நான் கிருஷ்ணதேவராயன், முழுத்தொகுப்பு [Naan Krishna Devarayan, Part 1&2]

by Ra. Ki. Rangarajan, ரா.கி. ரங்கராஜன்

I, Krishnadevaraya is a translation of the famous Tamil novel Naan Krishnadevarayan by Ra. Ki. Rangarajan. The Tamil actor Kamal Hassan suggested that Ra. Ki. translate I, Claudius by Robert Graves into Tamil. Instead, Ra. Ki. decided to present a first-person narrative of the story of Krishnadevaraya, the emperor of Vijayanagar.
Ra. Ki.’s hero is like any other young man his age—his romantic attachments overshadowing everything else in his life—until his minister and mentor, Appaji, reminds him that his duty ought to take precedence over his love life.
Coming to the throne under difficult circumstances, Krishnadevaraya had to wage a relentless battle to preserve the Vijayanagar empire. Circumstances prevented him from marrying the woman he loved or pursuing literature, his true passion. Overcoming all of this, Krishnadevaraya went on to become the greatest emperor of the Vijayanagar empire.
I, Krishnadevaraya takes you into the inner world of the emperor, providing a vivid picture of his thinking, his insecurities and his decision-making. Ably translated by Suganthy Krishnamachari, I, Krishnadevaraya is a fascinating look at one of India’s greatest kings.

Genres: History, Audiobook, Historical, Drama, India, Classics

680 pages, Paperback

First published June 1, 2011

About the author

ரங்கராஜன் 5-10-1927-இல் கும்பகோணத்தில் பிறந்தார். இவரது தந்தை மகாமகோபாத்தியாய ஆர். வி. கிருஷ்ணமாச்சாரியார் ஒரு சமசுகிருதப் பண்டிதர். ரங்கராஜன் தன் 16-ஆம் வயதில் எழுத ஆரம்பித்தார். 1946-இல் ‘சக்தி’ மாத இதழிலும் ‘காலச்சக்கரம்’ என்ற வார இதழிலும் உதவி ஆசிரியராகத் தொடர்ந்தார். 1950-இல் குமுதம் நிறுவனம் சிறிது காலம் நடத்திய ‘ஜிங்லி’ என்ற சிறுவர் இதழில் சேர்ந்து, 42 ஆண்டுகள் குமுதம் இதழில் ஆசிரியர் குழுவில் பணியாற்றினார்.
இவர் பல புனைப்பெயர்களில் எழுதியுள்ளார். சூர்யா, ஹம்சா, துரைசாமி, கிருஷ்ணகுமார், மாலதி, முள்றி, அவிட்டம்,வினோத் ஆகியவை அவற்றுள் சில. 'நான் கிருஷ்ணதேவராயன்' இவரது குறிப்பிடத்தக்க வரலாற்றுப் புதினம். ஹென்றி ஷாரியரின் பாப்பிலான் (பட்டாம்பூச்சி), சிட்னி ஷெல்டனின் இஃப் டுமாரோ கம்ஸ் (தாரகை), தி ஸ்டார்ஸ் ஷைன் டவுன் (லாரா) மற்றும் ரேஜ் ஆஃப் ஏஞ்சலஸ் (ஜெனிஃபர்); ஜெஃபிரே ஆர்ச்சரின் எ டுவிஸ்ட் இன் தி டேல் (டுவிஸ்ட் கதைகள்) டேனியேல் ஸ்டீலின் காதல் மேல் ஆணை ஆகியவை இவரது குறிப்பிடத்தக்க மொழிபெயர்ப்புகள். கிருஷ்ணகுமார் என்ற பெயரில் அமானுட கதைகளும் டி. துரைசாமி என்ற பெயரில் உண்மைக் குற்றங்களின் அடிப்படையில் குற்றக் கதைகள், வினோத் என்ற பெயரில் தமிழ்த் திரைப்பட செய்திக் கட்டுரைகள் (லைட்ஸ் ஆன் வினோத்) என பலவித படைப்புகளை எழுதியுள்ளார்.
இவர் 1500-க்கும் மேற்பட்ட கதைகளையும் , 50 நாவல்களும், ஏராளமான கட்டுரைகளும், மொழிபெயர்ப்பு நாவல்களும் எழுதியுள்ளார். இவற்றுள் பல குமுதம் ஆனந்த விகடன் முதலான இதழ்களில் தொடர்களாக வெளிவந்தன. இவருடைய மூன்று நாவல்கள் திரைப்படங்களாக வெளிவந்தன. பல படைப்புகள் சின்னத் திரையிலும் இடம் பெற்றுள்ளன. ரங்கராஜன் அண்ணா நகர் டைம்ஸ் பத்திரிக்கையில் எழுதிய கட்டுரைத்தொடர்களில் தேர்ந்தெடுக்கப்பட்டவை “நாலு மூலை” என்ற பெயரில் நூலாக வெளியாகியுள்ளன. ”அவன்” என்ற பெயரில் தன் வரலாற்றையும் எழுதியுள்ளார். இளம் எழுத்தாளர்களுக்குக் கதை எழுதும் நுணுக்கங்களைக் கற்றுத் தரும் எப்படிக் கதை எழுதுவது? என்ற வகுப்பினையும் தான் ஒருவராகவே நடத்தி வந்தார்.

