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பொன்னியின் செல்வன் #5.2
Ponniyin Selvan - The Pinnacle of Sacrifice, Vol. 2
The second volume of the fifth part in the series 'Ponniyin Selvan', deals with the sacrifice that Ponniyin Selvan makes in giving up the great kingdom which was his, and crowing another person as its king.
344 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 1954
15 people are currently reading
349 people want to read
About the author
Kalki Krishnamurthy
265 books896 followersTamil language Novel Writer, Journalist, Poet & Critic late Ramaswamy Aiyer Krishnamurthy also known as ‘Kalki’. He derived his pen name from the suffixes of his wife name Kalyani and his name Krishnamurthy in Tamil form கல்யாணி and கிருஷ்ணமூர்த்தி as Kalki (கல்கி). His name also represents “Kalki avatar”, the tenth and last avatar of the Hindu God Vishnu.
His writings includes over 120 short stories, 10 novelettes, 5 novels, 3 historical romances, editorial and political writings and hundreds of film and music reviews. Krishnamurthy’s witty, incisive comments on politics, literature, music and other forms of art were looked forward to with unceasing interest by readers. He wrote under the pen names of ‘Kalki’, ‘Ra. Ki’, ‘Tamil Theni’, ‘Karnatakam’ and so on.
The success that Krishnamurthy attained in the realm of historical fiction is phenomenal. Sixty years ago, at a time when the literacy level was low and when the English-educated Tamils looked down on writings in Tamil, Kalki’s circulation touched 71,000 copies – the largest for any weekly in the county then – when it serialised his historical novels. Kalki had also the genius to classify the historical and non-historical events, historical and non-historical characters and how much the novel owes to history.
His writings includes over 120 short stories, 10 novelettes, 5 novels, 3 historical romances, editorial and political writings and hundreds of film and music reviews. Krishnamurthy’s witty, incisive comments on politics, literature, music and other forms of art were looked forward to with unceasing interest by readers. He wrote under the pen names of ‘Kalki’, ‘Ra. Ki’, ‘Tamil Theni’, ‘Karnatakam’ and so on.
The success that Krishnamurthy attained in the realm of historical fiction is phenomenal. Sixty years ago, at a time when the literacy level was low and when the English-educated Tamils looked down on writings in Tamil, Kalki’s circulation touched 71,000 copies – the largest for any weekly in the county then – when it serialised his historical novels. Kalki had also the genius to classify the historical and non-historical events, historical and non-historical characters and how much the novel owes to history.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 31 reviews
June 17, 2017
woww man!
what a book. That was one hell of a ride. One of the best series i have ever read. All five books deserved 5 stars. Those who haven't read it please do read it. I cant believed such an amazing journey is over. The last book in the series is full of action. It has everything.
what a book. That was one hell of a ride. One of the best series i have ever read. All five books deserved 5 stars. Those who haven't read it please do read it. I cant believed such an amazing journey is over. The last book in the series is full of action. It has everything.
January 24, 2018
32 months, 1800 rupees, 3 translators, pdf+Kindle+physical books and a lot of frustration - that was reading the complete "Ponniyin Selvan" in English.
I liked the plot description of "Fresh Floods" (Part-1) on Amazon and bought it. The book is a historical adventure, set in Tamil Nadu of 11th century, with interesting characters and well thought out twists and events. But, this final volume was too long.
I loved "Fresh Floods" (Part-1) and was disappointed to know that the remaining 4 parts were not available in English on Kindle. On a lot of searching, came across a free PDF version of Part-2 online by a different translator. It was a pain to read it on Kindle but managed. But, the remaining 3 parts were not available as English ebooks.
The physical books for Parts-3-4-5 were unavailable and were acquired over time via Amazon notifications of their availability. And the final twist, Part-5 has 2 volumes, and the second volume was nowhere to be found. Infact on ordering, recd another copy of Volume 1 a year or so ago.
Finally, someone thankfully released an "All Volumes" ebook in English, that hangs on mobile, has a few spelling mistakes, but is readable on Kindle and PC. So, to read the 6th and last volume, I bought all 6 for Rs.600 :)
Was it worth it ? Maybe not as the continuity and reading pleasure was ruined. Had to read Volume-1 again, and a lot of time was spent looking up events/characters in previous volumes. Wish, the all-volumes ebook was available earlier.
I liked the plot description of "Fresh Floods" (Part-1) on Amazon and bought it. The book is a historical adventure, set in Tamil Nadu of 11th century, with interesting characters and well thought out twists and events. But, this final volume was too long.
I loved "Fresh Floods" (Part-1) and was disappointed to know that the remaining 4 parts were not available in English on Kindle. On a lot of searching, came across a free PDF version of Part-2 online by a different translator. It was a pain to read it on Kindle but managed. But, the remaining 3 parts were not available as English ebooks.
