The Prophecy Of The Stones

Cover of The Prophecy of the Stones: A Novel

Title: The Prophecy Of The Stones

Author: Flavia Bujor

Main Characters: Amber, Opal, Jade, Duke of Divulyon, Elaydor, Adrien, Jean Losserand, Elfohrys, The twelve councilors, The thirteenth councilor, warriors, Knight of order and Oonagh.

Description of one of the main characters: Amber is a poor country girl. She is kind. She is one of the stones. She is the one who convinced everybody that Elaydor is the chosen one.

Whom I like and why:I like Jade very much. She is intelligent. She gives an idea to kill the councilors.

Whom I dislike and why:I dislike the thirteenth councilor because he is wicked. He tries to kill the whole world using the knights of order.

Setting/theme of the story: Three girls of age 14 - Opal, Jade and Amber set out on a journey to Fairy tale, as they are the three stones. They meet a Knight from fairy tale named Adrien. With his help, they enter Fairytale. Meanwhile, the chosen one, Elaydor, comes to Fairytale with his fiend Elfohrys. The Council members try to capture Fairytale, the only free world. Elaydor leads the war with the help of 3 girls and their stones. They defeat the council and peace comes. But peace cannot be there for long as where there is good there is always bad.

Part I enjoyed the most: I enjoyed the part when Opal, Amber and Jade meet during their 14th birthday.

Parthiban Kanavu (Dream of Parthiban)

Title: Parthiban Kanavu (Dream of Parthiban)

Author: Kalki. R. Krishnamurthy

Translated By: Dr. M. S.Venkatraman

Main Characters: Ponnan, Valli, Vikraman, Arul Mozhi Devi, King Parthiban, Veerabadra Aachaari, Sivanadiyar, Narasimha Pavallan, Kundavi Devi and Marappa Bhupathi.

Description of one of the main character: King Parthiban was the king of the Chola Nadu before Narasimha Pallavan, the ruler of Pallavas won it in the battle. King Parthiban has a son named Vikraman. He had many dreams such as capturing many northern states and to capture islands far away. He was a brave king.

Setting/theme of the story: King Parthiban died in the war between the Chola Nadu and the Pallavas. The war was held because King Parthiban refused to pay tributes to Narasimha Pallavan. After the war, King Parthiban's son, Vikraman launched an attack on Narasimha Pallavan with the help of his uncle Marappa Bhupathi. Half-way through the attack, Marappa Bhupathi betrayed Vikraman by leaving the boy fight on his own. So, Vikraman was captured and was brought to the Pallava king's palace in Kanchi. He was exiled. The young prince went to Shanbagam Island while his mother lived in Casanthe Theevu. Vikraman started ruling Shanbagam Island. He came back to Chola Nadu to see his mother. He was disguised as a gem trader He fell ill and the Princess Kundavi rescued him. When Narasimha Pallavan found out that Vikraman had come to Chola Nadu disguised as a gem  trader, knowing that he would be punished if found out, was surprised by the bravery of the prince. He married his young daughter Kundavi to Vikraman and gave the Chola Nadu to him as an independent state which need not pay tributes. Slowly Parthiban's dream got fulfilled when Vikraman and his successors conquered many places. The Chola warriors hoisted the Tiger flag, near the Ganges in the north, and beyond the seas in the east on the Kaadaaram Island. Parhiban's dream was to become reality 300 after Parthiban's death in the battlefield.

School Of Wizardry

Source: scholastic.co.in 

Title: School Of Wizardry

Author: Debra Doyle

Main Characters: Randal, Lys, Madoc, Pullen, Balpesh, Nick, Laerg and Crannach.

Description of one of the main characters: Nick is a wizard apperntice. His full name is Nicolas. He has been an apprentice for almost 8 years now. This is the longest unbroken apprenticeship in the history of the Schola (their way saying school).

Whom I like and Why: I like Lys because she is very good at singing and playing on the lute. She is also very kind and nice to others.

Whom I dislike and why: I dislike Laerg as he is wicked. He uses his intelligence in a wrong way. He is the one who has taken the shortest time in the Schola history to complete the apprenticeship. He just took two years.

