When Saritha returns to her ancestral village of Kollangudi, she is drawn by a sense of duty and an inexplicable connection to a place she was always told to avoid. Her parents' untimely deaths have left her with unanswered questions and a strange p...
For generations, since the time of the Great Purge, it has been the sacred duty of a young man from the Naicker family to play the heavenly *mridangam*, his rhythmic beats guiding the divine hymns sung by the daughter of the Panayar family. Together, their music weaves an ancient invocation meant to appease the fierce village deity, Veerabhadran, whose protection over Kollungkodi is both a blessing and a curse. This bond between the Panayar voice and the Naicker rhythm is not merely symbolic-it is the very heart of the ritual that sustains the fragile peace of the village.
Since the Great Purge, a curious fate has followed the Naicker lineage. For seven unbroken generations, the family has been blessed - or perhaps cursed - with only sons. No daughter has been acknowledged by their gods or seen the light of day since Veerabhadran first began to guard the village. It is said that the deity, in his mysterious and unpredictable ways, favors the strength and precision of the Naicker men, ensuring that the hands meant to beat the divine drum remain those of sons.
This peculiar absence of daughters has become part of the village's lore. Some believe it is a sign of the Naicker family's chosen status, a pact with Veerabhadran that allows no deviation. Others whisper of darker truths, wondering whether the lack of female births is a consequence of some forgotten sin, a punishment Veerabhadran imposed upon them. Whatever the reason, it has become an accepted fate-one that no one questions aloud, though rumors continue to stir in the shadows.
The Naicker men, for their part, take up the role of *mridangam* player with a stoic reverence. Each generation, a young son is groomed from birth to fulfill this role, their lives shaped by the rhythm of the drum and the ancient melodies it must accompany. It is not a simple task but a heavy burden, for they know that their every beat holds the weight of their family's legacy and the village's survival.
No daughter to sing, no daughter to break the cycle. The Naicker line has grown accustomed to their fate, just as the village has come to expect it. But as each generation passes, there remains a lingering unease. What would happen if the gods themselves one day decided to break the pattern? What if the unthinkable occurred - a girl born to the Naicker family?
Yet, such thoughts are quickly dismissed as the rhythm of tradition continues its steady, unyielding beat. Veerabhadran watches, and the village obeys.
Bramman Naicker and Saranya
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The current head of the Naicker family is Bramhan Naicker, father to Balan and Santhosh Naicker. Eighteen years ago, Bramhan and his wife Saranya returned to Kollungkodi upon hearing the shocking news of his father, Ravindra Naicker's death. Ravindra had died under mysterious circumstances alongside his mistress, Poongkudi, a low-caste servant woman. Their deaths left behind a child-another son.
Poongkudi's relationship with Ravindra had long been an open secret, but her low caste and inability to bear a daughter became the talk of the village. The ancient lore surrounding the Naicker family, particularly the belief that Veerabhadran, the village deity, cursed them to never produce a daughter as punishment for some long-forgotten transgression, began to spread anew. It was whispered that Veerabhadran's wrath was the reason why, for generations, the Naicker family had only borne sons-no baby girl had been born into their line for seven generations.
