The Cyclone Ponniyin Selvan - Part 2

By C.V.Karthik Narayanan

An engineer by profession, Karthik Narayanan (1938) was born in Calcutta and had his early education in Tuticorin. He is an industrialist and heads companies that manufacture automobile components. He has occupied a number of important positions like the President of the Association of Indian Automobile Manufacturers, President of the Automobile Research Association of India, Chairman of the Southern Region of the Association of Indian Engineering Industry, Member of the Senate of the Annamalai University. Steeped in South Indian history, its arts and culture, KN is an avid reader of all the novels “Kalki” wrote, and is an accomplished player of the percussion instrument the mridangam. KN is also an enthusiastic traveller, trekking in Himalayas being a favourite hobby. Married to Uma who is an accomplished translator of French and Tamil books and Managing Trustee of the SOS Children's Villages of India-Chatnath Homes and the Karna Prayag Trust, KN has a son Ramgopal, daughter Gayathri and a granddaughter Niveditha.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Pustaka Digital Media
• Release date: Jul 5, 2016
• ISBN: 6580110301346

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The Cyclone

Ponniyin Selvan - Part 2

Author - Kalki

Translated by - C.V.Karthik Narayanan

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Table Of Contents

1. Poonkuzhali

2. The Quicksands

3. A Mental Aberration

4. At Midnight

5. At Mid-Sea

6. The Hidden Mandapam

7. Samudra Kumari

8. Bhootha Theevu

9. This is Lanka

10. Anirudha Brahmarayar

11. The Therinja Kaikolar Army

12. Master and Disciple

13. Ponniyin Selvan

14. Two Full Moons

15. A Moon in the Night

16. Sundara Chozhar’s Delusion

17. Do the Dead Come Back?

18. The Greater Treachery

19. They’ve caught the spy!

20. Two Tigresses

21. The Dungeon

22. Sendham Amudhan in Prison

23. Nandini’s Letter

24. Heated Wax

25. The Town of Mathottam

26. The Sword that Sought Blood

27. The Forest Road

28. The Royal Route

29. The Wrestling Bout

30. The Mahout

31. The Elela Singan Show

32. Killivalavan's Elephant

33. The Idol’s Message

34. Anuradhapuram

35. The Throne of Lanka

36. Is Merit Valued?

37. The Goddess of the Kaveri

38. What the Paintings Said

39. This is War!

40. The Council

41. Look There!

42. Poonkuzhali’s Knife

43. I Am Guilty!

44. The Elephant Goes Berserk

45. The Prison Ship

46. An Emotional Turmoil

47. Ghostly Laughter

48. The Kalapathi’s Death

49. The Hunt for the Ship

50. The Bodyguards

51. The Cyclone

52. The Broken Boat

53. The Song of Refuge

Characters

Emperor Kandaradithar: the late monarch of the Chozha empire.

Sembianmadevi: dowager queen, widow of Emperor Kandaradithar.

Maduranthaka Thevar: their son, a prince raised as a renunciate.

Emperor Paranthaka Sundara Chozhar: reigning monarch.

Empress Vanamadevi: Sundara Chozhar’s queen, daughter of Thirukkoilur Malayaman.

Aditha Karikalar (Crown Prince), Arulmozhivarmar (Ponniyin Selvan): Sundara Chozhar’s sons.

Kundavai Devi (Ilaya Piratti): Sundara Chozhar's daughter.

Anirudha Brahmarayar: Sundara Chozhar’s Prime Minister.

*******

Periya Pazhuvettarayar: Lord of Pazhuvoor, Keeper of the Treasury, Chancellor of Sundara Chozhar’s Court.

Nandini Devi: his queen, the Pazhuvoor Rani.

Chinna Pazhuvettarayar: his brother, Kalanthaka Kandar, the Commandant of the Thanjavur fort.

*******

Ravidasan (a magician), Soman Sambhavan, Idumbankari, Devaralan: Pandya conspirators.

Sengannan Sambuvaraiyar: Lord of Kadambur.

Kandan Maran: his son.

Manimekhalai: his daughter.