Setting/Theme of the Story: Randal strongly wants to be a wizard. He runs away from home and follows Madoc, a master wizard. Madoc thinks that this boy cannot make himself a wizard and sends him away. But after much pleading, Randal is taken to the Schola by Madoc. There, Randal is tested and then accepted by the Tegents of the Schola - Pullen, Laerg, Balpesh, Madoc and Crannach. He puts all his efforts but they go in vain. He somehow passes his 1st testing of apprenticeship. Master Laerg suddenly offers to help Randal in his progress. Randal improves suddenly and within two days he could even do summoning charms which are considered to be most difficult. But Randal feels uneasy. He starts getting strange dreams after he accepts help from Laerg. One day Laerg reveals that he is going to kill everybody and also destroy the Schola. He also says that he is going to kill Randal first. Randal draws his knight sword, which he hasn't used for 3 years and kills Laerg. He is praised for his bravery and he becomes a journeyman (the next level in Schola).

Part I enjoyed the most: I enjoyed the part where Randal extinguishes all the lamps with his own willpower.

The Chronicles Of Narnia- The Silver Chair

Map of Narnian world as described in The Chronicles of Narnia by C.S. Lewis (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Title: The Chronicles Of Narnia- The Silver Chair

Author: C.S. Lewis

Main Characters: Prince Rhilian, King Caspian, Eustace, Jill, Puddlegum, Earthmen, The Queen of underland, slan, The Gentle Giants and The Giants of Ettinsmoor.

Description of one of the main characters: Puddlegum is a Narnian Marsh Wiggle who travels along with Jill and Eustace in search of Prince Rhilian. He is very brave. He is a very sensible Marsh-wiggle. He is very tall with long limbs and a witch sort of hat over his head.

Whom I like and Why: I like Jill as she is very brave and ready for adventures. She is very good at getting information from the enemies. She is very intelligent and shewrd. She is a kind girl.

Whom I dislike and Why: I dislike the Gentle Giants as they act gentle but they eat man pies and the talking animals of Narnia. They also eat marsh-wiggle purebloods of Narnia. They attract travellers to kill them and have feast.

Setting/Theme of the Story: Prince Rhilian, the son of King Caspian, is held in control by the wicked Queen of the underland. He is kept under the spell of the silver chair. When the silver chair is broken Prince Rhilian will becomes himself once agin. So two children named Jill and Eustace are sent in search of Prince Rhilian with a marsh-wiggle named Puddleglum by Aslan. They find Prince Rhilian and kill the Queen of underland. When they return to Narnia they find King Caspian dead. So Rhilian become the king of Narnia and spell of silver chair is broken.

Part I enjoyed the most: I enjoyed the part when Rhilian is freed form the spell of silver chair and the queen dies of anger.

Different ending: King Caspian finds his son and once when the spell of the Silver Chair is broken. Rhilian's mother comes alive. Everybody becomes happy. Jill and Eustace come back to their own land and find themselves back in the experiment house.

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Source: Staples eReader Department

Inheritance- Inheritance book Four

Inheritance (book) (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Inheritance Cycle (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Title: Inheritance- Inheritance book Four

Author: Christopher Paolini

Main Characters:  Eragon, Arya, Nasuda, Orik, Murtagh, Saphira , Thorn, Shruikan, Galbatorix, Firnen, Gladr, Islanzadi, Jeod, Umaroth, King Half-paw, Nor Garzhvog, Roran, Katrina, Horst, Elain, Albrich, Bador and Barst.

Description of one of the main characters: Roran Stronghammer is the son of Garrow. He is the cousin of Eragon. He helps the Varden fight Galbatorix in the battle. He kills the wicked king Barst. He is very brave. He defeats many by using Hammer as a weapon and earns the tittle Stronghammer. He captures Aroughs and many other cities for Nasuda, which was under Galbatorix's control.

Whom I like and why: I like Arya because she is a brave elf. After Islanzadi's death, Arya becomes the queen of elves. Firnen, the green dragon hatches for her. She is a rider. She kills Shruikan.

Whom I dislike and why: I dislike Shruikan because he serves Galbatorix. He becomes Galbatorix's second dragon.

Setting/theme of the story: Eragon fights with the Varden to defeat Galbatorix. Meanwhile Murtagh tries to change his character so that his real name will change and he can be free from Galbatorix. But Murtagh is still under the control of Galbatorix. Galbotorix orders Murtagh to bring Nasuda to Urubaen and he does so. Eragon along with spell-casters, Saphira and Elva goes to Galbatorix's palace in order to save Nasuda. There he defeats Galbatorix and kills him. Arya kills Shruikan. Eragon and Saphira become the masters after Oromis and Gladr when they find hundreds of dragon eggs hidden. They go to a far away place to train the riders. 

