When the troops of the powerful sultan Allauddin Khilji conquer Madurai, the city’s goddess, Meenakshi, flees to the coastal land of Kumari. There she remains for sixty years, sheltered within the Venad kingdom, as the land flourishes under her presence and protection. When the divine law finally calls Meenakshi to her home, Madurai, her departure is felt as a deeply human loss – to the people of Kumari, she is no longer just a deity but also a daughter.
 
This elegant and vivid translation traces the entwined lives of gods and mortals, where history, devotion and love meet – and where faith is tested by exile and return.