PONNIYIN SELVAN - Chapter-wise Summary - Book I - Chapters 21 to 30

CHAPTER 21 - CURTAIN FLUTTERED - திரை சலசலத்தது

After his encounter with Kundhavai and her friends, VT headed towards Thiruvaiyaar. He was thinking about Kundhavai (Though he didn't know that the woman he had been dreaming was Kundhavai, he knew that there was a possibility of the woman being Kundhavai). When he reached Thiruvaiyaar, its music and natural scenic beauty attracted him and so he decided to stay at Thiruvaiyaar that night.

On his way, he saw the palanquin being carried by men. There were soldiers leading and following it. He was sure that it was coming from Kadambur palace because there was the emblem of palm tree on it. He came to the conclusion that it should be Madhuraandhaga Thevan inside it. The duty assigned to him by Aditha Karikalan (AK) was to give letters to the King and to the Princess. But, he knew it wasn't easy for an ordinary man like him to enter the palace just like that (Remember, he had to give the messages to them without gaining much of an attention from anyone. So, he could not obviously use previlege of being the messenger of AK). He thought that if he could get the friendship of Madhuraandhaga Thevan, he might get an opportunity to enter the Tanjore palace. So, he followed the palanquin.

Vandhiyathevan (VT) waited for the men to stop somewhere but they didn't. They were nearing the palace. So, without any other way, he rode his horse fiercely to the men carrying the palanquin. The men looked back in fear. VT shouted, "Your Highness! Your men attack my horse!". There was a movement from behind the curtain.

CHAPTER 22 - BLACK CATS - வேளக்காரப் படை

When he saw the movement from behind the curtain, VT alighted his horse and went near the palanquin. He started uttering the words he had already prepared. But, the moment he saw the face inside the curtain, he became speechless. It wasn't Madhuraandhagan inside the palanquin but the woman he had seen the previous day. She was unbelievably gorgeous. VT decided that it should be Nandhini, the sister of Azhvarkkadiyaan (AA). He lied to her that it was AA who had sent him to meet her. Nandhini gave an ivory ring with the Palm tree emblem on it. She asked him to use the ring to enter the castle and meet her in her palace. Even after the palanquin moved from there, he stood spellbound by her pristine beauty.

He reached Tanjore castle. At the gate of the castle, people were waiting on either sides of the road to witness the Black Cats' exit. VT chatted with a young man called Sendhan Amudhan (SA) and came to know that those men had immense power in Tanjore. They were the guards of the King. It was said that, if something harmful happened to the king, those men would behead themselves. So, they had many previleges and the people had a fear towards them.

CHAPTER 23 - AMUDHAN'S MOTHER - அமுதனின் அன்னை

While leaving the palace, the Black Cats did so many mischievous activities like snatching the flower baskets from people and tossing them in the air etc. VT noted that the public didn't hate them much despite their atrocities. VT then learnt that nobody would be allowed inside the castle after the exit of Black Cats (Of course, there were exceptions). So, VT decided to enter the castle the next day. He started roaming in the streets of Tanjore.

He saw the young man (Sendhan Amudhan) again and talked to him. Sendhan Amudhan (SA) took VT to his house as his guest. He gave him and his horse shelter and food. SA's mother was a widow and she was deaf and dumb. She treated VT with kindness.

By talking to SA, VT learnt the following facts.

=> Near the king's palace, Periya Pazhavettaraiyar (PPV) and Chinna Pazhavettaraiyar (CPV) also had their palaces inside the castle.

=> Madhuraandhaga Thevan was also there. He had recently married CPV's sister.

=> Prime Minister Anirudha also had his residence in the castle. But, at that moment, he was in Pandya Country. (Azhvarkkadiyaan (AA) alias Thirumalai was Anirudha's spy)

CHAPTET 24 - THE CROW AND THE CUCKOO - காக்கையும் குயிலும்

The next day, VT woke up late, took bath, adorned himself and left for the King's palace. SA also accompanied him on his way to temple. VT had a conversation with SA. The essence was...

=> SA had a cousin whose name was Poonguzhali. She was a beautiful girl. Though SA liked to marry her, he thought that he couldn't be an appropriate match for her. He compared her to a cuckoo and himself to a, well, you know it from the title of the chapter.

=> Madhuraandhagan was in the palace but he didn't regularly come out.

=> The King Sundhara Chola had been paralyzed and both his legs had lost their senses.

=> Since some of the Pandyas were planning a conspiracy to kill the Chola king, he had moved from Pazhaiyaarai to Tanjore. (Tanjore palace was more secured)

=> PPV and CPV almost had an equal power like the King did.

