The Crown Ponniyin Selvan - Part 4

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 o 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: Feb 9, 2017
• ISBN: 6580510301872

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The Crown

Ponniyin Selvan - Part 4

Author - Kalki

Translated by - C.V.Karthik Narayanan

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Table Of Contents

1. On the Bank of the Gedilam

2. Grandfather and Grandson

3. The Vulture and the Pigeon

4. The Ayyanar Temple

5. The Frightening Passage

6. Маnimеkalai

7. The Tailless Monkey

8. Two Hands in the Dark

9. The Dog's Bark

10. The Manhunt

11. Friend or Taitor

12. The Spear Breaks

13. Manimekalai's Secret

14. Will the Dream Come True?

15. Royal Welcome

16. Malayaman's Concern

17. Poonkuzhali’s Wish

18. An Arrow Flew

19. Laughter And Fire

20. The Doctor's Son Again

21. The Privilege of Travelling in a Palanquin

22. A Shock for Anirudhar

23. Can a Mute Talk?

24. The Princess' Impatience

25. Anirudhar's Crime

26. Confusion in the Street

27. In the Underground Treasury

28. The Subterranean Passage

29. А Glimpse of the King

30. The Accusation

31. An Evening Dream

32. Why are You Torturing Me?

33. The Goddess of the Chozha Clan

34. Danger to Ravana

35. The Emperor's Anger

36. Late at Night

37. Turmoil in Kadambur

38. Nandini Refuses

39. Danger Approaches

40. Water Sport

41. Karikalan's Mania for Killing

42. She is no Woman

43. Where is the Leopard?

44. Love and Accusation

45. You are my Sister!

46. The Boat Moves

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.

Sengunnan Sambuvaraiyar: Lord of Kadambur.

Kandan Maran: his Son.

Manimekalai: 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 medicine.

*****

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

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

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

Rakkammal: his wife, an avaricious woman.

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

Mandakini: a 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 three volumes - The First Floods, The Cyclone and The Killer Sword. The synopsis Kalki prepared has been translated below and provides a brief summary for the reader's convenience and enhanced enjoyment.

*****

Arulmozhivarman, who later attained historical fame as Raja Raja Chozhan was the second son of the Emperor Sundara Chozhar. As a child, while sailing on the River Kaveri with his family he tried to pick a flower from the river and fell overboard. As everybody stood shocked a lady rose from the river holding aloft the missing prince. She placed him in the boat and disappeared. Everybody thought it was Mother Kaveri who had rescued the child. He was therefore known in the palace as well as the Chozha country as Ponniyin Selvan.

Ponniyin Selvan was the treasure of all the Chozha people. His elder sister Kundavai Devi, however, was loved even more by the people. Ilaya Piratti, as she was respectfully addressed by the people, loved her younger brother deeply and firmly believed that even though Arulmozhi had no claim to the throne he would one day achieve great stature. She wanted her companion, her beloved Vanathi, the Kodumbalur Princess, to marry Ponniyin Selvan.

Arulmozhi would not cross the line drawn by Ilaya Piratti. At her insistence, he achieved fame by fighting valorously in the battlefield at Lanka. After the Lanka king Mahindan fled to the mountains, the Chozha soldiers were idle for some time. During that period, Arulmozhivarman endeared himself to the people of Lanka with his deeds. He renovated the dilapidated Buddhist viharams[60] and stupas in Anuradhapuram. Pleased with this, one branch of the Buddhist Sangam came forward to offer him the throne of Lanka. Ponniyin Selvan declined this unsolicited offer.

Arulmozhivarman met a dumb lady who was roaming in the forests of Lanka in a demented state. He realised that she was the person who had rescued him from the Kaveri. From her drawings he got some idea of her past. He learnt that in his youth his father had lived for some time in one of the islands adjoining Lanka, when he had fallen in love with this mute lady. He could also guess who her two children were.

The paralysed Emperor Sundara Chozhar was bedridden in the Thanjavur palace. For some time, a comet has been appearing in the sky. The people of the Chozha country were worried that this presaged a disaster to someone in the royal family. Many believed that Sundara Chozhar's end was near. A debate raged as to who would succeed him.

Crown Prince Aditha Karikalan, Sundara Chozhar's eldest son was then living in Kanchi. He was a great warrior. After defeating the last king of Madurai, Veerapandyan in battle, he chased and caught him, beheaded him and brought his head to Thanjavur. He represented Sundara Chozhar in Kanchi and was also the General of the Northern Command. But he was not at peace. The reason was the woman Nandini.

