The Zenith of Sacrifice: Ponniyin Selvan, Book 5

by Kalki Krishnamurthy, Kalki Krishnamurthy, Amit bhargav (Narrator)

Tempestuous winds of change rip through Chozha Naadu as events hurtle toward a climactic end that will shape the very future of the empire. The land gasps under a devastating flood. Barbed strands of Fate tighten around the Chozha royals as Pazhuvoor Queen Nandhini and the Pandiya assassins prepare for the denouement of their lethal plan. Brave Vandhiyathevan races to foil their design even as the brilliant Ilaiya Piratti strives to manoeuvre the empire to safe harbour. Tectonic secrets come to light, recasting alliances and rivalries. This cataclysmic final stand will force every player to face questions that will change them forever.

Can Azhwarkkadiyaan uncover the truth in time? Will Vandhiyathevan emerge triumphant in his mission? Will the Pandiya assassins achieve the nefarious end they thirst for? What will become of the bewitching temptress Nandhini? Will the mighty Chozha Naadu find itself under the thumb of a new Chakravarthy after all?

The final volume of one of the greatest Tamil novels ever penned, Ponniyin The Zenith of Sacrifice barrels towards a startling end that will leave its listeners breathless.

Audible Audio

Published March 15, 2023

About the author

Tamil 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.