The Legend of Kandaswamy and the Vel
Lord Kandaswamy (Murugan/Skanda), the war god of Sri Lankan Tamils, is celebrated through the legend of the Vel (divine spear). According to tradition, Kandaswamy received the Vel from his mother Parvati to destroy the demon Surapadman. The Vel represents divine wisdom that pierces through ignorance. The Nallur Kandaswamy Temple in Jaffna, established in the 14th century, is the epicenter of this worship. The temple's annual festival features the Vel being carried in procession. Tamil folklore recounts that Kandaswamy wedded Valli, a Vedda tribal girl, at Kataragama in Sri Lanka — symbolizing