Have you ever seen a picture of Kartikeya sitting on Lord Shiva’s shoulder and whispering something into his ear? For many people in North India, this South Indian calendar art may look completely unfamiliar. But the unusual image is connected to a fascinating Tamil tradition about the meaning of Om, one of Hinduism’s most sacred sounds.
The real mystery is not why Kartikeya is sitting there. It is what he is believed to be telling Shiva.