Nandini was Adithan's childhood playmate. She was brought up in the house of a temple archakar after which she went to the Pandya country. In his last days it was in her house that Veerapandyan sought refuge. When Aditha Karikalan raised his sword to kill him, Nandini pleaded with him. Ignoring her, Aditha Karikalan killed Veerapandyan. From then whether asleep or awake Nandini's tear-stained face appeared often to Adithan.

During that period, the Pazhuvoor princes Periya Pazhuvettarayar and Chinna Pazhuvettarayar, wielded enormous influence in the Chozha empire. Periya Pazhuvettarayar who fought many battles and suffered sixty-four wounds was the Chancellor. His word was law. Chinna Pazhuvettarayar was the Commandant of the Thanjavur fort. Nobody could meet Sundara Chozhar without the brother's permission.

A few days after Veerapandyan's death, Nandini married Periya Pazhuvettarayar. Her beauty and unique, magnetic personality enslaved the old man. Many more were enchanted by her. At her goading the Chancellor began to hate Aditha Karikalan and his siblings. He decided that after Sundara Chozhar, Maduranthakan should be crowned instead of Aditha Karikalan. He also obtained the support of Kadambur Sambuvaraiyar and other princes.

Maduranthaka Thevan was the son of Sivagnana Kandaradithar, Sundara Chozhar's uncle. Kandaradithar's second wife Sembianmadevi was an ardent devotee of Siva. When Kandaradithar died, Maduranthakan was a child. Sembianmadevi raised him to forsake the world, immersed in devotion to Siva. Maduranthakan also lived without any worldly attachment. After marrying Chinna Pazhuvettarayar's daughter, the desire to rule was fanned by Nandini till it became an obsession.

Maduranthakan's claim to the throne was supported by the Pazhuvettarayars and their group.

But two influential princes in the Chozha country, Thirukoilur Malayaman and Kodumbalur Periya Velar Poodhi Vikrama Kesari opposed this. They stood firm with Sundara Chozhar's sons.

Aware of these developments Sundara Chozhar wanted to prevent the disintegration of the empire after him. He wanted to bring his two sons to Thanjavur to work on a compromise. He was willing to hand over the throne to Maduranthakan. But Maduranthakan's mother Sembianmadevi did not agree and tried to divert her son's mind from the desire to rule.

Aditha Karikalan did not want to go to the Pazhuvettarayar dominated Thanjavur. He sent a scroll to his father, requesting him to stay with him for some time in the golden palace, he had built at Kanchi. The scroll was carried by the brave youth Vandiyathevan. On the way, he halted a night at the Kadambur palace to meet his friend Kandan Maran. There he found out about the conspiracy being planned against Aditha Karikalan. He also developed the acquaintance of a Veera Vaishnavite, Azhwarkadiyan. Later, it was discovered that this Azhwarkadiyan was the spy of Prime Minister Anirudha Brahmarayar.

Prime Minister Anirudha Brahmarayar was a boyhood friend of Emperor Sundara Chozhar. He knew all the secrets of the Chozha clan. It was his dream that the Chozha empire should expand and achieve fame. He wanted Chozha warriors to cross the Ganga and Indus and stop the invading barbarians from across the Himalayas. Realising that the dispute regarding succession would be a hindrance, he toiled day and night to prevent the calamity. Without joining any group of princes he wanted to achieve a compromise. He did not reveal that he knew everything that was happening in the country.

On the way to Thanjavur, Vandiyathevan met Ilaya Piratti Kundavai at the Kudandhai josier's house. They fell in love at first sight. More occasions presented themselves to enable this affection to develop. According to Kundavai's wishes, Vandiyathevan crossed the sea to Lanka. Meeting Arulmozhivarman, he gave him Kundavai's scroll which said, Ponniyin Selva! The empire is in great danger. -e back immediately. The Prince who revered Ilaya Piratti got ready to leave at once. But at the same time, he received two more demands. Parthibendran, who was sent by Aditha Karikalan wanted to take him to Kanchi. With the permission of the Emperor, the Pazhuvettarayars had sent two ships to arrest the Prince. Periya Pazhuvettarayar, who hated the Ilaya Piratti did not want Ponniyin Selvan to meet her.

