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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Meanwhile, in the village, Mangai and Nampi talked about their children, happy that two of them were getting married.
“We should find a groom for Valli, too. Her insistence on marrying Skanda was all good when she was a child, but how is it possible now?” he asked.
“You are right. Though devas have married humans. Maybe Valli’s bhakti and love will bring Skanda to our village. Didn’t he get rid of the evil spirit in her today? Let’s be patient for now.”
Nampi agreed with a sigh. “As you say. Go to sleep. You look tired. I’ll check on the children and come.”
Mangai patted his arm in assurance. “Trust the devas. They gave us Valli. They will take care of her marriage as well.”
“Yes, it’s in their hands.”
Nampi closed the main door and put the bar across it. No one in their village locked doors. They just used the little built-in wooden bar to keep both doors from opening. He poked his head into the largest room in the house and smiled. All four sons shared a room and slept on the floor. This would change soon, though. He and his wife would build two smaller houses in the open backyard so that the new couples could live with them, but have enough privacy to be alone. He then peeked into Valli’s room, hoping to see his daughter sleeping soundly as always.
However, the room was empty.
“Valli?” Nampi looked around and checked the kitchen before walking into the backyard with a lamp. The thatched door of the makeshift bathroom near the well was open and dark, so he knew his daughter wasn’t there.
“Mangai! Mangai!” Nampi rushed to their little room and shook his wife awake.
“What is it?” she asked, suppressing a yawn.
“Where is Valli?”
Mangai looked bewildered. “In her room.”
Nampi shook his head in worry. “She is not there.”
“Where could she have gone at night? Deva! Please keep her safe.” Mangai whispered, rushing to the little altar. Sleep left her in an instant, and fear for her child replaced it.
Nampi woke his sons, and they rushed into the street. Some people were still around, chatting, walking, or sitting outside to enjoy the breeze and the starry sky.
“Have you seen Valli?”
“Do you see Valli walking this way?”
While most of them hadn’t seen Valli, one old man did.
“I saw her standing outside the window. Then she vanished,” he said.
“Vanished?” Nampi asked with a frown. He eyed the earthen pot of toddy in the old man’s arms and wondered if he could trust a drunkard.
“Yes! She was there and then not there!” the old man chuckled. “I’m not too drunk that I didn’t know what I was seeing. I know my granddaughter when I see her.”
“Okay, okay,” Nampi grumbled. That was true. The old man had always considered Valli his granddaughter, and she reciprocated by calling him thatha and offering him extra food. However, what was he to do if his daughter vanished? How was that possible?
“Appa! She is in the forest!” the youngest son called, shouting from the other end of the street. Nampi and the others took off in that direction.
What was she doing in the forest at night, he wondered?
More men followed Nampi with sticks, axes, and lamps. They took the regular path instead of spreading out in all directions.
Meanwhile, Valli had told Skanda she would go with him. However, the villagers reached them before they could disappear. Valli’s brothers ran to defend her, but Skanda waved his arm and all the men fell to the ground. A massive rooster danced on the ground in front of them.
Valli gasped, “No!” but the breeze carried her words away as Skanda took her across the sky as he did on their visit to the Himalayas.
