This is the second part of our story on Thiruparankundram — Ayodhya of the south. Read the first part .

Murugan (Inter)nationalism

Murugan is the supreme deity of Tamil Hindus — rising above the religious and political contests that have shaped Tamil society — Saivite vs Vaishnavite, Brahmin vs non-Brahmin and now, Dravidian vs Hindutva.

He is known also as Kanda or Skandar, Kumara, Karthikeyan or Karthigai, Dandapani, Palani, Muthu or Muthukumar, Shanmukha or Shanmugam, Saravana and Subramanya. These are also some of the most common names of Tamil men today.

Hindutva leaders, who are mobilising in the name of Murugan, are unhappy with being portrayed as ‘outsiders’ trying to spread an ideology that’s alien to the land of the Cholas, Pandyas and Nakayakkars. Indeed, they see the hist

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