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Whenever the pages of Sanatan culture and mythological history of South India are turned, one sees a wonderful confluence of love, devotion, nature and divinity which fascinates everyone’s mind. In this rich cultural and mythological heritage, the love story of Lord Kartikeya, the eldest son of Lord Shiva and Mother Parvati, who is worshiped as Murugan, Subrahmanyam or Skanda in South India, and his consort Valli is considered very special and popular. This sacred love affair of Lord Kartikeya and Valli is not just about the union of two divine souls, but it has a direct and deep connection with the rare blue ‘Neelakurinji’ flowers that bloom every twelve years on the hills of the Western Ghats of South India and the historic Tiruttani Murugan Temple. In today’s detailed and interesting article, we are going to introduce you to every secret of this unique love story of Lord Kartikeya and Valli as well as this unique confluence of nature and architecture, knowing about which you will be completely amazed.
According to mythology, Lord Kartikeya was the great commander of the army of gods and he saved the world by killing many fierce demons, but there is also a chapter in his life which is filled with feelings of love and devotion like that of common humans. Valli was the adopted daughter of a local clan chief and hunter king, who grew up in the company of nature since childhood and was an ardent devotee of Lord Murugan. Attracted by her immense devotion and beauty, Lord Kartikeya tested Valli in the form of an old saint or a hunter and ultimately, pleased with her love and devotion, accepted her as his wife. There is a very poetic and beautiful description of this love story in Tamil literature and Sangam texts, where the union of Valli and Kartikeya is considered a symbol of the unbreakable and sacred relationship between God and his devotees.
The flowers of ‘Neelakurinji’ i.e. Strobilanthes kunthiana, found in the hills of South India, especially in the Munnar and Nilgiri regions, are deeply associated with this love story, whose specialty is that they do not bloom every year like normal flowers, but only once in every twelve years. When these flowers bloom, the entire hills are covered with a beautiful and enchanting carpet of blue color, to see which lakhs of nature lovers and tourists from India and abroad come there. According to ancient beliefs and local folklore, when Lord Karthikeya and Valli were married, these same blue flowers bloomed in their full glory in the forests and hills of this region and this twelve-year long cycle is seen as a symbol of Valli’s waiting and their sacred love. This union of botanical science and mythological faith makes this story even more mysterious, attractive and historical, which presents an unmatched example of science and spirituality.
After this divine marriage of Lord Kartikeya and Valli, the place where Murugan Swami rested and quenched his anger is historically and religiously known as the famous ‘Tiruttani Murugan Temple’ located at Tiruttani in today’s Tamil Nadu. Located near Chennai, this temple is one of the six most sacred abodes of Lord Kartikeya i.e. ‘Arupadai Veedu’, where lakhs of devotees come every year to offer their prayers. The literal meaning of the word ‘Tiruttani’ is the place where the mind and body attain ultimate peace and satisfaction, and it is believed that after marriage with Valli, Kartikeya ji had resided peacefully on this holy hill after keeping all his war weapons. The architecture of the temple, its grand staircase and the surrounding natural beauty visible from the hill top testify that this place has been a great center of faith and love for centuries.
This love story of Lord Kartikeya and Valli, the blooming of Neelakurinji flowers every twelve years and this sacred land of Tiruttani Murugan temple is a proof that in Sanatan culture, nature and gods are considered synonymous with each other. When any tourist or devotee visits these hills, he feels a supernatural peace in the air and the fragrance of that ancient love story which is beyond the boundaries of time. In today’s busy and modern lifestyle, where stability and dedication in relationships is decreasing, this immortal love of Karthikeya and Valli teaches us the lesson of true faith, patience and respect for nature. If you ever get an opportunity to go to South India, then visit the Tiruttani Murugan Temple as well as visit the valleys of Neelakurinji and experience the wonderful moments of this mythological and natural history with your own eyes, which will become a very beautiful and unforgettable experience of your life.