*******

Vallavarayan Vandiyathevan: a warrior of the royal but impoverished Vana clan, friend and emissary of the Crown Prince.

Thirukkoilur Malayaman: a princely chieftain and grandfather of Aditha Karikalan also known as Miladudaiyar.

Parthibendran: a Pallava prince, confidant of Aditha Karikalan.

Eesana Bhattar: a Saivite priest.

Azhwarkadiyan Nambi, also known as Thirumalai: a Vaishnavite, Aniruddha Brahmayar's spy.

Kudandhai josier: an astrologer.

Sendhan Amudhan: a young man in charge of the temple garden.

his mother: a mute, skilled in traditional medicines

*******

Poonkuzhali: a boat girl who rows Vandiyathevan across to Eezham.

Thyaga Vidanga Karaiyar: her father, the keeper of the light house at Kodikarai.

his son: the boatman who rows the Pandya conspirators across.

his wife: an avaricious woman.

Kodumbalur Poodhi Vikrama Kesari: the elder Kodumbalur chieftain the Senadhipathi of the Chozha forces in Eezham.

Mandakini: the Karaiyar woman (a deaf mute) whom Sundara Chozhar fell in love with when young; the person who rescued Ponniyin Selvan from the Kaveri.

Kalapathi: the captain of the Chozha ship.

Kinship terms/forms of address

anna: elder brother.

appane: an affectionate way of addressing an equal.

akka: elder sister.

thambi: younger brother.

thaaye: mother/a senior or important lady.

swami/sami: respectful term of address.

chithappa: father's younger brother.

*******

The story so far

We hope that whoever reads this book will also have read the previous volume The First Floods. The synopsis Kalki prepared has been translated below and provides a brief summary for the reader’s convenience and enhanced enjoyment.

*****

About 970 years ago, the Chozha empire had expanded from Kanya Kumari to the Vada Pennai. This vast empire was ruled by Paranthakar II, also known as Pazhayarai Sundara Chozhar. During his time, the capital of the empire was Thanjavur, which was captured from the Mutharayars by Vijayalaya Chozhan. For a hundred years before that, Pazhayarai near Kudandhai was the Chozha capital.

Sundara Chozhar was married to Vanamadevi, the daughter of Thirukoilur Malayaman. They had two sons and a daughter. The eldest was Aditha Karikalan, the next Kundavai; the youngest was Arulmozhivarman, who later became famous in history as Raja Raja Chozhan.

For quite some time, Sundara Chozhar had been ill and bedridden in the Thanjavur palace. Paralysed in both legs, he was unable to walk or travel.

At that time, the brothers Periya Pazhuvettarayar and Chinna Pazhuvettarayar Kalanthaka Kandar, wielded enormous power in the Chozha empire. The treasury, granary and the power to levy taxes were under the control of Periya Pazhuvettarayar. Chinna Pazhuvettarayar was the commandant of the Thanjavur fort.

The Crown Prince, Aditha Karikalan, who even in his youth won great fame as a warrior, was the general of the Northern Command and lived in Kanchi.

The general of the Southern Command, Arulmozhivarman was battling in Lanka at the head of a huge force.

Their sister Kundavai Piratti lived in the ladies’ quarters of the Chozha royal household in Pazhayarai.

At this point, a strange rumour began to circulate in the country in its towns and villages. The rumour was that a big conspiracy was being planned against Sundara Chozhar and his sons. A number of Chozha dignitaries like Pazhuvettarayar and Sambuvaraiyar were part of this conspiracy.

Till a while ago, Maduranthakar, the son of Sundara Chozhar’s uncle, the great Saivite Kandaradithar, raised as a devotee and immersed in devotion to Siva had been leading an austere life. After marrying Chinna Pazhuvettarayar's daughter, he had a change of heart and his thoughts turned to matters of the world. The conspirators, manipulating his ambition, decided to crown him after Emperor Sundara Chozhar’s death.

This news reached the Crown Prince Aditha Karikalan at Kanchi. He became very worried about his father and wanted to free Sundara Chozhar from Pazhuvettarayar's domination.