The physical books for Parts-3-4-5 were unavailable and were acquired over time via Amazon notifications of their availability. And the final twist, Part-5 has 2 volumes, and the second volume was nowhere to be found. Infact on ordering, recd another copy of Volume 1 a year or so ago.
Finally, someone thankfully released an "All Volumes" ebook in English, that hangs on mobile, has a few spelling mistakes, but is readable on Kindle and PC. So, to read the 6th and last volume, I bought all 6 for Rs.600 :)
Was it worth it ? Maybe not as the continuity and reading pleasure was ruined. Had to read Volume-1 again, and a lot of time was spent looking up events/characters in previous volumes. Wish, the all-volumes ebook was available earlier.
July 28, 2022
My mom is an avid reader and upon the insistence of her older brother, she read Ponniyin Selvan. She always raved about how interesting and engrossing this book is and this in turn piqued my interest. Since I grew up away from Tamil Nadu, my ability to read Tamil is limited. My search for a translated version of Ponniyin Selvan started over seven years ago, and it was quite the journey all unto itself. And I must say that it was well worth it!
Kalki’s story telling is so compelling because of his picturesque descriptions and his lively characters. Some of the female characters are among the most fascinating. He blends poignancy and levity in such a satisfying way. He has also managed to capture the religious fervour of that time, and weave together actual history (despite inaccuracies and omissions) and fiction so deftly. There are some inconsistencies, but overall this was definitely worth the time and effort.
Kalki’s story telling is so compelling because of his picturesque descriptions and his lively characters. Some of the female characters are among the most fascinating. He blends poignancy and levity in such a satisfying way. He has also managed to capture the religious fervour of that time, and weave together actual history (despite inaccuracies and omissions) and fiction so deftly. There are some inconsistencies, but overall this was definitely worth the time and effort.
December 22, 2015
One of the best historical fictions ever, the first one I've read on South Indian history.
January 5, 2018
Available on KOBOBOOKS
March 31, 2021
Beyond words! I missed this historical thriller all these years. Read the English version, but knowing the beauty of Tamil and the innumerable small poems coming within, this would be such a beautiful book to read in Tamil as well. Kudos to Kalki, what a writing.
Wish this cud be turned into a series, indian reply to GoT. Highly recommended!
Wish this cud be turned into a series, indian reply to GoT. Highly recommended!
January 3, 2021
I choose the best way to spend my last week of 202. What a series..the story spread across 2300 pages and five parts just became one of my top books ever irrespective of language and genre. The story is gripping , the character development deep and relatable, the description and use of a wide range of literary devices made this book a visual journey..I am glad I read the original tamil text and thanks to my mom and her love for this series I got my hands on a hardbound book from 1980's. Both this series and book are gonna be part of my life for a long time ...
August 29, 2022
Wow, what an epic journey it was! I was absorbed in this book. I found myself thinking about this beautiful world of unique and vivid characters when I was not reading the books in the series. The series is one of its kind
August 9, 2023
To the warrior Vallavarayan Vandhiyathevan!
October 16, 2021
Finally finished this epic series. One of the best Indian historical fiction reads, lucky to have found translated versions for all the volumes. Read the translated versions by Pavithra Srinivasan till the 4th book but realized that her 5th volume is yet to be released so switched to Karthik Narayan's version, which I found was equally good. Didn't miss out on the flow of the series.
Inspite of being a voluminous series, the time span of the novel is short, an year or two with parallel timelines of multiple characters. The book covers one of the most important and turbulent time in the history of Chola empire and one gets an understanding of the political and spiritual state of affairs of 10th century India.
The story revolves around the succession when the current emperor Sundara Chola falls gravely ill and ministers split in groups representing their choice of successor. The enemy Pandyas take advantage, plots are hatched and the eldest son Adithya (the declared successor) falls prey and dies. The throne now passes on to Arulmozhi, the beloved son of the empire but he decides to leave it for his uncle Madurantaka Uttama Chola (His father's 1st cousin) and ascends it only after his death some 15 years later.
There was a clear religious divide in those times between Shaivites (worshippers of Shiva) and the Vaishnavites (worshippers of Vishnu), each considering themselves superior and belittling the followers of other god which the author showed us with some very interesting conversations and verbal fights between the followers. Kalki also introduces us with the Kalamukhas sect and the role of buddhist monks in the politics of Lanka(10th century Eelam- part of Chola).
Despite the title being Ponniyin Selvan aka Arulmozhi (Rajaraja I), the book has little to do with his personal story or achievements. The series ends even before Arulmozhi is crowned. The main protagonist of the series is the Vana warrior Vandiyadevan and we see the events happening through his eyes. Powerful, witty and charming he is and a favourite of both Adithya and Arulmozhi. He ends up marrying their sister, Kundavai who was known for her intelligence and had a strong influence over her father & brothers.
