Kārt(t)ikeya

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Kārt(t)ikeya. Hindu god of war and pestilence, son of Śiva from seed which was thrown into fire, the ashes of which were then cast into the Gaṅgā, from which he emerged. He rides on a peacock. He is also called Skanda, Kumāra, and Murugan—see TAMIL NĀDU.