Aditha Karikalan had built a new golden palace at Kanchi. Through his confidant Vallavarayan Vandiyathevan, he sent a scroll praying that Sundara Chozhar should come to Kanchi and stay with him for some time.

In his youth, Aditha Karikalan had fallen in love with Nandini, a girl from a priest’s house. Sembiyanmadevi the consort of the famous Saivite devotee Sivagnana Kandaradithar whom everybody revered advised him that it was an improper love. Although Aditha Karikalan obeyed his great aunt's orders, he could not erase Nandini from his memory.

When Periya Pazhuvettarayar married Nandini, in his sixtieth year, she became the dictator of the Pazhuvoor palace. Nandini had the strange power to bend anyone she met to her will. Once, she had wielded this power over Aditha Karikalan. She asked Adithan to throw Sundara Chozhar into prison, kill Periya Pazhuvettarayar, marry her and ascend the Thanjavur throne with her as his consort. Karikalan refused to commit that dastardly act. In spite of his refusal, he was still afraid to go to Thanjavur. That was why he sent Vandiyathevan.

When he halted at Sambuvaraiyar’s palace, during his journey, Vandiyathevan found out about the plot being hatched by the Chozha dignitaries. He reached Thanjavur after that where he met Nandini and obtained a ring with the palmyra insignia from her. With its help, he obtained an audience with Sundara Chozhar. As he was warning him about the danger surrounding him, Chinna Pazhuvettarayar intervened.

By accident, Vandiyathevan managed to see the dungeon in which the Thanjavur treasury was kept. Having come to know this, the Pazhuvettarayars tried to capture him. Vandiyathevan tricked their soldiers and reached Pazhayarai, met Kundavai Devi and gave her Aditha Karikalar’s scroll.

Vandiyathevan, who had already heard about Kundavai lost his heart to her. He had earlier met her at Kudandhai and on the banks of the Arisilar. He also wished to go to Lanka and therefore, readily acceded to her request to go there. Kundavai gave him a scroll to be handed over to Arulmozhivarman, in which she had written Ponniyin Selva! The empire is in danger. Come back immediately, carrying which, Vandiyathevan left.

Aditha Karikalan was very confused. Since he had received no news about Vandiyathevan he was also very worried. He wanted to crown his younger brother in Kanchi and go abroad on an expedition to establish the valour of the Tamils and Chozha glory in Eezham, Chavakam, Puzhpakam and Kadaram. He expressed his worries to another confidant of his, the Pallava Parthibendran. He ordered him to go to Lanka immediately and bring Arulmozhivarman back. Parthibendran agreed to do that.

During his travel, Vandiyathevan met a Veera Vaishnavite, Azhwarkadiyan. Azhwarkadiyan roamed the country collecting intelligence and news. Nobody knew whose spy he was. Vandiyathevan had his own suspicions about him.

Both former and new readers can now start on the second part of Ponniyin Selvan.

CHAPTER 1

Poonkuzhali

It was sunset and very peaceful. The waves in the sea near Kodikarai had grown calm. The catamarans and boats that had gone out in the morning were coming back. Birds that had gone out to sea in search of prey were returning to their nests. The white sand stretched quite a distance from the shoreline. Further inland was a jungle, its trees still, with not a leaf rustling. The red sun was plunging towards the spot where the sea met the sky. The few clouds that tried to mask its reddish rays were themselves tinged with light.

A small boat that looked like a lovely cradle floated near the shore, rocked in the flower-soft arms of the waves. A young girl was seated in the boat. No sooner do we set eyes on her than we are reminded of Sendhan Amudhan's description of his cousin. Yes, this has to be Poonkuzhali.

True to her name, a thazhampoo (screwpine) flower was tucked into her long black hair which cascaded over her sculpted shoulder. She wore a necklace made of shells and small conches that had been washed ashore. Lying close to her skin, it seemed to derive its beauty from her rather than decorate her. After all, if beauty itself takes human form, what ornament can enhance it?