The characterization and the representation of the setting is superb and by the end of the series one feels like a part of the Chola empire. The story flows through all the volumes and is better read as one collective work rather than separate books. The last book too I felt ends a little abruptly with so many unanswered questions, luckily some of them were answered by the author in the Q&A session at the end. Rest I had to google.
This series is quite an amazing literary work and should be on the radar of every Indian's books to read during their lifetime. It's difficult to find works of historical fiction of this quality by Indian authors in English, so I am trying to explore translated versions of books in similar genres. Suggestions are most welcome.
Inspite of being a voluminous series, the time span of the novel is short, an year or two with parallel timelines of multiple characters. The book covers one of the most important and turbulent time in the history of Chola empire and one gets an understanding of the political and spiritual state of affairs of 10th century India.
The story revolves around the succession when the current emperor Sundara Chola falls gravely ill and ministers split in groups representing their choice of successor. The enemy Pandyas take advantage, plots are hatched and the eldest son Adithya (the declared successor) falls prey and dies. The throne now passes on to Arulmozhi, the beloved son of the empire but he decides to leave it for his uncle Madurantaka Uttama Chola (His father's 1st cousin) and ascends it only after his death some 15 years later.
There was a clear religious divide in those times between Shaivites (worshippers of Shiva) and the Vaishnavites (worshippers of Vishnu), each considering themselves superior and belittling the followers of other god which the author showed us with some very interesting conversations and verbal fights between the followers. Kalki also introduces us with the Kalamukhas sect and the role of buddhist monks in the politics of Lanka(10th century Eelam- part of Chola).
Despite the title being Ponniyin Selvan aka Arulmozhi (Rajaraja I), the book has little to do with his personal story or achievements. The series ends even before Arulmozhi is crowned. The main protagonist of the series is the Vana warrior Vandiyadevan and we see the events happening through his eyes. Powerful, witty and charming he is and a favourite of both Adithya and Arulmozhi. He ends up marrying their sister, Kundavai who was known for her intelligence and had a strong influence over her father & brothers.
The characterization and the representation of the setting is superb and by the end of the series one feels like a part of the Chola empire. The story flows through all the volumes and is better read as one collective work rather than separate books. The last book too I felt ends a little abruptly with so many unanswered questions, luckily some of them were answered by the author in the Q&A session at the end. Rest I had to google.
This series is quite an amazing literary work and should be on the radar of every Indian's books to read during their lifetime. It's difficult to find works of historical fiction of this quality by Indian authors in English, so I am trying to explore translated versions of books in similar genres. Suggestions are most welcome.
May 3, 2021
When I reached the end of the novel, the only thought in my head was that "This can't be how it ends! I still have so many questions!!"
The author seems to have already received this feedback from numerous others... because of which he has added a conclusion:
In purely imaginary novels, the author has the freedom to decide the fate of all the characters. But it is not such an easy task to end historical novels. All the characters in historical novels except those who die would have involved themselves in many activities after the novel ended. I thought the right thing would be to leave the characters in the condition they are in at the time when I concluded the novel.
The last time I remember being so invested and reading a series every day was probably in college, with The Mortal Instruments series. But this one was much closer home. I'd heard about Ponniyin Selvan being hailed as a gem of Tamil literature, and it had kindled my curiosity. This entire story was apparently published in a weekly magazine for over 2 years. I will never be able to fathom how people could wait a week to read just a little bit more; I devoured the series as soon as I started it.
I'll try to keep a coherent order of my thoughts about this conclusion to such a series.
The humour in this book seemed to be at the zenith, none of the previous books made me laugh as much as this.
The entire plotline of Mandakini being Nandini and Maduranthaka's mother had been known, but the author seems to have waited till the very end to reveal that their father was notSundara Chozhar, as we all had believed and been deceived, but the Pandyan king, the sworn enemy of the Chozhas. I couldn't understand how Mandakini, who was apparently crazily in love with Sundara Chozha would have ended up with the Pandyan king.
Nandini, seems to have known this - which is what she must have revealed to Aditha Karikalan. I expected her to play a bigger role, but after saving Periya Pazhuvetturayar, she simply escaped. I missed her treacherous and conniving capacity, no other character seems to hold a candle to her in that!
Many characters seemed to change their minds abruptly - in stark contrast to their what their character's essence was all along. That's the reason I could not rate 5 stars for this.
Poonkuzhali - who had all along implicitly told that she wanted to be a queen and rule - changed her entire perspective within a few seconds! She agreed to marry Sendhan Amudhan, when she all along ridiculed him for his love. Although I was glad about her decision, but this impulsiveness felt a bit too rash.
