Just
when Vandiya Devan was finding his way by foot towards Maandotham and Anirudhar
and Azhwarkadiyan were conversing about the Kingdom’s affairs, Princess
Kundavai and Vanathi were on their way to Thanjavur on a royal elephant. Kundavai
Devi had not visited Thanjavur for some time now, for many reasons. In the
first place, Thanjavur did not have enough palaces to house the princess and her
retinue. With result, she would have to stay at her father’s royal residence
which was not only inconvenient but also lacked privacy. Independent by nature,
Kundavai couldn’t abide by the rules of security laid down by the Pazhuvur
brothers. Apart from that, she found it difficult to bear the arrogant
behaviour of Pazhvur Elaya Rani whose insolence knew no bounds. Her father too
accepted her reservations and did not demand her presence at the capital often.
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| Princess Kundavai |
But
after meeting Vandiya Devan, Kundavai felt that none of these reasons mattered
much when the safety of the Kingdom and that of the throne were under question.
‘How can I roam joyously around the gardens of Pazhaiarai when the Kingdom is
under such grave danger?’ was the question she asked herself. With the Crown
Prince away in Kanchipuram and her younger brother in Elangai, ‘Who will take
care of the kingdom?’ Her brother had cautioned her more than once to use spies
to learn what was happening in the capital. But time for covert knowledge was
past and she knew that she had to be in Thanjavur, beside her father.
So
far, she had been uncomfortable with the arrogance and ambitious behaviour of
the Pazhuvur brothers and when she learned about their plot to crown
Madhuranthakan she knew that it was time she paid a visit to the Capital. That
poor boy Madhuranthakan! God knows what they are planning to do with him. They
have also somehow garnered the support of important chieftains and petty kings
to help his cause. They might even stoop to kill the king to fulfil their
ambition. They wouldn’t find a more opportune time to act than now with both
the sons away from the Capital, it would be very easy to crown Madhuranthakan
as the next king. If they were short of ideas, that Rakshashi Nandini would supply them with a few murderous ones.
These were the thoughts that prompted Kundavai to leave her carefree world at
Pazhaiarai and move towards the fort of Thanjavur. At the capital, it would
easy to see through the machinations of the Pazhuvur brothers and hopefully
save the kingdom from grave danger.
But
why do they want to crown Madhuranthakan? Do they truly believe that he
deserves the throne? No. They want a puppet king on the throne, someone who
would listen to everything that they say while the real power would rest in the
hands of Pazhuvetarayar and his queen. She would then rule over the Chola
Kingdom and hold sway over everybody’s life, including hers. ‘No! This will not
come to pass when I am alive.’ Let me see just how clever she really is.
While
living in Thanjavur would be uncomfortable enough, her parents would undoubtedly
ask, ‘Why have you come here instead of staying comfortably at Pazhaiarai?’ It
would impossible to go anywhere outside the Fort without the permission of
Thanjavur Commander Chinna Pazhuvetrayar. If that were not enough, the idle
women folk at the palace would start talking about her marriage, which left her
seething with irritation. She would have to meet Nandini upon occasion and bear
her arrogant behaviour and ungracious self. But none of these were worth a
consideration when the Kingdom was under such grave danger. She also
intuitively sensed an imminent danger nearing her father.
Apart
from all these considerations, there was yet another important reason for her
travel. She wanted to know whether Vandiya Devan had reached his destination or
not. She now knew that the Pazhuvur brothers had sent soldiers to Kodi Karai to
capture Vandiya Devan. Will they be successful in capturing that brave youth?
She thought not. But if they do, they would bring him to Thanjavur and wouldn’t
it be helpful if she were there too. They dare not do any harm to a messenger
sent by the Crown Prince that’s why they have brought about the false charge of
attempted murder on him. If they can blame him for trying to murder
Sambureyar’s son, they would be within their rights to imprison him. There was
no doubt about the fact that it was a false charge but it might be difficult to
prove it. She was determined to speak to Kandan Maran and learn his version of
the story as well.
While
Kundavai’s mind was unravelling the political intrigues and imminent threats
against her father’s kingdom, her companion and friend Vanathi’s innocent mind
was engaged with just one thought. ‘When would Prince Arul Mozhi Varmar come
back home?’
“Akka! You said that you have asked him
to come home immediately? Where will he arrive? At Pazhaiarai or Thanjavur?”
She
was wondering whether the Prince would arrive at Pazhaiarai when they were
visiting Thanjavur.
Kundavai
who was otherwise engaged didn’t hear her question properly. “Are you asking
about Ponniyin Selvan, Vanathi?”
“Yes
Akka. I was asking about him. You
have called him ‘Ponniyin Selvan’ again. Won’t you tell me the story behind
that name? We have all the time in the world, as this elephant is moving very
slowly towards the Fort.”
“If
the elephant were to go anymore faster than this, we wouldn’t be able to sit on
it. Do you know what happened in the Thakkolam war?”
“No.
I don’t. I want to know the story behind the name ‘Ponniyin Selvan’.”
“Looks
like you will not forget about that. Alright, here is the story…”
In
the early years of Sundara Chola’s ascension to the throne, his family life was
very happy. He used to take many pleasure trips along with his family in the
palace boats along the banks of the Cauvery. Along with his wife and children
and palace servants, bards and musicians, they used to have a merry day of
pleasure. With sounds of laughter, encouragements and poetic verses, the king
loved to travel along with his family, whenever he felt the need to relax from
the burden of the work.
Once
while they were travelling in the palace boat thus, the King and the Queen were
engaged in a serious conversation and there arose an alarm, ‘Where is the
child? Where is Arul Mozhi?’ Startled they looked around to find their youngest
son missing from the boat. Kundavai who had raised the alarm searched everywhere
around and soon the servants and the King himself jumped into the water to
search for the lost child.
Kundavai
was just seven years old then, while Arul Mozhi was five years old. Arul Mozhi
was the darling child of the entire kingdom. But more than anybody else, it was
Kundavai who took care of him and loved him almost like a mother rather than a
sister. When she found her younger brother missing, she was alarmed and shaken.
Worried she looked everywhere and around the boat to see whether he had fallen
into the water by accident. But how long could they search for the missing
child in the water and where to search? Learning about the danger to their
darling child, the queen and some of her womenfolk fainted away in fear, while
some cried bitterly.
Suddenly
there was a miracle. They saw her at a distance from the bank; a woman holding
the missing child in her hands. Half submerged in the water, she held out the
child in her hand. Her beautiful face, arms and shoulders were the only thing
that were seen.
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| Prince Arul Mozhi saved by Mother Cauvery |
The King who was swimming nearby, immediately took the child
from her and by then the palace boat had neared them. He gave the child to the
servants and got into the boat and suddenly fainted. With the king indisposed
and a child to take care, the queen and her servants forgot all about the woman
who had saved the child. After some time when things settled down, they
pondered over who saved the child. No one came forward to claim the honour of
saving the little Prince’s life. No one had noticed what happened to the woman
after she handed over the child to the King. After endless discussion, they
decided that it must have been Mother Cauvery who had saved the Prince. And
every year, they held a special puja for River Ponni (tributary of Cauvery
where the Prince had drowned) and since then, the Prince was referred lovingly
as Ponniyin Selvan (Ponni’s beloved).