Poonkuzhali sang as she reclined gracefully in the boat. Even the waves in the sea grew quiet listening to her music, the breeze stopped blowing and the leaves on the trees in the distant forest ceased to rustle when they heard her singing. The sky and the earth seemed absolutely still, engrossed in the music. It looked as if even the sun was hesitating to go down and disappear into the sea.

Let us listen too, to her honeyed voice wafting on the breeze:

When ocean waves lie still,

Why do the waves of the mind churn?

When Mother Earth lies fast asleep

Why does the heart skip a beat?

The birds of the forest wing to their nests

As archer and hunter seek their rest

As land and sky lie steeped in silence

Why does a storm blow in a beauty’s heart?

Clouds billow not and the wind is a soft breeze

Then why does a whirlwind swirl in a maiden's heart?

What sadness dwelt in that young girl’s heart? We do not know whether the sorrow that touched that voice had mingled with the lyric while it was being composed. But our hearts almost burst when we hear her sing.

Poonkuzhali stopped singing. She paddled until she reached the shore, jumped out and dragged the boat ashore. Some catamarans lay heaped on the beach. She propped the boat up against one of them and, leaning on it, looked around her.

The lamp in the lighthouse had been lit and was burning brightly. It would burn the whole night, warning seafarers not to come too near the shore. The sea at Kodikarai was not deep and only catamarans and boats could approach the shore. Ships and  launches were sure to run aground in the sand if they came too near. If they sailed in too quickly, they would shatter. The Kodikara lighthouse therefore rendered sailors a great service.

On the other side, in the midst of a forest filled with stunted trees, towered a temple [20]gopuram. The deity of the temple was the Kodikarai Kuzhagar. Two hundred years before our story began, Sundaramurthy Nayanar had visited Kodikarai and had a darshan of the Kuzhagar who stood in splendid isolation in the middle of the forest. Greatly moved, he had sung: Lord! You dwell in these woods without a companion. Do You have nowhere else to stay? There are so many holy centres thronged with devotees who sing Your praises, why do You stay all alone in this beautiful forest? Why do I have to behold such a sight?

Is it right that this sinner saw

you, alone, on this shore

Nipped by sea winds –

Kuzhagar of Kodi!

Who keeps you company here?

Such are the words

From the throng of devotees

That praise you, the Lord Eternal

‘That quarry of knowledge –

Fenced by the double poison of flower and snake.’

Fenced now by tree and jungle

Why, my lord, are you at Kodi,

Alone?

Two hundred years had gone by since Sundaramuthy Nayanar had come there but the deity at Kodikarai was still in the same condition (Today, even after a thousand years the Kodikarai Kuzhagar continues to remain in the same solitary state.) The woods were even more dense and there were owls and other birds in the tree holes. A few fierce-looking hunters lived in the huts they had built.

But yes, there was one difference. When Sundaramurthy Nayanar had first come here, there had been no lighthouse.

It had been built just a few years before our story began, in the reign of the first Paranthakar. A few tiled houses had been built around it, for the keepers of the lighthouse. The [7]bhattar of the temple had also settled there.

Poonkuzhali looked around her. Catching sight of the lighthouse, she wondered whether to go in that direction. Then she saw the temple gopuram. The temple bell began to ring. She made up her mind. What was the point of going to the house this early? She would first go to the temple, ask the bhattar to sing a [46]thevaram and receive [39]prasadam.

She walked towards the temple, singing all the way, taking -dancing steps. She saw a herd of deer crossing the sand and going towards the jungle. There was a little one hopping along -- seven or eight adult animals. Poonkuzhali was delighted to or them. She ran behind them trying to catch them. But how-ever fast she ran, she could not compete with the deer. The herd rated ahead. At one spot the deer in front sprang up, all four hooves off the ground as if in flight, and took a big leap forward. Poonkuzhali guessed there was quicksand at that spot. All the adult deer sprang across this spot and landed safely on the other side. But the little one could not quite manage it. Just as it reached the other side, its hind legs were caught in the mud. It tried its Best to shake itself free, straining forward on its front legs. But its hind legs kept being sucked down, deeper and deeper. Standing on solid ground, the mother watched anxiously, but could do nothing to help. Poonkuzhali grasped the situation and quickly made sure of the exact spot where the quicksand ended. Walking on the firm ground along the edge of it, she reached the spot on the other side where the little one was stuck. At first the mother was frightened of her. But perhaps she knew the deer’s language, for when she spoke softly, the mother lost its fear. Poonkuzhali knelt, her legs tucked under her, stretched out her arms, caught hold of the baby deer and pulled it out. Its body continued to tremble violently for a few seconds. The mother sniffed at it, perhaps to give it courage. Then the mother and its kid suddenly darted Off.