Giving precedence to his father's orders, Prince Arulmozhivarman left Lanka. Cyclone hit the ships. Ponniyin Selvan had to jump ship in order to rescue Vandiyathevan. Both of them were rescued by the boat girl Poonkuzhali.

The Prince contracted an ague at mid sea. Poonkuzhali and her cousin Sendhan Amudhan took him to the Choodamani Viharam at Nagaipattinam.

Vandiyathevan gave this news to Kundavai Piratti at Pazhayarai. At the same time, news came that Aditha Karikalan had been invited to a feast at the palace of Kadambur Sambuvaraiyar. It was known that Periya Pazhuvettarayar was also attending it with Nandini. Kundavai and Anirudhar feared that this meeting would result in disaster. They sent Vandiyathevan to prevent the meeting, failing which he was to stay near Aditha Karikalan and protect him.

Vandiyathevan got an inkling of yet another mysterious plot. One night at the Thirupurambayam forest, Nandini, the magician Ravidasan and others placed a small boy on a throne. The others surrounded him and took an oath. They gave the child a glistening sword which he handed over to Nandini. Nandini agreed to fulfill the oath.

Ravidasan and others wanted to sacrifice Vandiyathevan there but Nandini prevented it. They left after tying him up. Disguised as a Kalamuhan, Azhwarkadiyan rescued him.

The horse which carried Maduranthakan all alone to the meeting of the Kalamuhars threw him and bolted. The Prime Minister Anirudhar found him and took him with him.

Kundavai and Vanathi went to Anaimangalam near Nagaipattinam. They met Prince Arulmozhivarman at the Nandi Mandapam[40]. Kundavai insisted that considering the confused state of affairs in the country, the Prince should stay for a few days at the Choodamani Viharam. Poonkuzhali who was in a boat nearby resented their joyful conversation. Sendhan Amudhan tried to appease her.

The news that Ponniyin Selvan had drowned agitated the Chozha country and beyond.

CHAPTER 1

On the Bank of the Gedilam

One of the rivers which made the Thirumunaipadi region fertile was the Gedilam. The temple of the Lord who had blessed the saint Appar was on the banks of this river and Thirunavalur where Sundaramurthy attained salvation, was near it. The royal road linking the north to the south ran through the middle of these two centres of pilgrimage. The place where the road crossed the Gedilam was a centre of continuous and bustling activity. Birds chirped incessantly. Travellers unhitched their carts and stopped to eat. Crows pecked at the rice which they threw around playfully. The food that fell into the river was devoured by the fish. Youngsters watching all this laughed, shouted and clapped their hands in glee.

In the beginning of the month of Aipasi[7] that year, the river was unusually full. The travellers who had assembled there at high noon with packets of food were noisier than usual. Suddenly, they were surprised to hear a distant loud sound which drowned all other sounds. Some of them climbed the bank to find out what it was. At first there was only a cloud of dust. Then, a party bearing the royal paraphernalia, accompanied by elephants and horses, came into sight. As they neared, the voice of the herald could be heard clearly.

He is coming, the warrior among warriors, he who entered the battlefield when he was only twelve, the invincible one who beheaded Veerapandyan, the scourge of his enemies, Lord of Thondaimandalam, General of the Northern Command, the revered son of the Lord of the three worlds, Sundara Chozhar, Aditha Karikala Chozhar, the Crown Prince. Make way! Make way!

When they heard this thundering proclamation that echoed from all eight directions, the people on the river side, clambered up the bank. In their eagerness to see such a great warrior, they lined up on both sides, making way for his passage.

The heralds, bearers of the standard, trumpeters and others were the first to reach the river bank.

Behind the entourage, three young warriors came abreast, seated on horses. Even from afar, people began to point out to them, identifying each. The man in the middle is Aditha Karikalar. Can't you make out from the golden crown? Look how it glitters in the sunlight, said one.

You call this glitter! You should see him when he wears Karikalar's crown. They say it shines like a thousand suns, blinding the eye, countered another.

Thambi, that's not Karikalar's crown. People just say it is. The crown which Sundara Chozhar now wears was made during Paranthakar's time. Can't say for how much longer he will wear it though, said somebody else.

The first one who spoke said, They've been counting Sundara Chozhar's days for a while now. But it looks as if he'll live forever.

So be it. As long as he's alive, there'll be no strife in the country.

