Chandilyan was a renowned Tamil author known for his historical fiction. His books speak about the valor, wit and altruism possessed by ancient Tamils. He often infuses a fictional character that makes the write up more engaging and holds the readers always on the edge to know what happens next. He’s best known for weaving umpteen captivating metaphors, of which, most of them are analogies made between the Mother Nature and the graceful curves of a woman.
OVERVIEW:
In this anecdote “Mannan Magal”, the plot revolves around a young warrior Kari Kalan, who was raised in Nagapattinam monastery by Buddha monks. In an attempt to unravel his birth secrets, Kari Kalan frees himself from the religious community and embarks on a journey to Kumbakonam – The Temple Town of Tamil Nadu, carrying a green stone carved signet ring that symbolizes an ancestral lineage which is his only precious cargo.
But fate brings him face to face with the Princess of Vengi empire, who is deeply entangled in the political hassles of the kingdom. Vimaladhithan, the King of Vengi has three children from three different wives. Princess Niranchana Devi is the eldest, followed by her is younger brother, Raja Raja Narendra, the son of Kundavai, sister of Rajendra Chola I. The youngest is Vishnu Varshan, son of the sister of Jayasimha II, King of the Western Chalukya dynasty. S
oon after the demise of the Vengi King, as per the monarchial hierarchy, the crown was passed on to the eldest prince Raja Raja Narendra who was very young and naïve. Princess Niranchana was well aware that Jayasimha II secretly harbored a wish to dethrone her first younger brother so that his niece Vishnu Varshan could rule the Vengi Kingdom in order to diminish the influence of Cholas. Beholding such mischievous thoughts, he cleverly deviated young Prince Narendra from acquiring the war skills thereby he thought that people of Vengi would belittle their beloved prince thus weakening his support.
Despite such complicated circumstances, Kari Kalan’s intuition compelled him to help the Princess to sail through the Kingdom’s political constraints, taking on the role of protector of Vengi, though he cannot find a valid reason for his actions. Love, after all, knows no bounds!
This story unfolds during the golden era of the Chola Dynasty spanning the years AD 1012 to 1044, when the empire was ruled by Rajendra Chola I. As we flip through the pages, we can witness how their love turns epic and also got trapped in a love triangle due to the unexpected affection of Sengamala Selvi, the daughter of Karikalan’s foster father, Araiyan Rajarajan, the Supreme Commander of Chola army. This causes the Princess of Vengi to misinterpret Kari Kalan’s loyalty towards her further complicating the political intrigues surrounding them.
Amidst this critical nature of the situation, we observe how the author has skillfully handled the deluge of emotions of the young warrior, blending the delicate shades of his dedication and determination to conquer both in war and love with great nuance. The lead character relentlessly ventured on a quest to uncover the mystery of his origins, unaware that his pursuit could endanger the fragile harmony of the kingdom.
This book also recounts the contributions of the young warrior who ascended to the position of Chief Commander of Chola army purely through his wit and swordsmanship. Kari Kalan with his unwavering grit and prowess spirit set his foot in numerous battles with the vision of conquering the Ganges. And his victories earned his king the title- “Gangai Konda Cholan”. Kari Kalan, despite owning his birth right, is put in a situation to prove himself by various accomplishments.
Though he is frequently intercepted by various political authorities in his journey, he is never denied the royal treatment from them which further rebuked his curiosity. He went through all the sufferings and torments like battling in the war fields and in his personal life, only to learn that someone who knew him intimately could hold the secrets of his origin, that could potentially shake the very foundation of the kingdom.
Moreover, he felt a bittersweet pain when reflecting on that person’s existence. Then a lot of events take place, after which he realizes that a network of highly influential figures got involved in concealing the mystery of his birth and their awkward situation of not revealing it, as the decision was not theirs to make.
Thinking of which gave him two kinds of emotions towards that person. Despite knowing his existence, the person had refrained from meeting him even once since his childhood that must have required an unshakable resolve towards him and, at the same time, a deep sense of duty towards the people of the province, a true mark of royalty!
CONCLUSION:
Who is Kari Kalan and will he succeed in knowing his birth secrets?
Will Kari Kalan and Princess Niranchana’s love story taste its success?
Will Raja Raja Narendra be throned as the proud King of Vengi?
What will happen to the triangle love of Kari Kalan, Niranchana Devi and Sengamala Selvi?
Aforementioned quests are the key factors that makes the readers to wrap up the novel in a single stretch. Integrated with it are the cultural backgrounds, political wits and promising fair plays of the medieval Tamil kings in the history.
Chandilyan’s books usually fall short of revealing the true facts, leaving the readers to wonder which characters are fictional and dubious about the historical and ideological framework upon which the novel and its entire plot are based.
However, removing the fictional character leaves the story incomplete and disconnected, highlighting the author’s skills in using the characters effectively to shape a complex historical narrative and pass it on to the future generations. Regardless of all this, his extensive writings, still stand as a tribute to the late author and is definitively a delicious feast for the tamil and history enthusiasts.
By: VIKASHINI
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