I find Elmal/Elmal to be one of the strongest starting positions (with pretty much any of the events for that matter), so you aren't alone in this. For that matter, I find Orlanth to be my last choice, after Ernalda too.
One reason that I think this might partially be so is that you get a better cult split amongst your male leaders. Often with an Orlanthi clan you can't use your best magician or warrior, because your clan chieftan is also Orlanthi (well you could, but it hurts your heroquests and I think it reduces your annual magic too).
Aside from that, it might be play style. I tend to run plenty of cattle raids, but few other raids, so Elmals's Steadfast blessing is of much more use to me than is Lightning. A smaller benefit is that the two Elmal blessings I usually want are steadfast and sun, the two that you get starting Elmal/Elmal. With Orlanth I usually most want thunderstone and rain, but with Orlanth/orlanth you start with lightning and rain, so may have to make some other sacrifices to get the magic how I like it. Also the Elmal heroquest benefit of Elmal's aid when we are attacked is hugely useful compared to the benefits of Orlanth and Aroka, I find. (O&A has a number of specific benefits that are often needed in emergencies, like drought or kinstrife, but with luck you won't hit those until you know O&A).
--Bryan
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