Check out the theme here: A Retelling of Valli and Karttikeya’s Love Story
This post is a part of BlogchatterA2Z Challenge 2026.
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The new dawn brought forth a heady rush of love, anticipation, and thrill for Valli. Though she performed the daily morning rituals as always, she couldn’t help but smile wider than ever. She was counting the minutes to go to the milled field to meet Skanda. He said he would wait for her.
“You are a deva! You can’t wait for me!” she said as they parted the previous evening.
He had laughed and kissed her fingers. “Even a deva has to do what his woman wants when he is in love. Waiting for you has its own beauty.”
Valli debated whether she should dress up, but that would alert her family. They were already curious and asked what made her so happy.
“I had an auspicious dream,” she replied to her brother.
Deciding against calling more attention to herself, Valli forced herself to eat at a normal pace and hugged her amma before leaving home. Her father and brothers went in the other direction to visit the neighboring village for some purchases. A few minutes later, she was in the field, searching for Skanda. However, she couldn’t find him and felt her heart plummet. Did he leave her and go back to his world? He wouldn’t do that to her.
But where was he?
Valli sighed and slumped onto the ground before her little clay murti of Skanda. “Where are you?” she demanded with tears in her eyes.
“O Valli! Please don’t let your precious tears fall to the earth. I’m right here,” the murti replied. The next instant, Skanda appeared beside her and pulled her into his arms.
He had thought the best way to greet her would be to surprise her from the murti. However, it looked like his idea didn’t work. Skanda held her close as she wrapped her arms around him and rested her head on his chest.
“I… I didn’t know what to think,” she whispered.
“I will never leave you, Valli. You are a part of me now,” he assured her.
They sat like that for a few minutes until Valli pushed him away. “What if anyone sees us?”
“No one can see us, my love. We are invisible to the world.”
Valli blinked and looked around. “Oh… but if anyone comes for me and doesn’t find me here, they will inform my family.”
“They will see your form in the field, doing the work you always do. I created an illusion so that you can spend all your time with me.”
When Valli blushed, Skanda kissed her and asked if she wanted to go anywhere, see a new place, or travel to a different world.
“Can we go anywhere?”
He nodded. “Anywhere you want. I will bring you back before sunset.”
Excited by his offer, Valli asked him to take her to the Himalayas first. “I can still feel the words in me when you described the place as an old ascetic.”
“If that’s where you wish to visit, we’ll go there. Do you want to close your eyes?”
“Should I?”
“It might be easier that way, at least for the first few times. Until you get used to my traveling style.”
“Do you really ride your peacock across the sky, Skanda?” Valli asked. She hadn’t seen the bird even once.
Skanda smiled as he rose into the air with his arms tightly wrapped around her. “Sometimes I do.”
In a blink, they were at the Himalayas, pristine white with fresh snow glittering like diamonds, and the scent of an ancient forest tickling the crisp and cold air.
“Open your eyes now,” he whispered near her ear.
Valli did as he asked and gasped at the magical sight surrounding her. “Oh…”
They explored the caves, forests, and valleys, hiding from the rishis in their ashrams and other celestial beings. The animals and birds came freely to Valli, eating the fruits directly from her hands and sitting on her shoulders or near her feet. The sparrow, too, played with her hair as Skanda fanned it between his fingers.
Valli didn’t know if time stretched to give them many hours or if she felt that way. It seemed like an endless day until she remembered she would have to return home. However, he did not move.
“We could just stay back here, Valli, or go to Tanikai,” Skanda offered.
Valli shook her head. “We can come back tomorrow. Let’s go home, please.”
He agreed reluctantly. In another blink, they were back at the millet field.
“See you tomorrow,” Valli said and skipped home with a happy smile and her heart full.