Sendhan Amudhan... whoa! What a character change! I knew Maduranthakan was Mandakini's son, and had never thought that he would have been swapped with Sendhan Amudhan. When it was revealed that he was truly Sembiyanmadevi's son, I was stunned. At that point, it became clear that there would be no more obstacles to Arulmozhi ascending the throne, because Sendhan Amudhan was absolutely uninterested in becoming the king. But I was even more stunned when he was coronated by Arulmozhi himself, and he accepted it with his mother's blessings. (I was unaware of the actual events of history... obviously fact cannot be changed to make way for fiction!)
Vandiyathevan being a trickster and happily playing tricks and pranking was what I wanted, and that happened a lot more compared to his serious countenance of the previous book. There was no denial - he was a true friend who saved Sendhan Amudhan from that idiot Pinakapani's spear by willing to sacrifice himself. The little detour of his caused so many confusions and led to unimaginably brilliant situations - like Kandan Maran throwing his spear at Maduranthakan assuming him to be Vandiyathevan, Pinakapani being killed in the confusion, fooling the traitors at the palace. He finally gets together with Kundavai - yay!
Kundavai did not exert much control over the events of this book, for which I was saddened, but most of the things did resolve amicably, so I didn't mind it as much.
The saddest character was probably Manimekalai, who was so brave and open - even willing to take thealleged burden of killing Aditha Karikalan - but in the end she turned insane, unable to recognise her love Vandiyathevan or her brother Kandan Maran. Though Vandiyathevan did come to meet her just before her death, it was heartbreaking to see how she'd been treated unfairly by everyone.
Vanathi married her love, after so much of struggle, and I realised she didn't mind her oath at all.
I didn't quite understand why Arulmozhi decided to coronate Maduranthakan (Sendhan Amudhan) so quickly. I do know his reason that he didn't want to become king before his uncle, the rightful heir, and that Aditha Karikalan had just died and it wouldn't be good, but Sendhan Amudhan had firmly refused to become king... in which case how could Arulmozhi deliberately crown him? One of the character deviations again.
Azhwarkadiyan was probably one of the most interesting characters till the very end, and the Prime Minister Aniruddha Brahmayar came a close second - because of the secrets they were privy to, and ensuring that they revealed it at the most opportune moments.
I wanted both the Pazhuvetturayars to be killed by the end for their various treacheries, but only Periya Pazhuvetturayar kills himself, after clearing Vandiyathevan's name for Aditha Karikalan's death. Even after knowing so much about Nandini, it was made out as if he forgave her and hoped to be reunited with her in the next janam. Not to forget, by doing so, he became a martyr, which I didn't like. Chinna Pazhuvetturayar at least was a bit more sensible and till the end, he did try to keep the Chozha royalty alive.
Some of the questions I still had though:
- What happened to Vani Ammai, Sendhan Amudhan's foster mother? After he is found to be Sembiyanmadevi's son, no one seems to care about her. She's brought him up!
- Who was the little child whom the Pandyan conspirators crowned as their emperor, if not Nandini's child?
- The Pandyan conspirators believe Nandini was their king's consort, and not their daughter. Which means he himself would have told them that, which is even more confusing since Nandini is his daughter. The confusion about Nandini being assumed to be Sundara Chozhar's daughter was even believable, because Kundavai and Arulmozhi formed their own conclusions from what Mandakini had tried to express.
Well, despite all of this, it was truly interesting to travel with these characters!
The author seems to have already received this feedback from numerous others... because of which he has added a conclusion:
In purely imaginary novels, the author has the freedom to decide the fate of all the characters. But it is not such an easy task to end historical novels. All the characters in historical novels except those who die would have involved themselves in many activities after the novel ended. I thought the right thing would be to leave the characters in the condition they are in at the time when I concluded the novel.
The last time I remember being so invested and reading a series every day was probably in college, with The Mortal Instruments series. But this one was much closer home. I'd heard about Ponniyin Selvan being hailed as a gem of Tamil literature, and it had kindled my curiosity. This entire story was apparently published in a weekly magazine for over 2 years. I will never be able to fathom how people could wait a week to read just a little bit more; I devoured the series as soon as I started it.
I'll try to keep a coherent order of my thoughts about this conclusion to such a series.
The humour in this book seemed to be at the zenith, none of the previous books made me laugh as much as this.
The entire plotline of Mandakini being Nandini and Maduranthaka's mother had been known, but the author seems to have waited till the very end to reveal that their father was notSundara Chozhar, as we all had believed and been deceived, but the Pandyan king, the sworn enemy of the Chozhas. I couldn't understand how Mandakini, who was apparently crazily in love with Sundara Chozha would have ended up with the Pandyan king.
Nandini, seems to have known this - which is what she must have revealed to Aditha Karikalan. I expected her to play a bigger role, but after saving Periya Pazhuvetturayar, she simply escaped. I missed her treacherous and conniving capacity, no other character seems to hold a candle to her in that!
Many characters seemed to change their minds abruptly - in stark contrast to their what their character's essence was all along. That's the reason I could not rate 5 stars for this.
