Ponniyin

Selvan Synopsis

The story baselines and narrates about the events tookplace in the Chozha dynasty in 960 AD.
As a writer, Kalki titled the novel as Ponniyin Selvan, which refers to the great tamil Chozha
king Rajaraja (or Arulmozhivarman; third child of Sundara Chozhar), who ruled Chozha
kingdom between 985-1014 AD. When he was a child, he fell into Ponni river and was safely
brought back to the river bank by her graceself. The king Rajaraja even mentioned this in the
copper plate inscriptions of Thiruvaalangkadu Temple.

The story connects various places and characters involved in the suspicious assasination of
his elder brother Aditha Karikalan. Aditha Karikalan was a great warrior and passionate
about expanding the Chozha kingdom in his era. He defeated the Pandiya king
Veerapaandiyan and tookover the whole Pandiya kingdom under his custody. The effects of
the conquest resulted a regretful end to his journey. Veerapaandiyan had had escorts, called
Aabathuthavigal, under a leader Ravidasan. With the aid of these Aabathuthavigal,
Veerapandiyans lover Nanthini was planning to take a revenge on Aditha Karikalan. This is
the root cause for the entire story.

So, the story begins in Veera-narayana-lake when the young, brave hero, Vanthiyathevan
was entering the capital of Chozha kingdom in Thanjavur. Vanthiyathevan, who is very close
to Aditha Karikalan, was carrying an important message from Kanchi to Adithas father
Sundara Chozhar. Sundara Chozhar was unwell and his second child, Kunthavai holds
counsel in Pazhaiyarai. This enabled Vanthiyathevan to meet Kunthavai (Kunthavai
Pirattiyar) and makes him to fall in love with her. While both love mutually, Veerapandiyans
lover Nanthini gets hold of new position as wife of a powerful chancellor of Chozha Periya
Pazhuvettarayar. He also was believed to be the main conspirator of Adithas assasination.
Setting her revenge agenda, Nanthini makes use of her husband Periya Pazhuvettarayar, his
brother Chinna Pazhuvettarayar and Aabathuthavigal to assasin Aditha Karikalan. While
these happening one side, guessing the conspiracy and unusual activities, the charming &
brilliant king-maker prince Kunthavai works with Vanthiyathevan to break the revenge
plan. Everything was going smooth as Kunthavai & Vanthiyathevan planned. Nanthini,
meanwhile, calls Aditha Karikalan to Kadambur Palace (where Nanthini resides with Periya
Pazhuvettarayar) to discuss about the future of kingdom, though Karikalan knows that his life
is in utter danger, He goes to Kadambur palace despite warning from Vanthiyathevan,
Kunthavai & his grand father. There he was assasinated; the blame goes to Vanthiyathevan,
as he was found next to Aditha Karikalans dead body.

The lady king-maker prince Kunthavai, took immediate steps to overcome the issues and
blames fell on Vanthiyathevan. She finally gets her stand to crown his younger brother
Arulmozhivarman, as Rajaraja Chozhan, to rebuild the kingdom. She also assisted his
brother in the administration & management of Chozha kingdom.

See below, to get familiar with the faces of Ponniyin Selvan




 Hero Vanthiyathevan & charming Kunthavai Pirattiyar (the lady king-maker)

Young Arulmozhivarman (Ponniyen Selvan or Rajaraja Chozhan)


The great warrior Aditha Karikalan

Ravidasan (the leader of escorts or Abathuthavigal)



Periya Pazhuvettarayar (with Mustache) and his wife Nanthini
(Veerapaandiyans lover)

Anirudha Brammarajar (The Minister Mentor of Sundara Chozhar & Kunthavai Pirattiyar)

Azhvaarkadiyan Nambi (a Spy of Anirudha Brammarajar)