Wednesday, February 07, 2007

Cauvery's son

Two years back, during my trip to Chennai, LandMark didn't have the 1st volume of Ponniyin Selvan's English Translation. So I had 2 choices. Wait for the book to be back in circ. or try to read the tamil one. As a self-taught-tamil-reader, reading the old style tamil doesn't come easy. And when you cannot read well, the beauty of the novel is lost. So I decided to wait. Note that the option of reading the online translation did not appeal to me.

So on the last trip, I found book 1 and promptly started reading it. I am being redundant many times over, by saying it is a wonderful masterpiece. I am in the throes of it now, but afraid to hurry, coz I don't want it to end quickly. I have read Parthiban kanavu and half of Sivakamiyin sabatham at Pavithra's blog. I am still waiting to read the rest of it. I came across the tamil ones at the museum book store (good place for book lovers). I didn't it buy it though, knowing I won't be able to do it. So that is another wait for me.

The translation has been well done and most of the time, I didn't feel like I was reading a translated work. It does take a lot of passion, energy, creativity and time to do it.

It made me wonder what would have happened if Arulmozhi varmar had accepted the throne of Lanka. Less violence now in that part of the world, may be?

3 comments:

Anonymous said...

Well...it seems u have been reading ponniyin selvan... certainly a master piece from kalki...i have also read that book most recently... i hav a doubt..could u help me?

well...who is Nanthini's father???
any guess???

Munimma said...

I have read up to the part where the others think it is emperor sundara chozar.

Anonymous said...

mmmm...ok... when u finish reading it u might know that it is the most mysterious thing in the novel...