Kane Chronicles- The Throne Of Fire

The egyptian sun god Ra simplified with Maler_der_Grabkammer_der_Nefertari_001.jpg as reference (horiz mirrored) (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

The moon god Khonsu, depicted as a falcon with the moon-disk on his head. Khonsu could also be depicted as a mummiform child with a large pendent necklace and wearing the same moon disk. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Title: Kane Chronicles- The Throne of Fire

Author: Rick Riordan

Main Characters: Carter Kane, Sadie Kane, Bast, Bes, Zia Rashid, Walt, Jaz, Anubis, Isis, Horus, Ra, Amos, Menshikov, Desjardins, Nephthys, Khufu and Thoth.

Description of one of the main characters: Walt is a magician in the House of Life. He is one of the descendants of Akhenaton. So, the curse of Akhenaton runs in his family. He is sixteen years old and loves to play basketball. He helps Sadie Kane get the third book of Ra.

Whom I like and Why: I like Bes because he is kind to the Kanes. He is the god of the dwarves. He helps Sadie Kane and Cater Kane fight Apophis and also find the books of Ra. He sacrifices his own life to Khonsu, the Moon God to allow the Kanes to go back time. He is Bast's friend.

Whom I dislike and Why: I dislike Menshikov as he works for Apophis. He knows Set's secret name. He tries to make Set work for him.

The US logo for The Kane Chronicles (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Setting/Theme of the Story: Carter, Sadie, Walt and Jaz try to wake Ra, so that they can defeat Apophis, the evil God of chaos. For waking Ra, they need to find the three books of Ra. Jaz suddenly falls ill and the other three continue the journey. Bast goes off on her own to check whether Apophis is trying to break free. Bast sends Bes, to help Sadie and Carter in their quest. Carter saves Zia Rashid from the palace of Red sands where Iskander had hidden her. Zia and Walt go back to 21st nome in Brooklyn. Sadie and Carter travel into the Duat and they awaken Ra. To their surprise they find Vlad Menshikov trying to stop them. Desjardins suddenly comes to Kanes and sends Apophis inside the Earth, so that Apophis will take more time to come back. During the process, he dies and Amos becomes the cheif Lector. The Kanes get more time to defeat Apophis.

Kalki Selected Stories

Kalki Krishnamurthy (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Title: Kalki Selected Stories

Author: Kalki.R.Krishnamurthy

TRANSLATED BY: GOWRI RAMNARAYAN, GRAND DAUGHTER OF KALKI.

THE STORIES I LIKED:

v  THE TIGER KING

Prince Jung Jung Bahadur was born and the astrologers predicted that the child will grow to become a warrior. They also said that the 100th tiger will kill him. The crown Prince, Jung Jung Bahadur grew up and started killing all the tigers. He had killed all the tigers in his kingdom but he had to kill 30 more. He married a young princess of a state with large tiger population. He had killed all the tigers there. He had killed 99 tigers. If he killed 1 more, he could prove that the astrologers were wrong. One day his soldiers got him an old tiger. He aimed a shot at the tiger and the tiger fell to the ground. He went to celebrate. Later, the soldiers found it was not dead and killed it instead of saying it to the king. Soon Jung Jung Bhadur son's birthday arrived. The king presented his son a toy tiger. While playing with his son, the steel went inside the king's hand. Best surgeons from Madras were called but the surgery failed and the king died. The 100th tiger had killed the king.

 v  THE POISON CURE:

This story is about Narayana Iyer, who thinks that untouchables are not equal to his Bhramin caste. He has the skill to draw the poison from snakebites and scorpion stings. He believes that when he says the mantra to draw the poison from the person, the mantra will not work if an untouchable is near him. One day an Inspector sat near him while he drew poison away from a person. After completing his mantra and after the patient was recovered, he told the inspector that the manta wouldn't have worked if an untouchable was near him. The inspector started laughing and replied when he was asked why he was laughing that he himself was an untouchable and the mantra had worked. From then on Narayana Iyer did not mind an untouchable near him.

 v  THE RURAL FANTASY:

This story is about a woman named Sakunthala who made the young women of the Kanaiyazhi educated and asked them to be brave and daring. She made the Kanaiyazhi people clean their village and asked them to keep it clean. She taught them now to read and sing songs. But when Sakunthala returns to Kolkata, they all start littering again. But the women of Kanaiyazhi still follow Sakuthala's advice.