Poonkuzhali - who had all along implicitly told that she wanted to be a queen and rule - changed her entire perspective within a few seconds! She agreed to marry Sendhan Amudhan, when she all along ridiculed him for his love. Although I was glad about her decision, but this impulsiveness felt a bit too rash.
Sendhan Amudhan... whoa! What a character change! I knew Maduranthakan was Mandakini's son, and had never thought that he would have been swapped with Sendhan Amudhan. When it was revealed that he was truly Sembiyanmadevi's son, I was stunned. At that point, it became clear that there would be no more obstacles to Arulmozhi ascending the throne, because Sendhan Amudhan was absolutely uninterested in becoming the king. But I was even more stunned when he was coronated by Arulmozhi himself, and he accepted it with his mother's blessings. (I was unaware of the actual events of history... obviously fact cannot be changed to make way for fiction!)
Vandiyathevan being a trickster and happily playing tricks and pranking was what I wanted, and that happened a lot more compared to his serious countenance of the previous book. There was no denial - he was a true friend who saved Sendhan Amudhan from that idiot Pinakapani's spear by willing to sacrifice himself. The little detour of his caused so many confusions and led to unimaginably brilliant situations - like Kandan Maran throwing his spear at Maduranthakan assuming him to be Vandiyathevan, Pinakapani being killed in the confusion, fooling the traitors at the palace. He finally gets together with Kundavai - yay!
Kundavai did not exert much control over the events of this book, for which I was saddened, but most of the things did resolve amicably, so I didn't mind it as much.
The saddest character was probably Manimekalai, who was so brave and open - even willing to take the
Vanathi married her love, after so much of struggle, and I realised she didn't mind her oath at all.
I didn't quite understand why Arulmozhi decided to coronate Maduranthakan (Sendhan Amudhan) so quickly. I do know his reason that he didn't want to become king before his uncle, the rightful heir, and that Aditha Karikalan had just died and it wouldn't be good, but Sendhan Amudhan had firmly refused to become king... in which case how could Arulmozhi deliberately crown him? One of the character deviations again.
Azhwarkadiyan was probably one of the most interesting characters till the very end, and the Prime Minister Aniruddha Brahmayar came a close second - because of the secrets they were privy to, and ensuring that they revealed it at the most opportune moments.
I wanted both the Pazhuvetturayars to be killed by the end for their various treacheries, but only Periya Pazhuvetturayar kills himself, after clearing Vandiyathevan's name for Aditha Karikalan's death. Even after knowing so much about Nandini, it was made out as if he forgave her and hoped to be reunited with her in the next janam. Not to forget, by doing so, he became a martyr, which I didn't like. Chinna Pazhuvetturayar at least was a bit more sensible and till the end, he did try to keep the Chozha royalty alive.
Some of the questions I still had though:
- What happened to Vani Ammai, Sendhan Amudhan's foster mother? After he is found to be Sembiyanmadevi's son, no one seems to care about her. She's brought him up!
- Who was the little child whom the Pandyan conspirators crowned as their emperor, if not Nandini's child?
- The Pandyan conspirators believe Nandini was their king's consort, and not their daughter. Which means he himself would have told them that, which is even more confusing since Nandini is his daughter. The confusion about Nandini being assumed to be Sundara Chozhar's daughter was even believable, because Kundavai and Arulmozhi formed their own conclusions from what Mandakini had tried to express.
Well, despite all of this, it was truly interesting to travel with these characters!
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
April 23, 2025
The most beautiful 2 set book in the Ponniyin Selvan series. The two books pack so much emotion, secrets, ups, downs, poetry and a true pinnacle in the series. The beauty of the pure Tamil language used in the entire PS series makes you love the language more.
July 15, 2017
Finished the 6 volume historical Ponniyin Selvan by Kalki ( wonderfully translated from Tamil by Karthik Narayanan ).
October 21, 2018
The ending though! Heart-breaking.
August 29, 2022
Rated for this particular book and the series overall. The 2nd volume of the last part returns in a heavy way to the philosophical and spiritual tones of the very first book of the series. A reader from the time this opus was published would have read this over a span of 3.5 years. I wrapped it up in under 2 months. The English translations are easy to read. The content itself, which has potential to be confusing, is presented in short chunks , with ample cliffhangers and periodic recaps . Typos, however, are off-putting.
In the final showdown, many (not all) loose ends are tied up. The author chose to deliberately leave some threads hanging for potential future spinoffs. I do have some reservations about the romantic end goals of most major characters like Poonguzhali, Vandiya Devan, and Ponniyin Selvan. Poonguzhali's affections strongly pivot from her earlier inclinations with insufficient reasoning. Vandiya Devan's , however, seem to be built on physical attraction, and do not waver inspite of the presence of an alternative brave and strong love. I became deeply invested in manimekhala's fate. The coronation mayhem gave me a view that the pinnacle of sacrifice was really just a way for ponniyin Selvan to get his romantic closure. I was also a bit thrown by the final dialogue on Nandini and Vandiya Devan's relationship and would have appreciated a bit more buildup in previous books.