Chi! Ungrateful creatures! mumbled Poonkuzhali to herself. Still, they’re not as bad as human beings, she consoled herself and walked towards the temple.

She had to cross a stretch of sand, then take a path through the heavily wooded jungle. She had to climb up slopes and go down valleys. The jungle was one of nature's oddities. There were neither hills nor rocks — only an expanse of sand. Sand dunes had formed here and there and solidified into hillocks and level stretches adjoined these. It was not easy to find one’s way through this jungle. You could think you had gone a long way and find yourself back at the starting point.

Poonkuzhali walked quickly through this forest, and came to temple. The konnai and panneer trees that grew outside - temple and in the prakaram, the Outer corridor, were in full - She went in and the bhattar greeted her with a smile. people rarely came to worship in the temple, so he was pleased see Poonkuzhali.

He gave her half a coconut and prasadam. Will you wait? - asked. I’ll lock up and come with you. It was difficult to go - the jungle path after dark. But he would be safe if Poonkuzhali -as with him to show him the way.

I will, Ayya! I’m not in a hurry. Please finish whatever you’re doing. Poonkuzhali went into the prakaram of the temple. She reached out, caught hold of a branch and climbed on to the wall. There was a statue of [36]Nandi at the corner, on the top. Leaning against it, she stretched her legs and began to eat the coconut.

As she sat there, fascinated by the approaching darkness, she heard the sound of hooves. She looked eagerly in the direction from which it came. The sound brought back old memories and transported her to a dream world. An inexplicable sorrow brought a lump to her throat. Who was it who was coming? What did it really matter to her? For quite some time now, strangers had been coming and going, seemingly on official work. Even yesterday there had been two of them, repulsive looking people. They had asked her elder brother to row them across to Eezham and given him a lot of money. May lightning strike their money! she thought. Who wanted it? What could anybody do with money in this jungle? But her brother and sister-in-law were crazy about money. They hoarded it, even burying it.

The sound of hooves came near. There seemed to be not one, but two horses. She could see them now, as they climbed the slope. The horses seemed to have travelled a long distance and looked tired. The rider in front was actually a handsome, well-built dignified looking young man. But what a difference in beauty and dignity between the face in her heart and this fellow’s?

In comparison, this one’s looked as flat as an Owl's.

It was our old friend Vallavarayan Vandiyathevan who was on the horse ahead. The rider following him was the physician’s son. Both were very tired, having travelled all the way from Pazhayarai. Still, Vandiyathevan's face lit up when he caught sight of Poonkuzhali leaning against the Nandi, her legs stretched out. When he realized that she was staring at him, he grew very excited. He reined in his horse, and looked eagerly at her. Had he known that she was comparing his face to an Owl's, he would not have been so enthusiastic! How comforting it is that one cannot read another person’s mind! It was only when Poonkuzhali saw the rider staring at her that she realized she was gnawing the half-coconut in her hand. She was suddenly overcome by shyness. Jumping down from the wall, she began to run along the sand.

When he saw her Vandiyathevan also felt like leaping from his horse and chasing her. So he did.

Who can find reasons for such meaningless actions? We can only explain it as the atavistic aspect of human nature, which, for thousands of years, has made the likes of Poonkuzhali run and Vandiyathevan give chase.