Reviews

[Ashish Iyer · Rating 5 out of 5]

What a lovely book.
The author Ra. Ki. Rangarajan wrote this book to present a first person narrative of the story Krishnadevaraya, the emperor of Vijaynagar. This the first time a historical figure in Tamil has been told in the first person.

Krishnadevaraya was a genius, a king who was never defeated. His contributions to religion, culture, to country's progress and to economic development are immense. Many Foreigners have give glowing accounts of his reign. The temple towers of Hampi, Kanchipuram and Chidambaram are testimony of his contributions. Krishnadevaraya's period was golden period in Indian history. There were great poets, dancers, architects attached to his court. One of the celebrated rulers of India, he was known for his kindness, valour and secular ideas. The story, however, is not about all these sterling qualities. It is about the love that he cherishes for a dance girl, to attain whom, he leaves no stone unturned. At least three women support him in this romantic mission. Caught between his love for Chennadevi and his royal duties. Circumstances prevented him from marrying the woman he loved or pursuing literature, his true passion. Krishnadevaraya had to wage a relentless battle to preserve the Vijaynagar empire. Overcoming all of this, Krishnadevaraya went to become the greatest emperor of the Vijaynagar empire.

[Anbukarasan · Rating 4 out of 5]

Krishnadevaraya

Historians know his significance

The story is narrated from a perspective of love

Traditions and history are simultaneously given..

Various developments of the period are made part of the story

[Saraswathi Sambasivan · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book intrigued me the moment I set my eyes on it at the bookstore. I know little about Krishnadevaraya, other than the fact that he was the most important emperor in the Vijayanagar empire. He just remained the man with a hearty laugh in most of Tenali Raman's stories I read. It was an opportunity to learn more about him. That alone, compelled me to get the book and start reading it ahead of many other books I have to read!

As the title suggests, it is a first person account of the emperor, written in Tamil by Ra. Ki. Rangarajan and translated beautifully into English by Suganthy Krishnamachari. The book talks about the journey of Krishandevaraya, the emperor and the person. While history books may have recorded his conquests and victories, this is an account of the person- the son, the friend, the lover who waits to be united with the love of his wife! The bond he shares with his mother is very beautifully written- nothing formal about this mother-son duo. Apart from his wait to marry his love Chinnadevi, the best aspect of this book is the great friendship between him and Gayatri. I loved her spunk and probably, hers is the best character in this book ! The last couple of chapters feels rushed though, a movie feel where the story moves way too fast.

A great read and I am looking forward to reading the original in Tamil.

[Ujjwala Singhania · Rating 4 out of 5]

The story of Krishnadevaraya, a great person who was also one of the greatest Emperor this country has seen; narrated in first person. At the very beginning, he tells the readers that he is going to narrate the story of the man Krishnadeva and not about the king. He left the historians to write on the life of Emperor Krishnadevaraya.
So, this is the story of a man who was in love, and he takes the readers on a journey with him to find his lady-love who got separated from him.
The author weaves the story so cleverly through the protagonist that it shows the multiple facets of the great man. A man who was a scholar and wrote some great works of his time. A patron of art and artists, who once asked a sculptor to transform a hall in his palace to rang-mahal with 80 pillars where each pillar would encapsulate one mudra of Bharatnatyam, a dance form.
The author builds the story of Krishnadevaraya by his interactions of four females in his life who had major influence on him - his mother, his wife, the woman he loved and the lady whom he came to consider his sister. The author uses these interactions to build the character of Krishnadevaraya, his longing for his lost love, his sensitivity towards his wife, his courage in going against the dictum of his beloved mother to fulfill his promise to his sister.
It is a beautiful story written in a very unique style and showcasing the personal side of the great Krishnadevaraya. A very enjoyable read.

[Smitha Murthy · Rating 4 out of 5]

I can’t recall a single work of historical fiction I have read that was written from the perspective of the king. It’s why I was intrigued to pick up ‘I, Krishnadevaraya’ - translated from the Tamil.

