In North India, Skanda or Kartik is generally considered to be a celibate divinity and women worship him only on special occasions. The reason as to why women do not worship Kartik in North India is found in the Brahmanda Purana.
As per the legend in the Brahmanda Purana, after defeating and annihilating the demon Taraka, Skanda was unable to control his temper. He moved around harming women.
Goddess Parvati appeared before Kartik and told him that each and every woman is her own form and he should not harm them. From that day onwards Skanda started remaining aloof from women.
Yet another reason for women not worshipping Kartik is that he is the commander of Gods and therefore a war god. As he is a war god, it is believed that he is responsible for creating widows.
Yet another story which explains why Kartik do not give
darshan to women is found in both scriptures and oral tradition.
According to the story once Shiva and Parvati invited their
two sons and told them that they have become of marriageable age and they desire to
get them married. They also told them that whosoever will complete the
circumambulation of earth at the earliest would be married first.
Kartik thought that with peacock as his vehicle he would
easily beat Ganesha who has a mouse as his vehicle. Kartik started his journey
around the world in great speed.
Instead of taking journey around earth, Ganesha took two
rounds of the place where his parents were sitting. As per scriptures, the
action of going around parents was equal to going around the earth.
When Kartik returned he realized that Ganesha had already
won the race and got married to Riddhi and Siddhi.
Angry Kartik decided never to marry and keep away from
women.
But these legends are not applicable in South India, there Kartik, who is famous as Murugan, is married to Devasena and Valli. The love story of Murugan and Devasena is very famous.