CHAPTER 2

The Quicksands

Vandiyathevan chased the girl through the forest and over a plain, running over stones and thorns. She would stay within sight one minute and disappear the next. When it seemed as if he had lost her, she would reappear. Vandiyathevan was reminded of Rama chasing [35]Marichan, the elusive deer. But or was no illusion, no Marichan. Yet it was certain that her legs were as swift as a deer's. Ammamma! What speed! Why was he chasing her? What madness this is, he thought, and instantly made up a reason for it. As he neared Kodikarai, he had often thought of the girl Sendhan Amudhan had spoken of. This must be Poonkuzhali. If he could win her friendship, she might help him complete the task he had come to do. And he could also ask her the way to the lighthouse, the light from which had been visible even from a distance. But it had been difficult to approach. Once inside the jungle, the lighthouse had become invisible. He had circled the forest without finding a path to it. It was then that he had caught sight of Poonkuzhali on the Kuzhagar temple wall. He had tried to go up to her and ask her the way to the lighthouse, but she had sped off like a deer and eluded him. Perhaps it was best to let her go. But he could not bear the thought of losing to a girl in a race.

Ah! They were in the open now and he could see the blue sea. How serenely beautiful the vast stretch of water looked! There was the lighthouse, its flame casting a magical glow in all four directions.

Should he stop following the girl, he wondered, and go to the lighthouse? No, he mustn't. It would be easy to catch her here, in the open. There wasn’t much sand, his feet would not sink. The grass had grown in some spots, making the ground firm. He would be able to catch the girl easily. She seemed to be running towards the sea and she would have to stop at the water’s edge. Maybe this strange girl would drown herself, disappear into the sea. What a pity he wasn't on his horse. He could have caught her in a second then, in this open space.

There! She seemed to be hesitating! She suddenly veered right instead of running towards the sea. She ran towards the jungle in an effort to escape. Once she entered the jungle, it would be impossible to catch her. All this pursuit would have been in vain! Vandiyathevan’s legs began to give way and he started to gasp.

The girl seemed to have changed her mind again. Spinning like a top, she was running towards the lighthouse now, seeming to have given up the idea of entering the jungle. If he took four steps forward he could catch her. How surprised she would be if he caught hold of her and asked, My girl, why are you running away from me? I bring news of your lover! Not that Sendhan Amudhan had given him a message. So what! He could always make up something to tell her.

Having made this decision, Vandiyathevan gathered all the strength he had and ran swiftly, intending to catch the girl as she came back that way. Suddenly, a cry escaped him, Aiyo! At first he did not understand what had happened. Then he realised that he had been caught in the quick sands. His feet went in first, then his ankles and he was soon knee-deep in slush.

Adada! This place really deceived me! The surface seemed so hard and dry, but the earth underneath was slushy. He had heard about quicksands that were never fully dry. Sheep, cows, horses, even elephants caught in them would slowly sink in and then disappear. Was this one like that? It seemed so. Now that he was knee-deep in it, would he be drawn in further? He felt the slush at his thighs as he sank further. Would this pit that could swallow elephants and horses spare him? Aiyo! Was this the end? He would have to bury all his daydreams in this. This strange girl was his only hope in this moment of grave danger. There was no other way of escape. I’ll yell, he thought.

Aiyo! I’m drowning! he screamed, I’m being sucked into -quicksand! Is there no one to give me a hand and save me?

Poonkuzhali heard his panic-stricken scream. Realising his predicament , she hesitated for a second. She noticed a boat that was wedged half in and half out of the quicksand. It must have been in use when there was a brook flowing at that spot. She climbed cautiously into it and paddled. What a marvel! The boat glided over the mud like a swan skimming across the water. It floated across the quicksand and reached the other shore. Poonkuzhali jumped onto the firm ground, grasped Vandiyathevan's hands and pulled him out.

Ammamma! Vandiyathevan wondered at the strength of this frail girl! Her hands were stronger than those of Chinna Pazhuvettarayar, the Commandant of the Thanjavur fort.

Once ashore, Vandiyathevan began to laugh. His legs, however, were trembling.

You seem to think that you rescued me. Do you think I couldn’t have managed without you? he asked her.

Then why did you scream so loudly? Poonkuzhali asked.

To stop you from running!