Overall, a solid end to an intriguing spin on historic fiction. Easy recommendation for folks looking to get their feet wet in this genre with ample world building, high stakes, and grey characters.
In the final showdown, many (not all) loose ends are tied up. The author chose to deliberately leave some threads hanging for potential future spinoffs. I do have some reservations about the romantic end goals of most major characters like Poonguzhali, Vandiya Devan, and Ponniyin Selvan. Poonguzhali's affections strongly pivot from her earlier inclinations with insufficient reasoning. Vandiya Devan's , however, seem to be built on physical attraction, and do not waver inspite of the presence of an alternative brave and strong love. I became deeply invested in manimekhala's fate. The coronation mayhem gave me a view that the pinnacle of sacrifice was really just a way for ponniyin Selvan to get his romantic closure. I was also a bit thrown by the final dialogue on Nandini and Vandiya Devan's relationship and would have appreciated a bit more buildup in previous books.
Overall, a solid end to an intriguing spin on historic fiction. Easy recommendation for folks looking to get their feet wet in this genre with ample world building, high stakes, and grey characters.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
March 9, 2023
Finally completed all 6 books, To be honest ,from an Indian reader who's read Game of Thrones and Ponniyin Selvan, Ponniyin Selvan trumps game of thrones in every aspect without creating unnecessary sexual tension. It's a pity that it was made into a movie instead of a series.
And btw I read the english edition, the tamil edition would've been a whole lot more immersive to the reader, Kalki's ability to blend history and fiction is uncanny. He's the best in this field, considering the who series took 3 and half years to write, it was a gem of a series of books.
Only thing left is to now take a tour of Tanjavur, Nagaipattinam, Kanchi, Anuradhapuram and other places occurring in the book, to get a real feel for it.
Highly recommended read for most South Indians, you could avoid it if you're a Sri Lankan though.
And btw I read the english edition, the tamil edition would've been a whole lot more immersive to the reader, Kalki's ability to blend history and fiction is uncanny. He's the best in this field, considering the who series took 3 and half years to write, it was a gem of a series of books.
Only thing left is to now take a tour of Tanjavur, Nagaipattinam, Kanchi, Anuradhapuram and other places occurring in the book, to get a real feel for it.
Highly recommended read for most South Indians, you could avoid it if you're a Sri Lankan though.
October 6, 2022
A must read
I don't have anything new to talk about this novel. I have never read a historical novel which is so tightly plotted as this. This is my first novel read and I am happy I chose to read ponniyin Selvan series. There were places where the author kept comparing a situation to many similar situations, after sometime it felt redundant and made me restless to know what happened next. Otherwise it's a fantastic read. Especially the first 3 volumes got me glued to the plot. Can't wait to read more such historic novels. Long live kalkis ponniyin Selvan
I don't have anything new to talk about this novel. I have never read a historical novel which is so tightly plotted as this. This is my first novel read and I am happy I chose to read ponniyin Selvan series. There were places where the author kept comparing a situation to many similar situations, after sometime it felt redundant and made me restless to know what happened next. Otherwise it's a fantastic read. Especially the first 3 volumes got me glued to the plot. Can't wait to read more such historic novels. Long live kalkis ponniyin Selvan
November 26, 2021
THE GREAT RAJA RAJA CHOLA
Simply greatest historical book I read. Continously it took me 70days from book 1 to 5 to finish this master piece. Salute to all the great warriors especially Vallavarayar Vadhiyenthavan. Great visonary man he was
Simply greatest historical book I read. Continously it took me 70days from book 1 to 5 to finish this master piece. Salute to all the great warriors especially Vallavarayar Vadhiyenthavan. Great visonary man he was
October 1, 2022
Epic!
January 17, 2023
4🌟
Underwhelming.
After reading the 1st and 2nd book of the series I was feeling like the story is culminating towards epic action scenes in the climax but nothing of that sort happened and the story took a totally different turn from what I was expecting but nonetheless it was an interesting read.
And one more thing the writing gets repetitive a hell lot of times.
Underwhelming.
After reading the 1st and 2nd book of the series I was feeling like the story is culminating towards epic action scenes in the climax but nothing of that sort happened and the story took a totally different turn from what I was expecting but nonetheless it was an interesting read.
And one more thing the writing gets repetitive a hell lot of times.
September 15, 2022
Brilliant ending to the book, definitely on par with Game of Thrones. I am in awe of Kalki's imagination. He has brilliantly used 2 historical events and molded a riveting series around it. The killing of Aditya Karikalan and transference of the crown by Arulmozhi Varman were the base for this series, Kalki uses fictional characters to keep the reader engrossed. Nandini and Alwar Kadiyan's characters even though fictional bought meaning to this series.