The other stories are:

The letter, Rebirth of Srikanthan, The Governor's visit, The Big swelling sea, S.S.Menaka, Ruined Fort, Veenai Bhavani and Madatevan's spring.

It was an interesting book with nice stories. I enjoyed reading it. It is a must read for people who want to read good books.

Eldest- Inheritance Book Two

Eldest (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Title: Eldest- Inheritance Book Two

Author: Christopher Paolini

Main Characters: Eragon, Saphira, Murtagh, Arya, Roran, Nasuda. Galbatorix, Ra'zacs, Horst, Solan, Katrina, Angela, Orik, Elva, Urgals, Gladr, Oromis, Trianna, Jeod, Islanzadi, Hrothgar and Thorn.

Description of One Of the main characters: Elva is the young girl who had been cursed by Eragon when she was young. She is very young but has an adult's voice. She saves Nasuda from assassins of Galbatorix.

Whom I like and Why: I like Roran. He is brave. He saves the people of Alagaesia from Galbatorix's men and also from the Urgals. He hides the whole village in Surda with the help of the Varden. He joins with Eragon to save Katrina his wife, whom the Ra’zac took away.

Setting/Theme of the Story: Eragon continues his journey to Ellesmera to get his training as a rider from the elves. Oromis and Gladr train Eragon and Saphira. He comes back to the Varden with Orik to fight Galbatorix. Meanwhile Roran takes the whole of Alagaesia and hides them in Surda. He gets help from Jeod, an old friend of Brom. He loses Katrina to the Ra'zacs. When Eragon fights a war with Galbatorix's men, a new rider emerges. Murtagh had started serving Galbatorix like his father and his dragon's name is Thorn. He tells Eragon a shocking news that they are brothers. Selena was Eragon's and Murtagh's mother. Morzan was their father! Murtagh is older than Eragon. Murtagh takes away Morzan's sword given to Eragon by Brom saying that the sword has to go to the eldest of Morzan's sons, not the youngest. This is the end of Eldest.

The Doctor’s Dilemma: A Tragedy

Photograph of scene designed by Jo Mielziner for George Bernard Shaw's "Doctor's Dilemma." Courtesy of the New York Public Library Digital Library. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Title: The Doctor’s Dilemma: A Tragedy

Author: George Bernard Shaw

Main Characters: Sir Patrick Cullen, Sir Ralph Bloomfield Bonnington, Sir Colenso Ridgeon, Cutler Walpole, Leo Schutzmacher, Dr.Blenkinsop, Louis Dubedat, Redpenny, The newspaper man, Mr.Danty, Jennifer Dubedat, Emmy and Minnie Tinwill.

Description of the main characters:

Sir Patrick Cullen:

Sir Patrick Cullen was a doctor. He advises Ridgeon and the other young doctors like Leo Schtzmacher, Dr.Blenkinsop, Sir Ralph Bloomfield  Bonnington. He likes to grunt for everything. He is jealous of Ridgeon's new discovery.

Sir Ralph Bloomfield Bonnington:

Sir Ralph Bloomfield Bonnington is a tall man . He is a kind doctor. He is Ridgeon's friend. He is a born healer. He is known to everyone as B.B.

Sir Colenso Ridgeon:

Sir Colenso Ridgeon is a man of fifty. He won his knighthood by finding how to cure consumption and tuberculosis. The medicine he invented cures people only if he uses the medicine. If other doctors use it the patients get killed.

Cutler Walpole:

Cutler Walpole is an energetic man of forty. He is never in doubt. He is not hesitant. He is a great surgeon. He thinks every disease is because of blood-poisoning.

Leo Schutzmacher:

Leo Schutzmacher is a not very rich man. He was Ridgeon's classmate in the university college school. He is known to Ridgeon as Loony. He earns money with two magical words: 'CURE GUARANTEED.'

Dr.Blenkinsop:

Dr.Blenkinsop is very different from the others. He is clearly not a prosperous man. He wears shabby clothes and there are lines from the face because of worrying. He is also Ridgeon's friend.

