Devalok
Local story · 2 tellings · South India, Sri Lanka

Murugan and Valli

Murugan woos Valli, a hunter chief's daughter guarding the millet fields, as a hunter, a tree and an old man, and wins her with his brother Ganesha's help as a wild elephant; when her father's men attack, they fall, and she brings them back to life.

Who is in it

Places: Vallimalai, Kataragama · Texts: Kanda Puranam

The story, beat by beat

  1. Valli, adopted by the hunter chief Nambi, guards the millet field from birds.
  2. Murugan comes as a lost hunter; she sends him away; when her father comes he turns into a tree.
  3. He comes back as an old man and asks for millet flour and honey, then water, then her hand.
  4. Ganesha comes as a wild elephant; Valli runs to the old man and promises to marry him; he shows his form.
  5. They run away together; Nambi's men shoot at Murugan and fall dead; Valli revives them with a touch.
  6. Nambi gives her to Murugan; they go to Tiruttani (or stay at Kataragama in the Sri Lankan telling).

love disguise hill people marriage

How it is told, place by place

Base telling · Encyclopedia

Kanda Puranam, at Vallimalai

South India · Vallimalai, Vellore district, Tamil Nadu Kaumara

Valli is found under a creeper on the hill and raised by the hunter chief Nambi. She keeps the birds off the millet. Murugan comes as a hunter who has lost his way, and she tells him to go; when her father comes up the hill with honey and fruit, the hunter is suddenly a tree. Next he is an old man, whom Nambi leaves in her care. He asks for food and she gives him millet flour and honey; it makes him thirsty and she brings water; then he says she could also quench his thirst for a wife, and she walks off angry. A wild elephant, his brother Ganesha, crashes out of the trees. She runs back to the old man and promises him anything; he shows her who he is. Later he takes her away, Nambi's men shoot at him and fall, and Valli brings them back with a touch. Nambi marries her to him.

Valli (Wikipedia); Lord Muruga of Tiruchendur (ACL-CPL 00327, archive.org full text)

Encyclopedia

Kataragama, Sri Lanka

Sri Lanka · Kataragama, Sri Lanka Kaumara

Sri Lankan lore sets the courtship among the Vedda people near Kataragama, where Murugan's temple stands. After the wedding he does not go back. Devayanai, his first wife, comes to call him home to the heaven of the gods and cannot move him, and in the end she joins him and Valli in the forest town.

Valli (Wikipedia)

Sources: Valli (Wikipedia); Lord Muruga of Tiruchendur (ACL-CPL 00327, archive.org full text)

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