My personal favorites were Nandini and Aditya Karikalan. I didnt understand the fan following, and wanted to stop multiple times by book 3. But book 5 was gripping, the twists and turns were unexpected. I especially loved the portrayal of powerful female characters.
Even though this was written in 1950, the stories are relevant even today. I listened to audio book series by Kadhai Podcast, I almost spent 16 months, I was reading different genres of books during this period as well. Looking forward to the movie series from Mani Ratnam
My personal favorites were Nandini and Aditya Karikalan. I didnt understand the fan following, and wanted to stop multiple times by book 3. But book 5 was gripping, the twists and turns were unexpected. I especially loved the portrayal of powerful female characters.
Even though this was written in 1950, the stories are relevant even today. I listened to audio book series by Kadhai Podcast, I almost spent 16 months, I was reading different genres of books during this period as well. Looking forward to the movie series from Mani Ratnam
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
February 19, 2020
Ponniyin Selvan, a historical fiction by Kalki is a tamil masterpiece novel. I read the English version translated by CV Karthik Narayanan, and I am absolutely fascinated by the seamless narration and the detailing in penning out every character which transcends the reader to a different era.
Having spent a major part of my childhood in Madurai I have always associated Tamil with Pandyas, but then reading this epic shows how ignorant I was, as the cholas were depicted as extremely magnanimous set of rulers with high affinity towards Tamil literature (they truly are, I checked out facts in Google). The world famous Brahadeeswarar temple (UNESCO National site mention for temple built more than 1000 years ago) was built by the pivotal character in this novel, and what actually surprised me was the amount of respect they gave to religious institutions of all faiths. They value humanity which is often overlooked by rulers of power.
Coming to the novel, it has 5 parts and the story revolves around Raja Raja Cholan and few other pivotal characters during the 11th century. Barring few fictional characters, the rest of them have actually existed with their names inscribed in bronze manuscripts. One can almost witness being in that era - the description of the lush green pastures, the enchanting rivers, the poets who sign Thevarams - you get transported to the 11th century. Truly a brilliant read - covering history, romance, loyalty and politics. Every character has different shades within them. The twists and turns make the entire novel truly gripping. The suspense element is maintained till the very end, keeping the readers hooked.
Post reading this gripping set of novel, I started reading lot more about the chola dynasty, the nature of temples built, their devotion and reverence towards art and architecture, etc. Last week happened to go to Thiruvotiyur Thiagaraja temple and surprisingly got to know that Raja Raja Chola has renovated and inscribed many of the idols in that temple (which was built by the Pallavas). Similar to this, the cholas have cherished and celebrated Saivism by giving a lot of importance to art and architecture in temples. This books serves as an eye opener to understand and cherish history
Having spent a major part of my childhood in Madurai I have always associated Tamil with Pandyas, but then reading this epic shows how ignorant I was, as the cholas were depicted as extremely magnanimous set of rulers with high affinity towards Tamil literature (they truly are, I checked out facts in Google). The world famous Brahadeeswarar temple (UNESCO National site mention for temple built more than 1000 years ago) was built by the pivotal character in this novel, and what actually surprised me was the amount of respect they gave to religious institutions of all faiths. They value humanity which is often overlooked by rulers of power.
Coming to the novel, it has 5 parts and the story revolves around Raja Raja Cholan and few other pivotal characters during the 11th century. Barring few fictional characters, the rest of them have actually existed with their names inscribed in bronze manuscripts. One can almost witness being in that era - the description of the lush green pastures, the enchanting rivers, the poets who sign Thevarams - you get transported to the 11th century. Truly a brilliant read - covering history, romance, loyalty and politics. Every character has different shades within them. The twists and turns make the entire novel truly gripping. The suspense element is maintained till the very end, keeping the readers hooked.
Post reading this gripping set of novel, I started reading lot more about the chola dynasty, the nature of temples built, their devotion and reverence towards art and architecture, etc. Last week happened to go to Thiruvotiyur Thiagaraja temple and surprisingly got to know that Raja Raja Chola has renovated and inscribed many of the idols in that temple (which was built by the Pallavas). Similar to this, the cholas have cherished and celebrated Saivism by giving a lot of importance to art and architecture in temples. This books serves as an eye opener to understand and cherish history
March 22, 2020
Just finished the Ponniyin Selvan series. Phew! what a series! 2000+ pages 😓about the Chola dynasty. Amazing writing and the story is full of intrigue and mystery. If the translation is this good, I wonder how good the Tamil literature would be. The description of the places is literally so good, I am really hoping to travel to Tanjore and Sri Lanka and the complete route. The character building and the world building is excellent literally makes you time travel. My favourite character is the flawed Peria Pazuvatriyar, his character is so crazy good in the series.
