MY FIRST NOVEL

By Sridevi Soundirarajan

Reading a good book is like a friend introduced in our childhood in the lap of our parents.Whenever we travel with every friend it kindles our emotions,makes us imagine the impossible, helps to dream and gives unique travel experience throughout the book.

MY FIRST NOVEL

I have read short story books with colourful illustration in my childhood days. Reading a novel is like climbing himayalas mountain for me. That's why i watched all Harry Potter movies without reading the book.But few of my friends suggested that watching a movie is like the cloning version of the novel as it misses the originality. So I wanted to try the original experience of reading a novel in my mother tongue. I have decided to ask my friends for suggestions and out of 10, 9 people suggested me to read ponniyin selvan.

So I decided to read the novel "Ponniyin Selvan" during corona lockdown 2020 and i have finished reading the entire story before christmas 2020.

PONNIYIN SELVAN AN INTRODUCTION

Ponniyin selvan is a novel about chola kingdom which was set before 1000 years. This novel is about the greatest ruler Rajaraja chola I before he become the crown prince. This story explains love, war, friendship, jealousy, political and family issues, fight for the throne etc., This is a 5 volume book written before 70 years by kalki krishnamurthy.

GIST OF THE BOOK

This book is about selecting the next crown prince after sundara chola. Adithya Karikalan,Kundavai and Arunmozhi varman were the childrens of Sundara chola and Vanavan mahadevi.During a Pandya-Chola battle, Adithya Karikalan

killed the Veera Pandiyan King of Pandiyan Kingdom, the Lover of Nandini. In order to avenge the death of pandiyan king, she decided to manipulate Chola Kingdom by joining hands with Pandiyan Conspirators like Ravidasan, Devaralan,SomanSambavan, Idumbankari,Rakkamma and Kiramavithan. So Nandini marries a old man named Periya Pazhuvettaiyar who was a financial minister in chola kingdom. She used the chola money and helps the Pandiyan Conspirators. She makes her husband to arrange a secret meeting in Kadambur Palace by making Madurandaka, the cousin of Sundara chola and son of Sembiyan Madevi and Kandaradithar as the king.Madurandaka is also the son in law of Chinna Pazhuvettiyar brother of Periya Pazhuvettiyar. Also Nandini decides to kill by cutting the head of Adithya Karikalan using Pandiyan's Sword.

Adithya Karikalan came to know about this through a spy and he decides to send his friend Vandhiyadevan, a young warrior of noble lineage to convey a message to his father Sundara Chola and his sister Kundavai. When Kundavai went to Kudhantai Astrologer for future prediction along with her friend Vanathi,a princess of Kodumbalur Clan, she meets Vandhiyadevan and fell in love at first sight.Vandhiyadevan and Azhwarkkadiyan, the spy of chola Kingdom's chief minister Aniruddha meet at several events in chola kingdom.Vandiyadevan meets Nandini and gets the stamp ring of chola kingdom to meet Sundara Chola. Defense Minister of Chola Kingdom Chinna Pazhuvettiyar, brother of Periya Pazhuvettiyar was doubted by Vandhiyadevan's behaviour and decides to catch him but he escapes from him

and meets Kundavai.Kundavai sends her lover Vandhiyadevan to meet her younger brother Arulmozhivarman to Srilanka. Vandhiyadevan meets Poonkuzhali, a light house keeper's daughter who knows to sail a boat.

Vandhiyadevan and Azhwarkkadiyan meets Ponniyin Selvan(Other Name of Arulmozhivarman which means Son of Ponni river). Vandhiyadevan and Ponniyin selvan became close friends and the trio faces series of threatening events planned by Pandiyan Conspirators. Mandakini,who is mute saves the trio in all the dangers and she resembles like Nandini.Periya Pazhuvettiyar was sent by Sundara chola to arrest his son Ponniyin Selvan to bring him to Thanjavur and the main purpose of arrest is to meet his beloved son.Vandhiyadevan was in deep trouble in the ship and Ponniyin selvan went to the ship and saves him but while escaping in the sea, Ponniyin Selvan got severe fever. Boat women Poonkuzhali, Flower Seller Chendan Amudan and Vandiyadevan saves Ponniyin Selvan from the enemies and sends him to buddha temple which is situated in Nagai for his treatment.

There was a rumour that Ponniyin Selvan was died in the sea and the news spreads like wild fire in the town. Vandhiyadevan meets Kundavai and tells that Ponniyin Selvan is Alive but he had a crush on Boat woman Poonkuzhali.Kundavai sends vandiyadevan on an important mission to take care of her older brother Adithya Karikalan and stop him from going to Kadambur palace.Kundavai wants her brother Ponniyin selvan to marry her friend Vanathi. Vanathi, Kundavai and Poonkuzhali met in the

Kudhanthai Astrologer's house and there was a heated argument between Vanathi and Poonkuzhali and vanathi decided to take a vow of not ascending the throne with ponniyin selvan after they got married. Ponniyin selvan after he got cured disguises himself as the keeper of elephant goes to thanjavur along with Poonkuzhali and vanathi where he saved them from flood. After he went to Thanjavur, he came to know that the mute queen was the lover of his father sundara cholan and she was the one who saved him during childhood when he fell into the ponni river.

Mandakini was the aunt of Poonkuzhali and she was accepted by all in the palace.