Setting/Theme of the story: Ridgeon becomes Sir Colenso Ridgeon as he finds out the cure for tuberculosis + consumption. His friends, Dr.Blenkinsop, B.B, Schutzmacher, Cutler Walpole and Sir Patrick Cullen, congratulate him. While all these doctors congratulate Ridgeon a lady waits outside to meet Ridgeon. Emmy, the serving woman, sends the lady inside to Ridgeon. She introduces herself as Jenifer Dubedat. She tells Ridgeon that her husband has tuberculosis and insists that he should save her husband. Ridgeon does not accept. He says that he already has 10 cases and cannot take any more. She pleads him and he accepts. Later Dr.Blenkinsop gets tuberculosis and Ridgeon takes upon the case. Hence he hands over Mr.Dubedat's case to B.B. As the medicine invented by Ridgeon for tuberculosis works only if Ridgeon uses it and kills if not used by him, Louis Dubedat dies and Blenkinsop survives. Since Ridgeon knows that the medicine would kill Louis if not used by him and yet hands over the case to B.B , the death of Louis becomes a tragedy.

Perry Mason Mystery: The Case Of The Grinning Gorilla

Judge Hershey (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Title: Perry Mason Mystery: The Case Of The Grinning Gorilla
Author: Erle Stanley Gardner
Main Characters: Perry Mason, Della Street, Paul Drake, Benjamin Addicks, Herman Barnwell, Helen Cadmus, James Etna, Josephine Kempton, Nathon Fallon, Hardwick and Hershey.
Description of one of the main characters: Perry Mason is a very intelligent lawyer. He is very shrewd. He sorts out all the problems of his clients easily and cleverly.
Whom I like and why: I like Paul Drake as he helps Mason solve problems for Mrs. Kempton by doing some detective work. He works for the Paul detective agencies.
Whom I dislike and why: I dislike Herman Barnwell as he murders people. He is searched by police everywhere. He hides in Australia. He is Benjamin Addicks's brother.
Setting/Theme of the story: Perry Mason buys the diaries of Helen Cadmus, a girl who commits suicide in a voyage. He unexpectedly becomes the lawyer of Josephine Kempton who was with Helen Cadmus during the voyage. Benjamin Addicks and his men, Nathan Fallon, Hardwick, Herman Barnwell and Hershey, try to get hold of the diaries. Benjamin Addicks tries to hypnotize gorillas in his house. Benjamin Addick dies and Josephine is accused of murdering him. Perry Mason finds out, with the help of Paul Drake and Della Street, that a gorilla has murdered Addicks.
Part I enjoyed the most: I enjoyed the part when Nathan Fallon claims that he is a distant uncle of Cadmus and wants her diaries.

Eragon- Inheritance Book One

Eragon (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Title: Eragon­­- Inheritance Book One

Author: Christopher Paolini

Main Characters: Eragon, Roran, Arya, Murtagh, Ajihad, Saphira, Galbatorix, Ra'zac, Brom, Durza, Horst, Solan, Uncle Garrow, Angela and Orik.

Description of One of The Main Characters: Eragon is a poor farm boy. He likes wandering in the spine, the huge range of mountains. He lives in Alagaesia. He gets hold of a dragon egg and become a rider. He names his dragon as Saphira. Later, he kills the shade, Durza. He is the most powerful rider apart from Galbatorix, the evil rider, who is still alive.

Whom I like and Why: I like Murtagh as he is a loyal friend of Eragon and helped him after Eragon's teacher, Brom died. He was Morzan, the Forsworn’s son. He once saves Eragon from the shade Durza in Gil'ead. He has a long scar in his back. He is brave and trust worthy.

Whom I dislike and Why: I dislike Galbatorix as he is an evil monster. He is a rider, but used his thought badly. He combined his power with his dragon and by making somebody die with pain. He controlled the Shade and Durza and also the Urgals, horned beasts.