This book had so many historical nuggets that I was fascinated. But at heart, this is the story of one man’s obsession with seeking and finding the woman he had loved. In doing so, Rangarajan places Krishnadevaraya on that humble throne called love, folly, and humility. This is the portrait of a king, yes, but the story of a king in love. It’s that story that kept me in thrall for that reason. It can read better, and could have been tighter, but this is a work that deserves greater recognition.

[Babu Gandhi · Rating 5 out of 5]

Listening to a story from first person is interesting. But when that story is being told by a great king, its fantastic. Language is very simple and it was awesome to read.

[Vinay Keerthi · Rating 1 out of 5]

There is only so much that a person who hasn't visited Hampi can write about one of its most famous sons. I feel that this book lacks exactly the qualities it would have gained if the writer, a South Indian, had attempted to go to Hampi to look at the temples he tried to describe.

I came across this book in my attempt to research the origins and the history of Pampakshetre for writing a book about the Rayas, and I was concerned that there was already a book written about Krishnadevaraya with a fictional vein.

It lacks the grandeur and gravitas that Hampi symbolizes, and it is a very, very fictional depiction of the king who was, despite the writer's idea, not someone you can try to relate to with modern ethics. One cannot expect Krishnadevaraya to be "kind", or "considerate" of modern standards. Krishnadevaraya had Timmarasu blinded in his rage, and every visitor to Hampi professed that the King was "short of temper". He was not someone who wanted painters to keep his scars in his portraits, or someone who waited until he was married to her to consummate his relationship with Chinnadevi. Chinnadevi, despite the romantic vein that the author has taken, was a lover, a courtesan that Krishnadevaraya yearned for, but his feelings for her did not keep him from the other women in his harem. Krishnadevaraya also allowed human sacrifices and animal sacrifices to continue, and in his time, neither were considered barbaric or wrong. To try and prune his morals to the modern day is a poor attempt at doing exactly what the western writers constantly did: white-wash the past.

In addition, the Tamil spellings and Tamil focus that this book has is something that was never quite present in Hampi at the time. Hampi was primarily a Telugu region, with Kannada leanings. However, just because Chinnadevi hailed from a Tamil region, the writer chose to highlight this portion beyond the others.

It is exactly this white-washing of Indian history that encourages people to believe that their kings were benevolent, that their rulers were "heroes". They were ordinary people, and they too sinned the sins of man.

[Namratha · Rating 3 out of 5]

A tamil-translated historical about a legendary Telugu/Kannada king told from the perspective of the king himself. This book had great potential and since I have a deep and abiding penchant for larger-than life kings with their hearts in the right places, it seemed like the perfect read for my post-Baahubali slump and for my Mangalore trip.

However, I can't say that I loved the narrative of Emperor Krishnadevaraya. I know the author wanted us to have a peek into the man within the king but the King's POV just made him seem like a lovelorn youngster. While I have nothing against lovelorn youngsters, I did expect one of the greatest kings in the history of India to have a bit more charm, chutzpah and charisma like a certain bearded fictional king who I adore and throw mental mallipoo at.

An interesting ensemble cast bolsters the story along but I genuinely expected more. Nevertheless, it was an interesting one-time read.

[Varun Nayak · Rating 4 out of 5]

Not a fan of historical fiction, but liked this book, perhaps because it is based on the life of one of my favorite Indian emperors - Krishnadeva Raya of Vijaynagar and his undying love for Chinnadevi.

The first person narrative (Krishnadevaraya speaks to the readers) was interesting; the focus is on Tamil and modern day Tamil Nadu, which is amusing since the emperors of Hampi preferred Kannada and Telugu. However, you need to give it to the author since the book was originally written in Tamil.

[San · Rating 4 out of 5]

Interesting book, the main story line is love. Krishnadevaraya's love for Chinnadevi and he reuniting with her. The narration, the stream of his consciousness dominates the historical references makes it interesting read without attempting to make a dent on the great Emperor Krishnadevaraya himself.

[Jeevan Koneti · Rating 4 out of 5]

Excellent book. I did not know the even great emperors had questions about their actions.

[Hamsa · Rating 4 out of 5]

A first person account of a great emperor was nothing that I had anticipated when I picked the book. It was a personal up close chronicle without dwelling too much into details and descriptions (which, I think, few authors do to drag a book into a series), the plot was well positioned till the end and was a good read.

