Vel

The Vel ( _ta. வேல்) is the divine javelin/spear of the Hindu deity Murugan.

The spear used by ancient Tamils in warfare is also commonly known by this name.

Vel in Hindu Mythology

In the Hindu mythology, Goddess Parvati presented the Vel to her son Murugan as an emobodiment of her Shakthi (Power and Energy) to vanquish the evil asura Soorapadman.

According to the Skanda Purana and its Tamil version, Kanda Puranam, in the war between Murugan and Soorapadman, Murugan used his Vel to defeat all the evil forces of Soorapadman. When a complete defeat for Soorapadman was imminent, the asura transformed himself in to a huge mango tree to evade detection by Murugan. Murugan, not falling for the deception, hurled his Vel and split the mango tree in to two halves, one becoming a rooster and the other a peacock. Murugan, henceforth, had the peacock as his Vahanam and the rooster became the emblem on his battle flag. The Vel became the symbol of valour, and of the triumph of good over evil.

Vel as a Symbol of Worship

The Vel, as a symbol of Murugan's divinity, is an object of worship in some of the temples of Murugan. The annual Thaipusam festival celebrates the occasion when Murugan received the divine Vel from his mother. During this festival, some of the devotees pierce their skin, tongue or cheeks with vel skewers while they undertake a procession towards the Murugan temple.The Vel is also associated with Vishnu. In a number of Vaishnavaite temples in Tamil Nadu the presiding deity holds a Vel.Fact|date=July 2008

Vel in Tamil Culture

The Vel was extensively used by the Tamils as a weapon.Fact|date=July 2008 "Vetrivel, Veeravel" ("Victorious Vel, Courageous Vel") was a commonly used battle cry. It was common for young boys to wear impressions of the Vel around the neck. Vel or Velu, with with a prefix like Shakthi, or Raja, is also a popular first name for Tamil Hindu males.Fact|date=July 2008

External links

* [http://kataragama.org/research/krishnapillai.htm Vel Worship in Sri Lanka]