Sumeetha Manikandan's Blog, page 7

Chapter 50: Pandian’s Bodyguards

When Parthibendran saw the Prince coming towards him on the boat, he was more than surprised. He wondered whether the Prince knew that this was his ship or is he under the assumption that this is one of the ships that had come to imprison him?
Parthibendran soon learned that the Prince did not have any such wrong assumptions. The Prince related all that had happened and Vandiya Devan’s dangerous situation to Parthibendran. “Vandiya Devan is in grave danger and in the hands of fierce Arab pirat...

Chapter 48: A Ship Hunt

When they cremated the slain bodies of the sailors and their brave captain, the Prince allowed his tears to flow unchecked and the Commander said, “Ayya! Why are you crying for these traitors? God has given them a just punishment for wanting to arrest you,”
“Senathipathy! They were not traitors and they have earned a place in the heavens. I am crying because the Chola Kingdom is in the brink of destruction,”
“We have been at the brink of destruction right from the time Pazhuvur lords took comma...

Chapter 47: The Captain’s Death

Oomai Rani on horsebackIt is easy to guess who the woman riding the horse’s bareback was. The Prince immediately went near the horse along with Poonguzhali. The others lingered back watching and wondering how a woman could tame and ride an Arab horse with such ease.
Oomai Rani got down from the horse and cast a worrying glance at the Commander, Vaishnavan and the soldiers behind then. She then proceeded to speak with Poonguzhali in sign language.
“My aunt has seen something strange in the fores...

Chapter 47: The Ghostly Laugh

Now let us see what happened to those who were left behind after the Prince had left them. When the elephant ran through the woods with the Prince mounted on its back, the Senathipathy was shocked beyond words. He shouted and rallied his soldiers and tried to give a chase but not even their fastest stallions could match the speed of the rampaging elephant. Nonetheless, they plodded on through the forest and reached Yannai Eravu where their journey was interrupted. Vandiya Devan who was ahead...

Chapter 46: Heart Aflame

The Prince bid the elephant to stop and they both got down from its back urgently wanting to have a closer look at the ship that had run aground. The ship was indeed in a pitiable condition with its sails torn and mast broken. They clapped and called out hoping that someone might respond but the sailors who had come along with the ship must have abandoned it. The ship looked deserted.
They both got down into the water and climbed onto the ship. The base of the ship was damaged and the lower le...

An Interview with Preethi Athreya aka Kundavai

Preethi Athreya as Princess Kundavai
Click here to read Kundavai Character SketchThere are many on-going debates about who should play this role… who would do justice to it… Kundavai Nachiyaar the celebrated sister of Raja Raja Cholan was the guiding force behind two great Chola Kings. Kalki’s portrays Kundavai as the Queen among women. Her intelligence, shrewd thinking, grace, benevolence and far-sightedness save the entire Chola Kingdom from the brink of disaster.
Portraying this great charac...

An interview with Srikrishna Dayal aka Vandiya Devan

Srikrishna Dayal as Vandiya Devan
in Magic Lantern's Ponniyin Selvan
The most popular protagonist of all times, Vandiya Devan is as charming as he is brave. He is a man who would laugh at the face of death and will never fail to impress any beautiful woman who is within his radius. Fans of Ponniyin Selvan debate endlessly as to who would do justice to his role in a movie or a series but Magic Lantern did a casting coup when they cast Srikrishna Dayal in the coveted role of Vandiya Devan in thei...

Chapter 45: The Warships

Almost within a blink of the eye they left behind the woods, the lakes, the birds the sea and for Poonguzhali life seem to move faster than the waves. For a while a herd of deer tried to keep pace with the elephant but they soon gave up. Poonguzhali lost the sense of time and didn’t know how long the elephant ran through the woods. She couldn’t gauage the hours or the distance that they had travelled. She was however sure only of one thing, that they were still in the Island Kingdom of Elanga...

Chapter 44: The Elephant Flees

After the Prince announced his decision, the Lord Commander took Parthibendra Pallavan aside and spoke to him in confidence. Next he called the commanders of his army and issued orders, dispatching them in various directions.
Parthibendran bid his farewell to the Prince saying, “It is quite unfortunate that I have to leave this Island empty handed. Your brother will be very angry with me for not fulfilling this mission. But there is aught that I can do when you are so stubborn. I will call up...

Chapter 43: “I am guilty!”

“Samudra Kumari! Do you remember me?”
Ponniyin Selva! What sort of question is this? How could you ask me whether I remember you? Is it fair to ask this question after we have known each other for more than a thousand years or could it be perhaps that you have forgotten me? Haven’t we sailed together on my little boat, beyond the horizon for many eons now? Have you forgotten the journey we undertook on the endless sea? Don’t you remember the time when huge waves rose up tossing our boat to rea...