Once there lived a wealthy couple in a village in India. Married for many years, they longed for a child. They performed all kinds of holy deeds and went on pilgrimages begging gods to gift them a child. Years passed by and finally they were blessed with a baby girl. The couple were over joyed and named her Kuttalavva. The wealthy couple would dot on their daughter by buying her all the best things in the town. Soon Kuttalavva grew up into a beautiful maiden having the best saris and dresses and jewellery in her collection. As she came of age, the couple got her married to a wealthy Sahukar in the nearby town. But fate had her own designs. One day all of a sudden, Kuttalavva fell ill and died. The old couple were heart broken and so was the whole village as they mourned her untimely demise. They took her body to the village cremation ground and performed the last rites.

Days went by and the old couple gradually reconciled themselves to their fate. Then one day a strange man came into town with a bundle of firewood on his head . He walked around the town trying to sell the firewood but none was interested in buying his firewood. It was mid afternoon and the man was hungry and tired and he had not yet sold his merchandise. Dejected and frustrated, the man came to the couple’s house and placed the bundle of firewood on the ground, cursing his fate for a bad day, he asked the lady for some water. The old lady fetched a tumbler of water and enquired “Oh stranger, from where have you come?”

Tired and frustrated man replied “Oh lady don’t ask me that. I came from the burning ghats and I am going back there?’ The lady knew burning ghats is where her only child Kuttalavva was laid to rest. In jest she asked him “Burning ghats is where my daughter is living. Do you know her by any chance? How is she doing ?”

“Oh yes! your daughter Kuttalavva is our next-door neighbour.” replied the man without looking at the lady.