In that case, I’m going to push you back into it and you can use your cleverness to climb ashore. She tried to push him, but Vandiyathevan moved aside, shouting Aiyayo!

Why are you screaming now? asked Poonkuzhali.

I’m not afraid for my life, I only fear the quicksand. As it is, I'm wet to my thighs.

Poonkuzhali smiled. Looking him up and down, she pointed. There's the sea. Go and clean yourself up.

Go ahead and show me the way, said Vandiyathevan. Both of them went towards the sea, skirting the quicksand.

Why did you run away when you saw me? Did you think I was a ghost? asked Vandiyathevan.

No. I didn’t, but I did think you were an owl. Your face is like an owl's, she said, laughing.

Having always prided himself on his looks, Vandiyathevan was annoyed at the comparison.

My owl-face isn't any worse than your monkey-face, he retorted.

What did you say?

Nothing. I asked why you ran away like that when you saw me.

Why did you chase me?

To ask you the way to the lighthouse.

You can see it right there. Then why ask me?

Once I was inside the jungle, I couldn’t see it, that’s why. Why did you run away, then?

Men are wicked. I don’t like them.

Not even Sendhan Amudhan? Vandiyathevan asked softly.

Who?

Sendhan Amudhan of Thanjavur.

What do you know about him?

I know he is your dear lover.

What? What?

Isn't your name Poonkuzhali?

Yes, it is. What did you say about Sendhan Amudhan? That he's my...

I said, he's your lover.

Poonkuzhali laughed loudly. Who told you that? she asked.

"Who else but Sendhan Amudhan himself?’

Thanjavur is a long way off. That’s why he can say things like that and get away with them.

If he’s not...

If he had said that in my presence, I would have pushed him into the quicksand.

So what? There's plenty of water in the sea to wash the mud away.

Cows and horses have drowned in the quicksand into which you fell. It can even swallow an elephant!

Vandiyathevan shivered. He thought of how he had felt as he was being sucked down slowly. If she hadn't rescued me in time... he trembled to think of it.

What else did Sendhan Amudhan say about me?" asked Poonkuzhali.

He said you’re his cousin and that there’s no one more beautiful than you, even in Heaven.

Perhaps he's been to Heaven then, and made sure. What else…?

He said you sing well, that when you sing, even the sea fall silent and listens. Isn’t that true?

You can find out for yourself. Here is the sea.

They had reached the shore.

CHAPTER 3

A Mental Aberration

Stars twinkled in the sky and the moon floated like a silver boat on the sea. The wind was growing stronger. The waves rose higher, stretching out their arms to draw in those on the beach.

What are you waiting for? Clean up quickly. I must go home. Otherwise, I won’t get any food. My sister-in-law would have emptied the vessels.

Is it deep here? asked Vandiyathevan.

I’ve never seen a coward like you. For quite some way out, it’s not very deep, the water is only waist-high. That’s why the lamp in the lighthouse is lit every night.

Vandiyathevan stepped reluctantly into the water. He washed the mud off himself and climbed ashore.

They saw the physician's son riding towards them.

Vandiyathevan's horse was running alongside.

Aiyayo! shouted Vandiyathevan. The horse may get stuck in the quicksand.

Never! Animals are more sensible than men, said Poonkuzhali.

But only one horse has a rider and he's dragging mine along.

Yes, that’s dangerous. Why don't you run ahead and warn him?

Vandiyathevan ran, shouting Stop! Stop! Poonkuzhali soon joined them and the three of them walked towards the lighthouse.

You can ride, said Poonkuzhali.

No, I’ll walk with you.

Poonkuzhali stroked the horse’s face. It tossed its head and neighed softly.

My horse likes you very much. That is good, remarked Vandiyathevan.

Why?

I have to go to Lanka. I think I can entrust this horse to you. Will you look after it?

Oh! I will. Animals usually make friends with me quickly. Only human beings don’t like me.

Why do you say that? Sendhan Amudhan likes you...

But I only like animals. I don’t like human beings.

What injustice have human beings done to you?"

"Human beings are wicked. It is