One can't be sure of that. People say that ever since Ponniyin Selvan drowned, the Chozha country has been in a turmoil, War can break out any moment.

Between who? And, why?

They say there will be a battle between the Pazhuvettarayars and Kodumbalur Velar. In order to prevent that, the chiefs are meeting at the palace of Kadambur Sambuvaraiyar. It seems even Aditha Karikalar is going there.

The horses are near us now! Don't talk so loudly, cautioned someone as he remarked, Did you notice how pale and tired the Prince looks?

How can it be otherwise? Aditha Karikalar loved his younger brother like his own life. How can he not look pale when he's had no news about him at all? And then, his father, is bedridden.

All that is quite normal, Thambi. That's not why he looks ale. He's distressed because his plans to invade the north haven't succeeded.

Why? Who's preventing him? The Pazhuvettarayars themselves, who else? They are dening him the wherewithal he needs for an invasion.

All of you are imagining all sorts of reasons. None of you know the true reason.

You, you all-knowing fellow. Do tell us the true reason.

It seems Aditha Karikalar was in love with a girl from the Pandya country. When he went north to wage war, Periya Pazhuvettarayar married her. She is now the all-powerful Ilaya Rani of Pazhuvoor. This has deranged Aditha Karikalar's mind.

Could be, could be. Haven't the elders said that only a woman can be the reason for every quarrel in this world?

Which elders, Thambi? Who said that Sheer madness. If the Prince desired a girl, why would she marry a sixty-year old man? People will talk, but shouldn't those who listen have some sense?

Then why is Aditha Karikalar still unmarried? Why don't you answer that?

Keep quiet. They are near us. The person on the right of the Prince is probably Parthibendran. Who is on the left? Is it the Vana, Vandiyathevan?

No, No! It's Kandan, Maran, the son of Kadambur Sambuvaraiyar. Not sure that the Prince would respond to a written invitation, Sambuvaraiyar has sent his son to invite him personally.

Then obviously the matter is very important.

"The important matter could concern the state. Or marriage. As long as he's not married, the princes will keep casting a net to try and catch Aditha Karikalar. The girl who marries him first[53], will have the good fortune of sitting on the Chozha throne, won't she?"

People discussed various possibilities as they watched the fun on the banks of the Gedilam.

The three horses stopped as they reached the water.

The chariot following them, halted under a peepal tree. Seated on it was the brave eighty-year-old warrior, Thirukoilur Malayaman.

From the waterfront, Aditha Karikalan turned and looked at him.

CHAPTER 2

Grandfather and Grandson

The old man beckoned, and Aditha Karikalan wheeled his horse around and went up to the chariot.

Child, Karikala I am thinking of taking leave of all of you and going to Thirukoilur. Before I leave, I have to tell you some important things. Get down from your horse and come to that platform under the peepal tree, he said.

All right, Thatha, replied Aditha Karikalan as he jumped down.

The old man got down from the chariot as well.

Both of them went up to the platform,

Parthibendran looked at Kandan Maran. Thank God. I was afraid that this old man would never leave us, that he'd come with us all the way.

I'd decided to drown him in the Vellar if he did, Kandan Maran replied.

Both of them laughed, amused at their own sense of humour.

Looking at Aditha Karikalan, Thirukoilur Malayaman, the Lord of Malainadu began to speak.

"Aditha! You were born twenty-four years ago in my palace at Thirukoilur. I remember the festivities which took place then, as though it was yesterday. All the people of your clan and mine had come, and many petty princes from the provinces of the Chozha Country. Thirty thousand soldiers accompanied them. The banquets they were served were indescribably grand. Even at your father's coronation ceremony, the feasts were not on such a splendid scale. The entire wealth my forefathers had accumulated over more than a hundred years, was exhausted on the three day celebration.

"On that occasion, your great-grandfather, Emperor Paranthakar had come to Thirukoilur. Your granduncle Kandaradithar and father Sundara Chozhar were there as well. Their joy knew no bounds, when they heard that a male child had been born. They were so happy that you were born to maintain the lineage. Your grandfather's older brothers had had no heir till then. And, your father was also Arinjayan's only son. He was handsome as Manmatha[41] when he was your age. Neither in the Chozha family nor in any other princely family in Tamil Nadu was there anybody as handsome. Because of this, your father had to face certain difficulties. He was the favourite of everyone in the family. The women of the palace enjoyed dressing him up as a girl. They took great delight in discussing how things might have been, if he had been a girl. Kings and petty chieftains from Lanka to the Vindhyas performed penance in order to be worthy enough to offer their daughters to him in marriage. They were so keen on him because he looked like Manmatha, was as valorous as Arjuna[13] and also because he was heir to the Chozha throne. But I was the one who had the good fortune to get him as my son-in-law.

