The Name Murukan and His Domain
The sacred Tamil name MURUKAN முருகன் ['Beautiful-One', or 'BEAUTY-INCARNATE'] is derived from the Tamil word muruku முருகு, meaning 'beauty, especially of nature'. Lord Murukan in the Tamil poetry of the early Sangam-era is associated with the hills, which are the Lord's domain, and the people dwelling in the domain are the Lord's kinsmen. Lord Murukan, as the Hunter and the Warrior par excellence, presides over the hunt. He causes the blossoming of pure love in the minds of young men and women. He can cause as well as dispel anangku அணங்கு ['fear' or 'distress'], frequently personalized as an external force which causes suffering to the 'love-sick' persons. His high-priest is velan வேலன் ['one who has the lance or வேல்'], and the velan conducts a kind of frenzied-dance.
Lord Murukan as Seyon and the Kanthu Pillar
Lord Murukan is identified with red colour, and is known as Seyon சேயோன் ['red-one']. The names Senthan சேந்தன் and Seyon சேயோன் are used interchangeably with the name Murukan, who is explicitly identified as Katavul கடவுள் ['the God'] of Kuriňci-realm [Tholkaappiyam தொல்காப்பியம், Akaththinaiiyal அகத்திணையியல் 5]. A small pillar known as kanthu கந்து is set up usually on a pedestal over a dais under a katampu-tree [கடம்பு — anthocephalus cadamba] to represent the God.
Flora Associated with Lord Murukan
Lord Murukan has a kinship with much of the flora and fauna of the hills and with their colour and fragrance. The flowers associated with him are more often red — such as the blossoms of kaanthal காந்தள் [gloriosa superba], katampu கடம்பு [anthocephalus cadamba], and the red-lotus-flower [செந்தாமரை மலர்] — and sometimes yellow flowers too, such as the blossoms of venkai-tree வேங்கை [pterocarpus bilobus, also known as Kino-tree].
Fauna of the Hills: Elephant, Peacock, and Rooster
The fauna of the hills associated with Lord Murukan includes the elephant [யானை], peacock [மயில்], and the rooster [சேவல்]. The elephant's ferocity and fighting skill are equated often with that of the Lord. The peacock is mentioned several times in the Sangam poetry in association with Lord Murukan. In several passages, the peacock is depicted as dancing particularly when the rain is about to fall, and thus appears to symbolize fertility. The rooster சேவற்கோழி is mentioned in association with Lord Murukan, who bears a banner on which is inscribed the form of the rooster.
The Lance (Vel வேல்)
Lord Murukan is associated with the lance [vel வேல்], which is described as having a pointed venkai-leaf-like-head, and it is adorned with small bells and peacock feathers.
The Demon Suur and the Fiery Lance
The word suur [சூர்] is used in the Sangam poetry to denote a personalized malevolent and demonic force, causing terror to the dwellers of the hills. Lord Murukan overcomes the demonic force with the leaf-shaped-lance, as recorded in the Akanaanuuru-anthology:
சூர்மறுங்கறுத்த சுடரிலை நெடுவேல்
சினமிகு முருகன் தண்பரங்குன்றத்து
[அகநானூறு Akanaanuuru 59:10–11]
The above details will no doubt be extremely useful to appreciate the various kinds of alangkaaram, which will be discussed in the following pages of this article.