Setting/Theme of the story: It all starts when Eragon finds a dragon egg, and mistakes it too be a valuable stone, in the spine. As he is a poor farm boy he thinks of earning some money by selling the valuable stone but nobody in Alagaesia wants anything that is from the Spine. So Eragon goes back to his room in Uncle Garrow's house. One night the stone breaks and a Sapphire blue dragon emerges from it. When Eragon touches the dragon, he gets a silver mark in the palm indicating him as a dragon rider. After a few weeks, two Ra'zacs attack uncle Garrow's house and kill him when Eragon and his cousin, Roran, are out. After uncle Garrow's death, Roran sets out to get a job. Eragon finds an old story teller named Brom and sets on quest with his advice to defeat the Ra'zacs. On their way Brom teaches Eragon how to fight with a sword and also how to use magic. One day the Ra'zacs attack and kill Brom. Eragon doesn't understand what to do and he wanders helplessly. He finds Murtagh and they both become friends. They go to the Varden and meet the Ajihad. They save the elf Arya from the Shade. They help the Varden fight the Urgals and save Tronjeim, the place where dwarves live. During the fight Eragon kills Durza, the shade and earns th title 'Eragon Shadeslayer' from Arya. He thanks Saphira for combining her power with his.

Ponniyin Selvan: The Crown

The first three parts of the story Ponniyin Selvan are  The First Floods, The Cyclone and The Killer Sword. Now to the 4th part The Crown.

Title: Ponniyin Selvan: The Crown

Author: Kalki R. Krishnamurthy

Main Characters: VallvarayanVandiyathevan, Poonkuzhali, Parthibendran, Adhitha Karikalar, ArulmozhiVarman(Ponniyin Selvan), ParanthakaSundaraChozhar, KundavaiDevi(IlayaPirati), MadhuranthakaDevar, Kandaradithar, Nandini(PazhuvoorRani), ChinnaPazhuvetaraiyar, PeriyaPazhuvetaraiyar, KudanthaiJosiyar, Malayaman, SendhanAmuthan, KandanMaran, Manimekhalai, AzhvarkadiyanNambi(Thirumalai), EasanaBhattar, Vanathi, Aniruddha Bhramarayar and Sambuvaraiyar

Setting/Theme of the story: As Aditha Karikalan does not turn back, Vandiyathevan goes to Sambuvaraiyar's palace to ensure that the prince is safe. The prince and Vandiyathevan enjoy themselves by going out for hunting and boating. Meanwhile, Adithan's best friend Parthibendran,  KandanMaran and Sambuvaraiyar plan to kill the Crown prince. Prince Arulmozhi Varmar is still in Anuradhapuram. This is the end of the fourth part. 

Stay tuned for the last part, Part 5.

A Wrinkle In Time

Cover of A Wrinkle in Time

Title: A Wrinkle In Time
Author: Madeleine L'Engle
Main Characters: Margret Murry, Charles Wallace, Mr. Murry, Mrs. Murry, Calvin O'Keefe, Sandy, Dennys, IT, Mrs. Who, Mrs. Which and Mrs. Whatsit.
Description of one of the main characters: Sandy and Dennys are the two Murry twins. They are very strong. They like adventures. They are very naughty.
Whom I like and why: I like Mrs. Who, Mrs. Which and Mrs. Whatsit as they are all very helpful to Meg, Charles and Calvin during their journey to space. Mrs. Ws tesser very well.
Whom I dislike and why: I dislike IT as it is the black and evil thing. IT tries to shadow the earth as it had done to Camazotz, another planet like the earth.
Setting/Theme of the story: Meg Murry, Charles Wallace and Calvin set off to a dangerous journey through the space with Mrs. Ws. They go on this journey to save father of Meg and Charles. They have exciting adventures when they tesser(time travel). At last Meg defeats the IT and saves her father.
Part I enjoyed the most: I enjoyed the part when Meg saves her brother when the IT starts to control him.

Pun in a Tamizh Poem

Work at tamizh (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

There is a poem written in Tamizh by AndagakKavi Veeraraghavar which shows the richness of Tamizh.

The Tamizh Poem goes like this:

இம்பர்வான் எல்லை இராமனையே பாடி
என்கொணர்ந்தாய் பாணாநீ என்றாள் பாணி
வம்பதாம்க ளபமேன்றேன் பூசும் என்றாள்
மாதங்கம் என்றேன் யாம் வாழ்ந்தே மென்றாள்
பம்பு சீர் வேழமென்றேன் தின்னுமென்றாள்
பகடென்றேன் உழுமென்றாள் பழனந் தன்னை
கம்பமா என்றேன் நற்களியாம் என்றாள்
கைமா என்றேன் சும்மா கலங்கினாளே.-----அந்தகக்கவி வீரராகவர் 

A poet sings in the court of a king and comes back home with an elephant. His wife asks him what he had brought back. He replies that he had brought "kalabam" which means elephant. "kalabam" also means "Sandalwood". So his wife takes it as Sandalwood and asks him to apply it.