[Mohan · Rating 4 out of 5]

Started with a bit of doubt but soon the story gripped me with tremendous ferocity
So much can be told by a skilled story teller that I was immersed in Vijaynagar for a while. Hats off to you, Oh Author!!!

[Ashwin · Rating 3 out of 5]

Maybe I should read it in Tamil, I feel the book lacks a certain depth.

[Swati · Rating 4 out of 5]

Krishnadevaraya is a familiar name. I remember some of the battles he fought from history class in school. I’ve marvelled at the lofty gopurams he built in Hampi. But who was Krishnadevaraya, the man?

Ra.Ki. Rangarajan tells us in “I, Krishnadevaraya”, a novel written in the first-person. I had never come across such a narrative of an Indian king and the book is quite unique for this reason - it’s the only one in its genre.

The novel opens with Krishnadevaraya’s ascent to the throne under precarious circumstances. He is about to get into a lifetime of battles—both external and internal. Ra. Ki.’s portrayal of the young emperor is refreshingly human. Here’s a man who dreams of pursuing literature, longs for love, and yet must shoulder the weight of a sprawling empire. His trusted minister and mentor, Appaji, serves as a constant reminder of his responsibilities, pulling him away from his romantic pursuits and toward his duty as a king.

I really enjoyed this rare glimpse into Krishnadevaraya beyond his image as an emperor known for his brilliant military strategies. Here, he is a man who follows his heart. His pursuit is not of neighbouring kingdoms but a beautiful dancer, a devadasi named Chinnadevi. His battles are not with the Sultans of the Deccan but with his mind as he wonders how to disclose his love for Chinnadevi to his mother. He is a man torn between his natural inclination for the arts, music, and architecture and his duty towards building an empire, a pull that often sends him into moody reflections. These deeply personal thoughts he shares with his aide and friend, Gayatri. Some of his conversations with Appaji and his mother reveal a whole host of interesting trivia about royal life and traditions of 16th-century Vijayanagara.

The novel could have done with some tighter editing but otherwise Suganthy Krishnamachari’s translation reads like a charm.

What a lovely read.

[Thanmaya · Rating 5 out of 5]

The title does not deserve to have KRISHNA DEVA RAYA in it. He represents the aura of greatness. He upheld dharma, honored poets, and loved women. Krishnadevaraya is the apex figure of Telugu culture, the king who patronized my language, poetry, music, and aesthetics. He shaped the culture I belong to. He is likened to Vishnu in human form. But the book did not justify his character. It did not feel like HIM at all. It has some woke western mindset, like the author is confused about the main character’s feelings about morality. It is all over the place. Even the timeline of the book is all over the place. Purandara Dasa appears and later Tallapaka Annamacharya’s descendants. He mentions Amuktamalyada when he is young and old. I am confused what the timeline is here. It missed showing the depth of his friendship with poets like Alasani Peddana and Tenali Rama, and his proud nature. It is like the book is starring a mid ass white hero. What the fuck, you are literally writing royalty fiction on a god king. But I have always wanted to read royalty based fiction on someone I actually love like Krishnadevaraya, so I have to appreciate the Tamil writers who are good and developed a genre like this. Also is this fate, because Krishnadevaraya borrowed from Tamil ideas when he wrote Amuktamalyada and this novel just assumes Krishnadevaraya is Telugu and Chinna Devi is Telugu. I am disappointed that the timeline makes it out that he got acquainted with Sri Vaishnavism and Tamil culture later in his life, but actually he must have been exposed to it from his childhood because he grew up in Chandragiri. Exploring this would have been awesome. However this book is very engaging and helps you to dive deep into HIS world, his chief queens, his mama, how Timmarasu had equal power, and the medieval South India. So that is the positive.

[Sushma · Rating 3 out of 5]

Being a Telugu speaking person, I was so excited about my first book on one of the greatest kings about whom my mother fondly spoke about. 

I, Krishnadevaraya is a translated version of a tamil novel by name "Naan Krishnadevarayan" by Ra. Ki. Rangarajan. Emperor Krishnadevaraya belongs to Vijayanagar Dynasty. He ruled for a short span from 1509 to 1529 and the dynasty prospered under his rule. I was looking for more insights than what our regular history books offered. But this book isn't the right choice. To give credit to the author, he made it clear that this book is mostly about the inner struggles of the Emperor Krishnadevaraya. But I wish there was more to the book than the love story which filled most of the pages. It is a perfect story for a blockbuster (k)(t)(b)ollywood movie. And guess what, actor Kamal Hasan played a role in the way this novel is written!

