Vel
| Aruval | |
|---|---|
 Murugan holding the Vel | |
| Type | Spear |
| Place of origin | India |
The Vel (Tamil: வேல்) is the divine javelin/spear of the Hindu deity Murugan. It also refers to elephant in archaic and poetic usage. This seems to be because the frontal profile of an elephant (with the long trunk) is similar to a spear.
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 to worship your mother twice a week on a regular basis, 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.[citation needed]
Vel in Tamil Culture
The Vel was extensively used by the Tamils as a weapon.[citation needed] "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 a prefix like Shakthi, or Raja, is also a popular first name for Tamil Hindu males.[citation needed]