=> Finance, Treasury, Defence and Intelligence - all these departments were under PPV's control. So, he had immense power.

SA and VT reached the gateway of the castle. SA left him. VT went to the gate.

CHAPTER 25 - INSIDE THE CASTLE - கோட்டைக்குள்ளே

Using the ring given by Nandhini, VT easily entered the castle. By enquiring a soldier, he made sure that PPV hadn't returned to his palace. He felt relaxed. So then, he had to gain permission from CPV to meet the king. He didn't know where would be the king and CPV. He didn't want himself to be identified as an outsider. So, he had already decided not to ask anyone for the way. While he was thinking for a way, a group of poets came there. One of the guards told another to take them to CPV. VandhiyaThevan (VT) followed them.

CHAPTER 26 - "DANGER! DANGER!!" - "அபாயம்! அபாயம்!!"

After following the poets for a while, he second-guessed their path, took another route and reached CPV even before them. He told CPV that he had got a letter for the King from the Prince Aditha Karikalan (AK). CPV got it from him and read it.

Actually, the letter was just a pretext for VT to meet the king. The actual message had been told to him orally by Aditha Karikalan (AK). After reading the letter, CPV told VT that he would convey the message to the King later. But, VT acted with presence of mind. He showed the ring with the palm tree emblem to CPV and told him that PPV had asked him to give the letter directly to the King in person.

On seeing the ring, CPV sent him to the King at once. VT gave the letter to the King. The King shared his views about the message in the letter with the Queen. VT intervened them and shared his views. The King was impressed by VT's intelligence. Then, VT saw the poets coming to meet the King. CPV also accompanied them. So, VT had to immediately tell the actual message to the King. He told the king, "Your Highness! You need to leave Tanjore at once. Danger is surrounding you here. Danger! Danger!!".

When he uttered the words 'Danger, danger', it was clearly audible to CPV. His face frowned.

CHAPTER 27 - FAVOURITE POETS - ஆஸ்தானப் புலவர்கள்

The poets arrived there and sat in front of the King. VT also sat there. CPV was furious about VT. He thought of sending him out. But he wanted to know what he had told the King. So, he let him be there.

Poets recited many songs to the King and explained them. The King was happy. At last, the King revealed them that the last poem they recited had actually been written by himself. 😂

CHAPTER 28 - IRON FIST - இரும்புப் பிடி

A conversation was going on between the King and the poets. The King once mentioned the name of Kundhavai. VT became excited about meeting her. He groped for the letter he had brought for Kundhavai. Shockingly, it wasn't with him. He became nervous to know it was missing. He was afraid what would happen, if CPV found it. So, he couldn't concentrate on the proceedings anymore. When the meeting was over, the poets started moving. When VT went to join them, a strong fist caught him. It was CPV.

CHAPTER 29 - OUR GUEST - நம் விருந்தாளி

CPV took VT to the King. The King and CPV talked about the farmer's health condition. Then, CPV asked VT what the danger he had mentioned about was. VT thought for a split second and tackled the situation brilliantly. He told him that he hadn't told about any 'danger' but about a 'help' he needed. (Remember he spoke in Tamil. In Tamil 'danger' (அபாயம்) and 'help' (அபயம்) almost have the same pronunciation). Somehow, he managed the situation. Then, the King asked CPV to send messages to Aditha Karikalan (AK) at Kaanji and Arulmozhi Varman (AMV) at Sri Lanka to come to Tanjore. The King further suggested that VT could stay as their guest, till Aditha Karikalan (AK) reached there.

CHAPTER 30 - HALL OF FAME - சித்திர மண்டபம்

Though VT managed the situation, CPV wasn't fully convinced. He undoubtedly remembered him saying 'danger'. Since, VT had the Palm Tree ring, (according to CPV, it had been given to VT by PPV) CPV couldn't take any decision on his regard. So, he decided to wait till the arrival of PPV. He asked a guard to take VT to the guest's hostel.

When the guard and VT were gone, another guard came to CPV and gave the letter, VT had brought for Kundhavai. CPV read the letter. In the letter, Aditha Karikalan (AK) had written to Kundhavai that the person bearing the letter (referring to VT) could be helpful for her in executing confidential actions. CPV told himself that he should be careful with the messenger. Then he whispered something to the guard and the guard moved.

VT was treated very well. He ate delicious food, had a refreshing bath and wore new dresses. Then he was taken to a hall of paintings and was asked to wait for CPV. He saw the paintings in the hall which depicted the history of Cholas.