I enjoyed Pavithra Srinivasan's translation a little better compared to Karthik Narayanan. Since she has not released the last 3 books, I picked up Karthik's books. Dont get me wrong, Karthik's translations are extremely good, somehow Pavithra has a bit of a poetic edge in the first 3 books. Must read book guys, Highly recommend it. ✊🏼
For non Tamil readers, the names are really difficult and I don't understand why in Tamil to English 'La' is substituted with 'Z'. I read half of the series wrong and realized it only after the audiobook.The romance is very corny, over dramatic and cringy...almost skipped those pages.
I enjoyed Pavithra Srinivasan's translation a little better compared to Karthik Narayanan. Since she has not released the last 3 books, I picked up Karthik's books. Dont get me wrong, Karthik's translations are extremely good, somehow Pavithra has a bit of a poetic edge in the first 3 books. Must read book guys, Highly recommend it. ✊🏼
For non Tamil readers, the names are really difficult and I don't understand why in Tamil to English 'La' is substituted with 'Z'. I read half of the series wrong and realized it only after the audiobook.The romance is very corny, over dramatic and cringy...almost skipped those pages.
November 16, 2023
Excellent series. This is a Highly gripping story. Couldn't imagine anyone else pulling off such a great epic 5 part series without getting the readers fatigued / bored. This historic fiction series is a Perfect mix of Political conspiracy, Espionage and Counter espionage, Action, Humor, Romance & Thriller elements in it. A must read for all the Tamil book readers.
பொன்னியின் செல்வன், மிகவும் அருமையாக எழுதப்பட்டு இருக்கும் ஐந்து பாகங்கள் கொண்ட வரலாற்று புதினம். சற்றும் அலுக்காமல் ஐந்து பாகங்களுக்கு ஒரு கதையை நகர்த்தி செல்ல ஒரு சிலரால் மட்டுமே முடியும் கல்கி இதில் கை தேர்ந்தவர். இந்த வரலாற்று புனைவுத் தொடர் அரசியல் சதி, உளவு மற்றும் எதிர் உளவு, அதிரடி, நகை, காதல் மற்றும் த்ரில்லர் என பல வகை அம்சங்களைகொண்ட சரியான களவையாக இருக்கின்றது. தமிழ் புத்தக வாசகர்கள் அனைவரும் படிக்க வேண்டிய புத்தகம்.
பொன்னியின் செல்வன், மிகவும் அருமையாக எழுதப்பட்டு இருக்கும் ஐந்து பாகங்கள் கொண்ட வரலாற்று புதினம். சற்றும் அலுக்காமல் ஐந்து பாகங்களுக்கு ஒரு கதையை நகர்த்தி செல்ல ஒரு சிலரால் மட்டுமே முடியும் கல்கி இதில் கை தேர்ந்தவர். இந்த வரலாற்று புனைவுத் தொடர் அரசியல் சதி, உளவு மற்றும் எதிர் உளவு, அதிரடி, நகை, காதல் மற்றும் த்ரில்லர் என பல வகை அம்சங்களைகொண்ட சரியான களவையாக இருக்கின்றது. தமிழ் புத்தக வாசகர்கள் அனைவரும் படிக்க வேண்டிய புத்தகம்.
April 28, 2020
A GREAT ENDING TO AN EPIC ADVENTURE!!!
Gripping and unputdownable, this part is full of twists,action and political conspiracies. Stunning revelations are made known to us and frightful alliances and betrayals whose consequences could be catastrophic for the Chozha Nadu. 'Will the great empire survive the internal dissent among the royal clans or will it fall prey to civil war?' will be the paramount question a reader keeps asking as he delves deeper and deeper into this grand finale, if ever there was one.
The Pinnacle Of Sacrifice was so impactful that I felt like I had reached the end of an ERA rather than
a book series.
Now I really get why this magnum opus has a cult following.
HIGHLY RECOMMENDED!
Gripping and unputdownable, this part is full of twists,action and political conspiracies. Stunning revelations are made known to us and frightful alliances and betrayals whose consequences could be catastrophic for the Chozha Nadu. 'Will the great empire survive the internal dissent among the royal clans or will it fall prey to civil war?' will be the paramount question a reader keeps asking as he delves deeper and deeper into this grand finale, if ever there was one.
The Pinnacle Of Sacrifice was so impactful that I felt like I had reached the end of an ERA rather than
a book series.
Now I really get why this magnum opus has a cult following.
HIGHLY RECOMMENDED!
August 27, 2013
everyone should read it...
March 4, 2014
Nice book..
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
February 7, 2016
Volume 2
May 16, 2018
Excellent book
July 26, 2018
Part 5.2/5 (or Book 6/6): Thyaaga Shikharam- Awesome portrayal of historical events with interesting twists and beautiful but tearful climax of certain characters. Must read book!
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