"Neither the men or the women in my clan are known for their looks. The more battle scars our men had, the more handsome they were considered. And for our women, chastity and character were the ornaments, signs of beauty. Malayamanadu went into raptures when it was decided that my daughter would marry your father. All the Tamil princes were jealous of me. But I did not care. Your parents wedding was performed at Thanjavur in a manner which astounded the three worlds. Even more joyful was the celebration at Thirukoilur when you were born. A happy argument took place about what you should be named. Some wanted you to be named after Karikal Valavan, the most famous of your ancestors. Some others and I insisted that you should be named after Rajadhithar, your granduncle. Eventually, both the names were joined and you were named Aditha Karikalan.

"Look over there! Aditha! You can see the spire of the Thirunavaloor temple. It is the birthplace of Nambi Aroorar Sundaramurthy. It was there that your granduncle Rajadhitha Chozhar camped twenty-five-years ago. I have heard everything the epics say about their heroes. I have seen many valiant warriors in the brave Tamil country. But never have I seen or heard of anybody like Rajadhithar. Anybody who had seen him engaged in battle would say the same.

He was preparing to gather a huge army to invade the north. He was determined to vanquish Kannaradevan, the king of Irattaimandalam and raze his capital Maniyaketam to dust. He was convinced that, in order to subdue Irattaimandalam and achieve a fame that equalled that of Mamallar, he had to destroy Maniyaketam without leaving any trace, just as in the past Emperor Mamallar of the Pallavas had razed Vathapi completely. Was it an easy task to muster the huge army he required for this? It was said that Mamallar took seven years to gather his forces. Rajadhithar said that he did not want to take such a long time, he felt he could do it in three or four years. He selected this area between the Gedilam and the Vada Pennai as suitable terrain for gathering an army and training them in warfare. Aditha! You have not had the good fortune to see this area as it was then. Those who saw it will never forget it until they die. Rajadhithar camped near Thirunavaloor with thirty thousand troops. The Chera Prince, Vellan Kumaran, had set up camp with twenty thousand men in Mudiyoor on the banks of the Pennai. Your grandfather Arinjayan was with me at Thirukoilur. We had fifty thousand men ready for battle. Then Kodumbalur Velan, Pazhuvettarayan, who has become today the Sani of the Chozha country, Kadambur Sambuvaraiyan, the chief of this Thirumunaipadi territory Munayatharayan, Mazhavarayan of Mazhanadu, the Lord of Kunrathur, Vaidumbarayan and others had camped with their respective forces between these two rivers. The elephant battalion, cavalry, infantry and the three battalions of Therinja Kaikolars were all camped here. Mock battles were staged between these troops. When the elephants clashed, it was like an earthquake. When the cavalry bearing spears charged they made a sound like the sea during pralayam, the great deluge. When the archers practised, they covered the sun with arrows. When thousands of foot soldiers attacked the enemy, roaring, it was as though the end of the world had drawn near. Crowds thronged to watch these fascinating activities.

The people of this land of Thirumanaipadi are both good and brave. When the army camped here, their agricultural operations were severely affected. But they did not mind this. To express his gratitude for their tolerance, Rajadhithar had a number of tanks dug and also arranged for canals to be constructed to bring water from the Kollidam to fill the Veeranarayanam lake. Aditha! The person who benefitted most from this is Kadambur Sambuvaraiyan. I am amazed when I compare his servility towards Rajadhithar in those days with the arrogance he now displays because of his wealth.

Aditha Karikalan interrupted, Thatha! Why worry now about Sambuvaraiyar's arrogance? Tell me about the battle at Thakkolam. When did the large army leave? In spite of all those preparations, in spite of my granduncle being such a great warrior, why did our army lose at Thakkolam? Didn't you also take part in that battle? Weren't you an eyewitness?

"Yes, I was. I was in that battle. I was going to tell you about that. Rajadhithar camped here so that he could train different kinds of armies to fight in distant lands. For certain reasons, he could not leave as he had planned. News came that there was war