Ponniyin Selvan

*************************Ponniyin Selvan Spoiler Warning************************

Just completed reading Ponniyin selvan. I now realize why readers are so addicted to this book. I was so into the book all I did for past 2 weeks was come home from work and read that pillow size novel. The time I spent away from working out might have been compensated by the strain on my arms holding up that book.

Kalki has done a tremendous job maintaining the interest of the reader. The only blemish I can find is the almost cloying treatment he gives towards organized religion pounding the reader into submission on the goodness of god and the righteousness of saivite/vaishnavite philosophy.

As he says in epilogue of the book, there is so much potential for many more ponniyin selvan type novels if only people of tamilnadu paid attention to their history. The attention to detail he has paid in describing pazhaiyaarai, thanjavur, anuradhapura(srilanka) is breathtaking. Of course, given the focus of the novel on chola history, pandiyas become the villains. They are painted with a not-so-positive nature throughout. Reading the novel makes me realize what a sorry excuse CBSE history books are on local history. Other than a passing reference to Thanjavur peria kovil/raja raja chola, not much is present on providing the incredible details on the intricacies and traps of chera-chola-pandiya-pallava politics.

The sheer variety in treatment of love is enough to hold anyone's attention. My favourite is vanthiyathevan kunthavai relationship. The pressures of a relationship between an accidental spy and a smart princess who fall for each other is so beautifully brought out by kalki. He has delineated the difference between the attraction/admiration vanthiyathevan feels for nandhini versus kunthavai. Their conversations reminded me of the conversation between eowyn and faramir in lord of the rings with its mixture of poetry and romance.

Obsessive relationships abound in this story. Whether it is peria pazhuvattaraiyar/karikalan/kanthamaran/paarthibaendran-nandhini, manimeghalai-vanthiyathevan, poonguzhali/vanathi-arulmozhi, the one sided nature of those relationships(except for the late almost abrupt change in vanathi-arulmozhi relationship) assures their demise.

The notable female characters poonguzhali, kunthavai and nandhini, all are much more complex than in sivakamiyin sabatham where sivakami pretty one dimensional character pining away for narasimhavarman. Poonguzhali wants to be a queen and gets her wish in the end even though not in the way she wanted it. Kunthavai and Nandhini are two sides of the same coin as it turns out later in the story. Because the story turns out to be of cholas, kunthavai comes out looking good whereas Nandhini turns out to be the poisonous one.

The story can be read through the lens of most of the major characters. Maybe , in the future, there will be discourses on vanthiyathevan's ponniyin selvan versus poonguzhali's ponniyin selvan versus kunthavai's ponniyin selvan.

I was impressed with the historical references kalki pointed out about kunthavai-vanthiyathevan. Maybe thanjavaur peria kovil will have those inscriptions till I get time to read it. The order of succession of cholas is another. The detailed descriptions of how chola kings died is incredible.

The tamil words used in some of the inscriptions that kalki referred to were difficult to understand. Maybe I have been using chennai tamil a lot that senthamizh is no longer understandable.

Unforgettable sections :

The killing of karikalan
Every discussion between vanthiyathevan and kundhavai
Every discussion between vanthiyathevan and nandhini
Everytime kalki digresses on tamil history
Poonguzhali's character development as a girl unafraid of anyone or anything(till at the end , kalki marries her off to saenthan amuthan)

Forgettable sections :

The forced relationship between vanathi and arulmozhi(Historically, they might have been a couple but their treatment in the story didnt rise upto vanthiyathevan/kundhavai)
The forced turnaround of poonguzhali marrying saenthan amuthan after expressing her desire for arulmozhi