Murugan- Hinduism and Dance Series
Written on March 9th, 2020
Lord Murugan, most commonly known as the god of war, is worshipped for power and courage by devotees all around the world. Son of Lord Shiva and Goddess Parvathi, and brother of Ganesha, Lord Murugan is known all over India with many names, the most popular being Subramanya, Kartikeya, and Shanmukha. Portrayed as a brave warrior, he is seen throughout Hindu mythological stories dressed in a dhoti with weapons like a spear in his hand, a rooster in another, and almost always, with his vahana, a peacock. Murugan is celebrated in different ways across different regions, but most popularly as the God of the Tamil Language with the Skanda Sashti festival in South India. Many devotees perform bhajans, dances, and songs, create artwork, and tell stories in praise of Lord Murugan, the one worshipped for knowledge as well as power.
In our Varnam, many short stories of Murugan are told through the perspective of a devotee who pines for the love of her life, Lord Murugan. One such story commonly depicts his meeting with Valli, one of his two wives. Like many other Hindu tales, it has different storylines according to the region of India as well as the scriptures it has been taken from. The most common story is this: Valli was the daughter of a tribal chief, a serene, pure beauty. Born to Vishnu in her previous life, she did severe penance to marry Lord Murugan. Taking the form of a young hunter, Murugan sets out to woo Valli, and as the chief was arriving, Valli dismisses him. Later, she rejects the hunter’s proposal for marriage, although having a fondness towards him, stubborn about her desire to marry Lord Murugan only. Saddened by this rejection, but still hopeful, Lord Murugan transforms into an old man and asks Valli for food. She gives him honey, flour, and water, and in an attempt to “flirt” with her, the old man makes a remark that angers Valli.
Seeing that his plan to court Valli is failing, Lord Murugan calls upon his brother Ganesha, a crucial character in this story, for help. He turns into a wild elephant and scares Valli, making her run back to the old man for help. He agrees on one condition, Valli has to marry him. In the midst of the chaos, Valli agrees, and the old man transforms into his true form, gracing her with the presence of Lord Murugan. He saves her from the “wild elephant” and confesses his love for her. Valli happily agrees to get married, and the entire village celebrates with wedding festivities.
Their union, while also being an act of unconditional, boundless love, also symbolizes the removal of ignorance and the soul attaining true happiness, merging two powerful entities with love, beyond life and time itself. It also portrays the hard work a devotee does in order to be one with God. Taking penance in her previous life, Valli was finally united with her loved one, just like our character wishes to be in this Varnam.