For me, a North-Indian, Devasena is Lord Indra's daughter, and Valli, a tribal girl, though we know Murugan as Shanmukham and Kartikeya and not by many other beautiful names that the South-Indians have for him.
"The old man was hungry and asked Valli for food; she gave him a mixture of the millet flour and honey. However, it made him thirsty and he asked for water. She provided water from a nearby stream. He jokingly remarked that she had satisfied his thirst and she could quench his thirst for a companion. Valli was angered again and started to leave the place. He requested assistance from his divine brother, Ganesha, who appeared as a wild elephant at that time. On seeing the wild elephant, Valli was scared and ran back to the old man, pleading him to save her from the elephant. Murugan proposed to save her only if she agreed to marry him. In the heat of the moment, she agrees and he reveals his true form. It was then Valli realized that it was her beloved Lord, who was with her all the time.
After the millet harvest was over, the chief with his daughter and entourage returned to their native land. Murugan returned for Valli in the guise of the aged man and the couple spent time away from Valli's family. Nambi Raja on being alerted about Valli's absence, flew into rage and went in search of her. When the search party finally found Valli with Murugan, the chief and his men shot arrows at Murugan, but they all failed to even touch the God and instead, the chief and his sons fell lifeless. Valli was disheartened to see the lifeless bodies of her kith and kin, and requested the to bring them back to life. Murugan instructed her to revive them herself; by her mere touch everyone was brought back to life. The chief Nambi Raja and his tribesmen realized that it was Murugan, in the form of the old man and prayed to Him. Murugan took his true form and blessed the tribesmen, and the chief conducted the marriage of his daughter and Murugan."
Valli - Wikipedia
'Om Sharavana Bhavaya Namah'
