READ: The Story Behind The Union Of Lord Murugan And Deivanai
The marriage of Lord Murugan of Goddess Valli is indeed an interesting story. Read the following to find out more!
The story of Lord Murugan’s marriage to Valli
Veddas are great hunter tribes that lived on a remote mountain peak within the sight of the Indian Ocean. The King of Kataragam Veddas, King Nambirajan, and his wife prayed to Lord Shiva for a daughter. His prayers were answered when one day he discovered a baby girl in the forest. The King then raised her as his own daughter and named her Valli.
Valli grew up to be a beautiful maiden and as a Murugan devotee. When she was twelve years old, Valli was sent to guard the millet fields against parrots and other birds. The sage Narada spotted her and went to Tanikai to inform Lord Murugan about Valli’s exceptional beauty and her devotion to the god of the hunters.
The Lord then assumed the form of a hunter and approached Valli. A conversation ensued between the two, which was interrupted by the arrivals of Valli’s brothers. Valli’s brothers are highly protective and possessive of their sister and unwilling to indulge in a battle, Lord Murugan then manifested himself in the form of a Vengai tree.
When her brothers disappeared, the Lord appeared again in the guise of an old tribal king and sought her hand in marriage. Valli was shocked, lowered her head and answered that it was inappropriate for him to marry a woman from the low tribe of the hunters. Her brothers appeared again and the God transformed into an old Saiva devotee. Upon taking some blessing, her brothers returned home.
Upset with the ongoing disturbance, the Lord sought the help of his brother, Lord Ganesha who appeared as a wild elephant. The terror-stricken girl rushed into the arms of the old Saiva devotee and promised to offer him anything in return for the protection from the wild elephant.
He then dragged her aside and sought her hand in marriage. Valli consented and the Lord revealed his real form, with six heads, twelve arms and seated on his peacock. The marriage of Valli and Murugan was then celebrated by king Nambirajan.
READ: The Significance of Goddess Deivanai and Valli to Lord Murugan
Sri Lankan mythology states that since then the Lord and Valli reside in Kataragama. However, South Indian Puranas mentioned that after the wedding they moved to Thiruthani which is one of Thirumurugatruppadai's Arupadaiveedu.