Ponniyin Selvan was the sobriquet given to Raja Raja Chola, who is the
greatest of them all, variously described and sung in history as the hero who conquered
all the way into North of India across Vindhyas, sea-fared to Sri Lanka many a times, went
across the seas to South East in those days when it was a wonder, and the only sea-faring
race heard of were the Phoenecians and the Arabs.
The novel describes how the people of this period bought horses from the Arabs who land
on the shores of a small island, and how the sighting of this horse plays its own minor
role in tracing and developing the plot further.
In fact, the story revolves and shuttles between Raja Raja (meaning the King of Kings)
and the political happenings at home, during his sojourn in Sri Lanka. The narrative deals
with attempts by his sister Kundavai to bring back Arunmozhi (as Raja Raja was called
before his crowning) to establish political peace in a land seemingly getting besot with
unrest and signs of civil war, plotted by vassals and petty cheiftains.
A little deal of historical knowledge helps a great extent in making the best of one's
enjoyment of reading Ponniyin Selvan, and has been proved time and again
how families have been victims of this infectious addiction called Ponniyin Selvan
readership. So in this context, it helps to learn of Arunmozhi (Raja Raja Chola)
and his family. The following material is the courtesy of Thanjavur.com
Rajarajan Family:
The original title of Arunmozhivarman (Rajaraja Cholan) was
Rajakesari Varman or Mummudi-Sola-Deva. He was the second son of the Parantaka Cholan II
alias Sundara Cholan and Vaanavan Maadevi. Rajarajan had an elder sister, Kundavaiyar and
an elder brother, Aditya Karikalan. Rajarajan had a high regard for his sister, who spent
her later life in Tanjore with her younger brother, his first daughter was named after
her. Only one son and three daughters of the King are known namely; Rajendra Cholan I,
Kundavai, who married the Eastern Chalukya King Vimaladitya, Mahadevadigal and another
whose name is not traceable. Rajarajan had a number of queens. Lokamahadevi was probably
the chief queen, who built the shrine of Sri Lokamahadesvarar, called Uttara Kailas in the
Sri Panchanadisvara temple at Thiruvaiyaru.
Rajaraja Chola's conquests
For Extensive Materials on Thanjavur - Past and Present, go to Balasekaran Murugesan's Site on Thanjavur
