PARTHIBAN KANAVU

Parthiban Kanavu by Kalki R. Krishnamurthy, the famous Tamil novelist and short story writer is a text well-known for its historical backdrop and the characters who showed their bravery and excellence in running the administration. There are references in the text about the culture, tradition, sculpture, and other manifestations pertaining to a kingdom. The rivalry between the Chola king Parthiban and his counterpart in the Pallava kingdom, Narasimha Vannan is minutely described and in the process the fonner dies a heroic death in the battle field while defending his kingdom. The result is that Uraiyur is annexed by the Pallava king. Later Parthiban' son Vikraman gets arrested. The Pallava princess Kundavi falls in love with him. At her instance Vikraman is taken to Uraiyur and is pleasantly surprised to see the princess there on whom he too has a soft comer. But Narasimha Yarman, though he knows that his daughter is in love with Vikraman outwardly poses as one unapologetic for escaping from the prison. He is about to pronounce death sentence on the prince. But to everyone's surprise and happiness, especially to Kundavi Narasimha Vannan orders Vikraman to marry his daughter and get back his kingdom as of yore. For this purpose the emperor goes in disguise as a Sivanadiyar and takes stock of the situation from the beginning when both Kundavi and Vikraman are drawn to each other out of love and mutual affection. Thus the historical setting in which the Chalukya King Pulakesin II is greatly involved is made to eat humble pie through his brother who comes secretly to the scene of action in the novel. Thus the book has romance, valour, dutifulness, punishment to the wicked, the expertise in art and sculpture, devotion to the saints and their role in spreading the bhakti cult all mingled together to make it really a readable and instructive piece. The translator hopes that the book in translation will receive wide support from the English-loving readers.