Yet he plays a specific role in the life of the folk of Orissa, which is not at all negligible, and which forms the focus of this study. The population of Orissa consists mostly of Hindus. Though they worship almost all the Hindu deities, and although Orissa is called the Land of Temples, interestingly there is no shrine exclusively meant for Karttikeya. So at the surface level of the socio-cultural life of Orissa, the significance of Karttikeya is not obvious, but can be traced out at the deeper level. In Indian society, folk beliefs are mainly centered around a particular deity or object of worship.
People worship specific gods in specific situations and for specific problems.
For instance, if they want rain they worship one deity, while for harvest they worship another deity. Likewise, in Orissa, if someone is not blessed with a child, especially a son, then he or she takes refuge in Karttikeya. As far as this particular problem is concerned, Karttikeya's supremacy is above dispute. The worship of Karttikeya varies to some extent from region to region in the state. The main procedure is as follows in the Puri District.