This novel gives a first person account of the various events that took place during the King's tenure with more focus on his feelings and his relationships and thus humanizing the King. The author at many places also talks about the secular nature of the King,  his poetical interests and his ability to lead his army from the front during many wars including the Kalinga war and the war against the Bahamani Sultans. Interestingly, though the king hated the various superstitions, the King himself once postponed a battle and made someone else a king for a few days based on what an astrologer said. The novel also touches upon the various scholars and poets who lived and were nurtured during that era. But, the central theme of the novel is the King's love towards Chinnadevi. 

May be when time permits, I will read the original works of Krishnadevaraya - Parijata Parinayam and Amukthamalyada!

[Madumitha Selvaraj · Rating 4 out of 5]

A very simple and straight forward translation. I picked up this one because of all the importance the emperor was given in my history books from school days. A take on his personal life and how human he felt about the things and happenings in his life - is how I would describe it. The writing is not spell-binding, mainly because it is a first person narrative from a man who is already in our heads as a great emperor (so we are just waiting for the greatness to show up even as we understand that it cannot) but mainly because - the author claims he is not here to write flowery language. He is here to show us a side of him that has been sidelined (as it usually is with the winners in history - those that have been carved out by the history creators to inspire and amaze). A side full of emotion, fear, doubt and vulnerability. For this alone, this book is worth a read.
In some ways, the book reads like an actual history book with mentions of details of conquests and kingdoms neighbouring the Vijayanagar and the Sultanate. But the life of Krishnadevaraya, while being intensely personal for him turned out to be swayed by the politics of his time and position. So it becomes necessary.
All in all, a book that I would place between historical fiction and fiction. One I would recommend for people curious about how the mind and heart of this king might have been!

[Jonathan · Rating 4 out of 5]

Accounts he provided in this were awesome. Friendship between Gayathri and Krishnadevaraya were unknown. Adventurous tour to Orissa, Tamil Nadu, visiting Vripaksha temple, telling the culture of Bagavatha mela, Bharatha naatyam, it notes, it shows as if we are living in the same age.

I don't know in which era it written, I bet you even today these stories are valid. To know human psycho analysis, his/her behaviour, this book will be good to read.

[Dr.Naveen Kumar · Rating 2 out of 5]

The book starts with great premises but later on meanders into Hindu bashing without any substance.reference is made of sati and devadasi without any relevance and without any facts.if one wants to read it as a fiction , it is ok.at best mediocre

[saket parab · Rating 3 out of 5]

Just Okay.

It's a good read. I'm not a fan of historical fiction but this was a comparatively short read to give me an insight on Krishna Devaraya.

[Moonna Aahir · Rating 3 out of 5]

Good but could be better

Good but could be better,
Is gayatri fictitious character? Chinna devi chinna devi chinna devi, huh, huh huh, humm, humm

[Yadhu Nandhan · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5 நட்சத்திரங்கள்

இரண்டு பாகங்களாய் இருக்கும் இப்புத்தகம் கிருஷ்ணதேவராயர் எனும் மன்னனின் காதல் கதையையும் தனிப்பட்ட மனப் போராட்டங்களையும் சுற்றி நிகழ்கிறது.

[Nithya · Rating 2 out of 5]

This is not a historical fiction dealing events like war or anything, just a mundane account of a king yearning for his ladylove.

[Jagadeesh Rampam · Rating 3 out of 5]

As much I enjoyed reading the entire book, the beginning and endings were not really impressive! In other words, it was like watching a old Tamil/Telugu movie. With all due respects for the author, couldn't appreciate POV storytelling of a (famous) historian with a love story!

[Rashmi Pakkiri Murugan]

I , Krishnadevaraya..is a translation of the famous Tamil novel " Naan Krishnadevarayan", the story of Krishnadevaraya , the most famous emperor of Vijayanagar. Ra.Ki. Rangarajan was inspired by Kamal Hasan, who had asked him to translate the novel " I Claudius"..but Ra. Ki wanted to write about an Indian emperor and thus spake "I Krishnadevaraya" from his pen. I ventured into historical genre for a change. I was totally glued by the first person narration. The tumultous life of an emperor so beautifully portrayed. Historical facts thrown in on and off. The most luring fact was the portrarayal of a great emperor as a human with all the passions and suffering of a common man. The politics of runnning a kingdom is slipped in a simple way. The life of an emperor and the reasons for the number of queens he had to manage for the smooth functioning of the empire, intricacies of military talents..wow ..only wish I could study my history books with such ease..hats off to tthe efforts gone into the writing with so many facts revealed..it must have been like walking on a tight rope..for Historical facts mustn't be compromised but the reader must be kept hooked..throughout the book the author has kept the suspence pending...definitely intimidated.