Next he says that he had got "Maadhangam" which means elephant. But his wife takes it as "gold" which is another meaning of Maadhangam and replies that they can live happily ever after.

Next he uses the word "Vezham" which also means elephant. His wife takes it as "sugarcane" the other meaning of Vezham. She tells him to eat it.

When he tells her that he had got back with "Pagadu" which means elephant, she takes it to be "Plough" the other meaning of it and asks him to plough the field.

When he tells her, he has got "Kambama" which means elephant, she thinks he has brought the flour "kambu maavu" which is denoted as "kamba ma" and tells him it would be enough for their supper.

Finally he uses the word "Kaima" which only means elephant, she stood speechless.

Do you see the richness of Tamizh and the proficiency of the Tamizh poet, his wife and their pun in the conversation?

Ponniyin Selvan: The Killer Sword

The first two parts of the story Ponniyin Selvan are The First Floods and The Cyclone. Now to the 3rd part The Killer Sword.


Title: Ponniyin Selvan: The Killer Sword


Author: Kalki R. Krishnamurthy


Main Characters: VallvarayanVandiyathevan, Poonkuzhali, Parthibendran, Adhitha Karikalar, ArulmozhiVarman(Ponniyin Selvan), ParanthakaSundaraChozhar, KundavaiDevi(IlayaPirati), MadhuranthakaDevar, Kandaradithar, Nandini(PazhuvoorRani), ChinnaPazhuvetaraiyar, PeriyaPazhuvetaraiyar, KudanthaiJosiyar, Malayaman, SendhanAmuthan, KandanMaran, Manimekhalai, AzhvarkadiyanNambi(Thirumalai), EasanaBhattar, Vanathi and Sambuvaraiyar


Setting/Theme of the story: Vandiyathevan leaves ArulmozhiVarmar with Poonkuzhali and her cousin SendhanAmuthan. SendhanAmuthan brings an information that the PazhayaraiPirati(KundavaiDevi) wants her brother to stay in the Buddhist viharam at Nagapattinam. Vandiyathevan goes back to IlayaPirati to tell her that the prince is safe. Meanwhile, Nandini, the PazhuvoorRani, invites Karikalan to Sambuvaraiyar's palace. So, when Vandiyathevan meets IlayaPirati, she asks him to stop AdithaKarikalan from going to Sambuvaraiyar's palace. Once AdithaKarikalan takes a step forward, he never turns back. When Vandiyathevan tries to stop Karikalan, he was in vain. By the time, KundavaiDevi brings ArulmozhiVarmar to Anuradhapuram. This is the end of Part 3. 


Stay tuned for Part 4.

Great Mordern Lives: Rudyard Kipling

Rudyard Kipling was born on 30 December, 1865. There were three things behind Kipling's success. First was, he was very good at story-telling. Second, he appeared in the English literary pause between the end of the great Victorian novel. Third, his way of writing was appealing to the public. Rudyard once wrote a novel called 'The Light That Failed' which was a failure. From then on Kipling never attempted to write a full length novel.

Rudyard Kipling received many awards and prizes. In 1907, he was awarded the Nobel Prize for literature. In 1926, he received the Gold Medal of the Royal Society of literature. The universities of Oxford, Cambridge, Durham, Edinburgh, McGill, Paris, Strasbough and Athens conferred degrees upon him.

He died on 18 January, 1936. His books are still read and being praised. Rudyard Kipling was a very good craftsman and a writer with his own style.

