Recap: Valli, a fortune-teller from the Podhigai Hills in Tamil lands, journeyed to the distant island of Taravati. There, she had been invited by the Maharani, Sri Devi Parvadavardini, to offer her divinatory services.

Chapter 2/26: Beliefs and Lineage

Part 1/2 of the novella ‘The cursed keris of Taravati’

“All hills belong to us, O my revered Rani of Taravati!” Valli started.

“Himalaya is the king of all mountains, where Lord Siva and Parvati dwell. His son Kartikeya rules the hilltops of my land. He is known as Seyon in my land. He is one of the prominent gods we worship, along with Mayon, Vendhan, Varunan and Kotravai. Once, he fell in love with Valli, a girl from a tribal clan of the Tamil hills, and married her. I am named after her, from the same clan,” she explained.

“O, the one whose beauty is worshiped far beyond the borders of this land! Hear this – Agastya, one of the Saptarishi-s and the one who brought Shaivism to your land, found peace in a mountain filled with a rain-forest, where shola-mandhi monkeys swing through the trees, wild stags chase each other in the grasslands, and peacocks spread their feathers in the drizzling grass fields. These mountains are called the Podhigai Hills, which bring the monsoon to the land of the Tamils, generation after generation. Once, a hunter named Kannappan, who lived in these hills, offered his own eyes to Lord Siva. I belong to his clan, called Guru-Avar or Kuravar.”

“That sounds interesting, young girl! You look so young. How can I believe your fortune-telling, dear?” Parvata Vardini asked.

“O, the ruler of an island country with a bustling shipyard! You accomplished what others could not: uniting two countries of different beliefs, Taravati and Durgavati, separated by Mount Ranadhira. Listen to my lineage! -”

“I am the daughter of the matriarch Sirungi, who belongs to the lineage of fortune-tellers of the Pandya kingdom, She taught us worshiping goddess Shenpaka-devi of our hills, along with mother nature. ”

“O! the one with a charming face like a fire-lily, It is not us, but my deity Shenpaka-devi, none other than Meenakshi who rules Madurai, who speaks through me. The one who saves the entire world will save you too.”

The Queen gestured, ready to listen. “Very well. Tell me something from my past to convince me that I can trust your words.”

Valli sat cross-legged, her back straight. She folded her hands, her eyes gazing upwards as her eyebrows partially veiled her fish-like eyes. With a tone like a chisel rubbing against a brass vessel, she began her narration with a prayer:

“I saw your hair, where kondrai blossoms gleam,
which even Brahman’s gaze could not reach!
I saw your hands, with stag and trident’s might
and Vasuki’s bright eyes and his fluttering forked tongues!
I saw your palms with abhaya hasta’s grace
and found my refuge in your holy space!
Oh, Thou, whose son wed Kura-Valli, of our line,
Descend –
with Sri Shenpaka-devi Meenakshi, Your consort divine,
Upon my tongue, let sacred words take flight,
Bestowing grace and everlasting light.
Om Om Om…”

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Note:

• The fiction is a retelling of a historic event.
• Images generated with ImageFx of Google Gemini.
• Awkward sentences are removed by AI for a smoother reading experience.