidence (Tamil Original)
• In the Footsteps of Saint Arunagirinathar: Pilgrimage to the sacred places in the Tiruppukal
• In the Footsteps of Saint Arunagirinathar: Pilgrimage to the sacred places in the Tiruppukal (Tamil Original)
• Development of Muruku-Muruka-Velan and Ce-Cey-Ceyon in Cankam Literature
• Skanda, the elegant war-god son of Shiva
• Shanmuka Kavacam and the Kavacam genre
• Deciphering the Indus Script (book review)
• Objectives and Scope of the Second International Conference on Murukan Study and Worship
• Palani Andavar icon: A Scientific Analysis
• Palani Andavar icon: A Scientific Analysis (Tamil Original)
• The Skanda cult in India: Sanskrit sources
• Karttikeya worship in Bengal
• மேற்கு வங்காளத்தில் கார்த்திகேய வழிபாடு
• Pilgrimage and Mystical Practice
• Kanta Shasti Vratam
• Skanda Kumara in ancient North India
• Skanda Kumara in ancient North India (Tamil Original)
• Murukan in Cankam Literature: Veriyattu Tribal Worship
• Murukan in Cankam Literature: Veriyattu Tribal Worship (Tamil Original)
• Antiquity of Murukan Cult in Ancient Sri Lanka: A Historical Perspective
• Devaraya Swamigal’s contribution to ‘Murukanism’
• History of the Tamil Diaspora
• The Murukan cult in Mauritius
• The Murukan cult in Mauritius (Tamil Original)
• Tamil Language and Murukan Worship in South Africa
• Tamil Language and Murukan Worship in South Africa (Tamil Original)
• Karttikeya in Early Indian Coinage
• Karttikeya in Early Indian Coinage (Tamil Original)
• The Iconography of Somaskanda Murti
• The Iconography of Somaskanda Murti (Tamil Original)
• Significance of Kaumara Icons
• Significance of Kaumara Icons (Tamil Original)
• Skanda in Japanese Zen tradition
• God Murukan as viewed by the ancient Tamils
• God Murukan as viewed by the ancient Tamils (Tamil Original)
• God Murukan as viewed by the ancient Tamils (PDF)
• Tamils Abroad Seek Solace in Murugan
• Legends of Tirupparankunram — R. K. Das (PDF)
• முருகனின் பண்டையக் காலச் சிலை
• Discovery of an early sculpture of Murukan
• Skanda Cult in South India
• Skanda Cult in South India (Tamil Original)
• Skanda Cult in South India (PDF)
• Yezidis and Hindus Revere Malik Taus or Skanda-Murugan, the Peacock Angel King — Nallein Satana Al-Jilwah Sowilo and Vrndavan Brannon Parker

Tamil Literary & Devotional Traditions

• Distinctive features of Tirumurukarruppatai — Tamil poet Nakkirar
• Tiruppukal as classical music and its role in the cult of Murukan
• Tirumurukarruppatai’s place in the Saiva Canon
• சித்தாடி காத்தாயி அம்மன் ஆலய வரலாறு (Tamil Original)
• Arunagirinathar’s experience of Lord Murugan
• கந்தர் அனுபூதியில் பொதிந்த மெய்ப்பொருள் தத்துவம்
• முருக வாரணமாயிரம் (Tamil Original)
• Murugan and Valli — Kamil V. Zvelebil (PDF)
• Tirumurugarrupadai—A Study
• Muruga Sadhana in Tirumurugarrupadai
• ஒர் அரசியல் கதை (Tamil Original)
• Standard Transcription of Devanagari characters
• Indus Graffiti as Rock Art and their Astronomical Implications
• Indus Graffiti as Rock Art and their Astronomical Implications
• Evolution of the deity Murukan from the Indus Valley Prototype Ahmuvan
• வேல், மயில், சேவல், விருத்தம் (Tamil Original)
• Tamil Traditions on Subrahmanya-Murugan: Introduction — Kamil Zvelebil
• Murugan and Valli Romance
• Murugan and Valli Romance (Tamil Original)
• Murugan and Valli Romance Part 1
• Murugan and Valli Romance Part 2
• Murugan and Valli Romance Part 3
• The Smile of Murugan on Tamil literature of South India by Kamil Zvelebil
• செக் நாட்டு அறிஞர் கமில் சுவலபில் (17-11-1927 -17.01.2009) (Tamil Original)