Ponniyin Selvan: The Cyclone

Image by mlanghans via Flickr

Title: Ponniyin Selvan: The Cyclone

Author: Kalki R. Krishnamurthy

Main Characters: VallvarayanVandiyathevan, Poonkuzhali, Parthibendran, Adhitha Karikalar, ArulmozhiVarman(Ponniyin Selvan), ParanthakaSundaraChozhar, KundavaiDevi(IlayaPirati), MadhuranthakaDevar, Kandaradithar, Nandini(PazhuvoorRani), ChinnaPazhuvetaraiyar, PeriyaPazhuvetaraiyar, KudanthaiJosiyar, Malayaman, SendhanAmuthan, KandanMaran, Manimekhalai, AzhvarkadiyanNambi(Thirumalai), EasanaBhattar and Sambuvaraiyar


Whom I like and why: I like Vallavarayan Vandiyathevan very much. He is a warrior from the royal but impoverished Vana clan. His ancestors had ruled TamilNadu for 300 years. Vandiyathevan serves the Chozha empire now. He is a friend and emissary of the crown prince Adhitha Karikalan. Vandiyathevan is famous for his valour. He brings back Arulmozhivarmar from Eezham to Nagapattinam as instructed by the IlayaPirati.


Whom I dislike and why: I dislike Nandini, the Pazhuvoor rani. As KundavaiDevi says Nandini is a venomous she-devil, an enchantress and a poisonous cobra. She wants to marry Adhitha Karikalan so that she can become the Empress of Chozha kingdom. She asks Adhithan to imprison his father SundaraChozhar and make her the Empress. She tries to separate Vandiyathevan from Adhithan.


Setting/Theme of the story: Vandiyathevan goes across the sea to Eezham with the help of a boat-girl named Poonkuzhali. She also helps him escape many dangers. She once saves him from getting caught in the Pazhuvettaraiyars' hands again. Vandiyathevan finds Prince Arulmozhivarmar in Eezham and hands over the scroll addressed to the prince from KundavaiDevi. At the same time, AzhvarKadiyanNambi delivers a scroll to the Prince from AniruddhaBhramayar of Anbil. After a few days, Parthibendra Pallavan also gives a scroll to Ponniyin Selvan from Adhitha Karikalan. The Prince becomes confused. Kundavai has asked Arulmozhivarman to come to Pazhayarai at once. The Prime Minister has asked Ponniyin Selvan to stay at Eezham for some more time. Prince's brother Karikalan has asked him to come to Kanchi at once. While the Prince is thinking whom he should listen to there is news that the Emperor wants Ponniyin Selvan arrested. Ponniyin Selvan thinks he has to follow his father's orders and goes in the ship of Parthibendran. Meanwhile Vandiyathevan gets caught in the ship of a few Arabs. He pushes the Arabs into the sea. While they are all travelling a cyclone hits and Vandiyathevan's ship catches fire. Ponniyin Selvan jumps into the sea from the other ship in order to save Vandiyathevan. Vandiyathevan is rescued from the burning ship but both the Prince and Vandiyathevan get caught in the cyclone. When Ponniyin Selvan and Vandiyathevan start to loose hope in surviving the cyclone, Poonkuzhali rows to them and saves them in her boat. She takes them back to safety. 


This is the end of part 2. Stay tuned.

Harry Potter Vs Percy Jackson

Image via Wikipedia

Image via Wikipedia

Even if Harry Potter and Percy Jackson are two different series of stories by two different authors, I could find some similarities in them.

In Percy Jackson, Percy is like Harry from Harry Potter. Annabeth is like Hermione and Grover is like Ronald Weasley. Dumbledore, the headmaster of the Hogwarts is like Chiron who trains Half-bloods to become heroes.

The villain in Harry Potter, Lord Voldemort, is just like the evil Lord of the Titans, Kronos. Voldemort initially takes the form of Quirrel's head while Kronos takes the form of Luke.

Harry is a wizard while Percy is a demi-god. Harry and other wizards go to "Hogwarts" while the Half-bloods like Percy go to "Camp Half-blood". While Wizards fight with wands, Demi-gods fight with swords. Hogwarts has a game on its own called "Quidditch" while Camp Half-blood has "Capture-the-flag".

I hope you see the many similarities between these two completely different series. Please feel free to share if you have some more.

How Prince Arulmozhivarman Got The Name 'Ponniyin Selvan'

ParanthakaSundaraChozhar and his family used to cruise on the River Ponni in their Royal boat. One day, when they went on one of the boat rides, Arulmozhivarman fell into the Ponni river and disappeared. Everybody searched everywhere but could not find the young boy. Then suddenly, a young woman came from the middle of the river and held the child, Arulmozhivarman, aloft. Thus, from that time, the child was also called  Ponniyin Selvan, dear to the Ponni River.