Pandiyan conspirators planned to kill Sundara cholan, Ponniyin Selvan and Aditya Karikalan at the same time and making Madurandaka as King. Mandakini sacrifices herself and saves Sundara cholan from pandiyan conspirators but they killed Adhitya Karikalan by chopping his head and blames Vandiyadevan for his murder. Nandini, Madurantaka and the Pandiyan Conspirators escape from the Kadumbur Palace.Vandhiyadevan was arrested and sent to prison and there he meets Karunthimiran who belongs to pandiyan kingdom and reveals the major secret to him.

The Twist of the book is Mathurandaka is not the real son of Sembiyan Madevi and the real son is the flower seller Chendan Amudhan.Actually Mathurandaka and Nandini are twins childrens of Mandakini.But Sembiyan Madevi adopted Madurandaka thinking that her original son died but was saved by the deaf women Vani Ammal who is the sister of Mandakini.Poonkuzhali chooses Chendan Amudhan and they decided to get married.

Periya Pazhuvettiyar decides to reveal himself as the killer of Adhitya Karikalan in order to help Kundavai in her lover life. Later vandiyadevan was proved innocent and was released and he reunites with Kundavai.Ponniyin selvan came to know about the Vanathi's vow and she really loves him and not using him for ascending the throne so both of them got married. The Climax of the Book is about Ponniyin Selvan sacrifices his throne to Chendan Amuthan.Chendan Amuthan and Poonkuzhali become the crown king and queen of the chola kingdom.

LIFE LESSONS LEARNED FROM PONNIYIN SELVAN

I love this book very much because it gave some of the valuable lessons which i can apply in my life through few characters and some of them were mentioned below:

1. Vandhiyadevan- He is the hero in this book and all characters are introduced through him. I understood his character like he is a prince without a kingdom and he is adventurous and loves to flirt with every girl until he meets kundavai. He is a loyal friend and the only person who doesn't fall for nandini's beauty.The author depicted him as a person who is ready to face any situation in a charismatic manner.

2. Adhitya Karikalan- Eventhough he is more talented than others, his unlucky love towards nandini changes him into a angry, guilt,doubtful and hatred emotions. I understood his character like emotions makes the talent go waste and others will use the weakness against you.

3. Arulmozhi Varman- I love Brahadeeswara Temple in thanjavur which was built around 1000 years back and that kindled my interest to read about the novel. Although

the story was set before he became Crown King Rajaraja Chola he is a down to earth person who concerns about citizens of enemy country and he makes soldier to do maintainence works in temple, he asks the chola kingdom to bring food for srilanka without wasting resources of enemy country. A great leader with a visionary future, a son cherished by the citizens of chola kingdom, unconditional love with his sister kundavai and maintains brotherhood friendship with vandiyadevan.

1. Kundavai - The author depicts her character as intelligent, wit and always have the vision to expand the chola kingdom and stays loyal to the kingdom. In olden days,even in the male dominated world, she holds the special power in politics and always she motivates her dream by making her brother ponniyin selvan to achieve for chola kingdom.Also her sisterhood friendship with vanathi and love at first sight with vandiyadevan are the highlights of the novel.

2. Vanathi - In the book,she is a shy princess and always faint while seeing ponniyin selvan. When she came to know that Ponniyin selvan has a crush on Poonkuzhali, she had a jealousy towards her and the heated argument between them made her to take vow of not ascending the throne. She had a innocent love, stays true to her vow and gave birth to the great king rajendra chola after they got married.

3. Nandini- She is the fictional character in the book but her character makes this book more interesting. Eventhough she is a beauty from childhood, kundavai is jealous of her beauty and the insults in royal family when she was in

love with Adhitya karikalan made her to go to pandya kingdom.She is in love with pandya king but was killed by Adhitya Karikalan and so she decided to take revenge by marrying the financial minister Periya Pazhuvettiyar. She is a person who makes everyone to mesmerize with her beauty to take revenge on chola kingdom by joining hands with pandiyan conspirants. Due to her revenge,she doesn't concentrate on living her own life is one of the most valuable lesson in this book.

1. Poonkuzhali- The simple boat women also known as samuthirakumari. She is born poor but she is the queen of her own life. She is brave, bold and travel adventurous women. Eventhough her uncle chendan amudan's love was denied by her in the beginning, his true love made her to understand and fall for him in the end.

2. Chendan Amudan- A flower seller and later he became the crown prince as it was sacrificed by ponniyin selvan. His character is very simple, calm,humble and honest throughout the book.

3. Mandakini Devi- Her appearence is very similar to nandini who is the main antagonists but she saves ponniyin selvan from many danger. Eventhough she is mute queen, she has the ability to track the enemies, travels alone and sacrifices her life for her lover sundara chola.

4. Azhwarkadiyan Nambi- A vaishnavite spy and a comical character throughout the book.He saves vandiyadevan from many danger and stays loyal to chola kingdom.A friend in need is a friend in deed suits him well. Vandiyadevan and Nambi's relationship will be like a tom and jerry and they help each other in the novel.

CONCLUSION

Before reading the novel i had a thought that why most of the people loves this book. But after reading the book, the book have more than 50+ characters and all the characters were neatly explained and it gives proper reason to the good and bad shades of the character. Also when i was reading the book, it gives the experience of time travelling to the olden days and it gives the satisfactory travel feeling at the end of the book. The book was 70 years old and the characters were 1000 years old but the style of writing makes the book more refreshing. Also this book made me to know more about the history and also it induces me to read more historical fiction. It made many novel enthusiasts to continue reading the story like udayaar and gangai konda cholan which will be the sequel to Ponniyin Selvan. Atlast my first novel Ponniyin Selvan is like a first true love at first sight which gave me the experience of falling in love with the wonderful book also a loyal friend and a soulmate who made me to enter into the world of becoming future author.

By Sridevi Soundirarajan