Sanskrit, Puranic & Pan-Indian Skanda

• Kārttikeya Worship in Bengal — Dr. Seethalakshmi Viswanath (PDF)
• Aspects of Karttikeya’s Character
• Cult of the Child-God Crosses a Millennial Milestone — Patrick Harrigan
• Saint Arunagirinathar: Was he a Shakta?
• Skanda Shashti message by Swami Sivananda
• Skanda: The Alexander Romance in India — N. Gopala Pillai, M.A. (PDF)
• Skanda: Pan-Indian God of Love and War
• Skanda Legends in the Puranas — N. Gangadharan; Tamil translation by Santhipriya (PDF)
• Skanda the Merciful and His Devotees — P.R. Kannan (PDF)
• Skanda’s Sister Jyoti — Dr. Alagappa Alagappan; Tamil translation by Santhipriya (PDF)

Archaeology, Iconography & Art History

• Mailam: A Murukan temple at the crossroads of myth and local culture
• Mailam: A Murukan temple at the crossroads of myth and local culture (Tamil Original)
• Trimurti Orientation in Medieval South Indian Temples
• The Iconography of Goddess Kaumari or Kanya Kumari
• Stone Celt Axe Indus Sign Discovery in Mayiladuthurai, Tamil Nadu, India
• Rare Images of Brahmasasta and Varahasamhara
• The Worship of Murukan and the Zodiac
• Sangam Period Murugan Temple Unearthed at Mahabalipuram
• Somaskanda: Royal and Divine

Ritual, Festival & Pilgrimage Studies

• Murukan, The Protector and Healer
• Sacred Trees in Murukan Temples
• Sacred Trees in Murukan Temples (Tamil Original)
• Murugan and the Vel: The Individual Implications
• Vaikasi Visakam and Lord Murukan
• Vaikasi Visakam and Lord Murukan (Tamil Original)
• Summa-Iru in Tamil scriptures
• Skanda Sasti: Reflections on Divinity

Skanda Beyond Tamil Nadu & Across Asia

• Skanda-Karttikeya in Ancient Cambodia — Mahesh Kumar Sharan; Tamil translation (PDF)
• சீனாவின் மஞ்சுஸ்ரீ மற்றும் கார்திகேயாவின் உருவ அமைப்பின் ஒற்றுமைகள் (Tamil Original)
• Iconographic Contact between Kārttikeya and Manjusrī in China
• Wei Tuo Pú sà (Bodhisattva Skanda)
• Wei Tuo Pú sà (Bodhisattva Skanda) (Tamil Original)
• Wei Tuo Pú sà (Bodhisattva Skanda) (PDF)
• Murukan Worship in Fiji — R. Ponnu S. Goundar (PDF)
• Note on painting of Murugan, Subrahmanya or Karthikeyan
• Note on painting of Murugan, Subrahmanya or Karthikeyan (Tamil Original)
• Note on Karttikeya in ancient Java
• Note on Karttikeya in ancient Java (Tamil Original)
• Note on Karttikeya in Ancient Java — Hayati Soebadio; Tamil translation (PDF)
• Skanda-Karttikeya in ancient Cambodia
• Skanda-Karttikeya in ancient Cambodia (Tamil Original)
• An Illustration of Iconographic Contact between Kārttikeya and Manjuśrī in China — B.N. Mukherjee (PDF)
• Taippoosam Kavadi Festival in Seychelles
• The Legend of Lord Karttikeya or Murugan — Sanchita Chowdhury
• Karttikeya in the Folk Life of Orissa — Kailash Pattanaik; Tamil translation (PDF)
• Iranian Sraosa and Indian Skanda
• Iranian Sraosa and Indian Skanda — Sukumar Sen (PDF)

Diaspora & Global Murugan Traditions

• Malaysian Hindu Pilgrimage: Kavadi Worship at Batu Caves
• Malaysian Hindu Pilgrimage: Kavadi Worship at Batu Caves (PDF)
• Murugan Devotion among Tamil Diaspora
• Murugan Devotion among Tamil Diaspora (Tamil Original)
• Murugan Devotion among Tamil Diaspora — Patrick Harrigan (PDF)

179 legacy documents are represented in this section. Existing archive URLs are preserved.