Amma, Appa, Nandini and Bhattar went to the palace in the afternoon. A lot of people had come to meet Sembiyan Madevi. Thiruveni stayed behind with Bhattar's wife to help her with household chores. "That lady practically lives in these temples, Nandini. I can see her later. You go ahead", she said.
Nandini gazed intently at her face. When she heard that she is the wife of dead Kandarathithar, she expected an old lady. But this lady looked relatively young and vibrant, though she had an air of melancholy around her. Such a pious lady!
•-------------•
"That little girl looks like she could be our piratti's daughter, doesn't she?", Sembiyan Madevi's attendant asked her friend, who nodded. Sembiyan Madevi felt like the ground she was standing on slipped from under her feet. "Is that...?", she didn't have the courage to complete that thought. Why have these people come here, of all the places?
"Salutations to the Periya Piratti", they bowed. Siva Bhattar introduced them to her and reminded her that they were recommended by Anirudhar himself. Sembiyan Madevi heaved a sigh of relief. They are Vaishnavites. Maduranthakan never went to that small Perumal temple. Should she chastise these girls? No, they will only talk more. "Come here, child", she beckoned Nandini. "Do you happen to be from Mazhappadi?", she asked Nandini's mother who denied it. "She reminds me of my grandmother", she touched Nandini's cheeks. Nandini felt so happy but she noticed that Madevi's smile didn't reach her eyes. "Maybe her poor grandmother too died and my face reminded her of her loses", she thought sadly.
•-------------•
"Paatti, paatti, paatti, paatti"
She saw three children running to them. One was a beautiful girl who seemed almost the same age as her. The other two were two boys- an awkward older one and a cute little one. "This must be Ponniyin Selvan", she smiled at the chuckling chubby boy. She has heard about the youngest son of the Chola emperor who was saved by the Ponni thayi herself. The girl was explaining how much they enjoyed playing in the water. Siva Bhattar bowed to the older boy and others followed suit.
"Kundavai, this is Nandini", Nandini was startled. Why are they talking about her? "Nandini, this is the Ilaya Piratti of the Chola empire, Sundara Cholan's darling daughter, the sister of Aditha Karikalan and Ponniyin Selvan - Kundavai". Nandini saluted her. Sembiyan Madevi asked the three children to include Nandini in their games and they looked like that's the last thing they wanted to do. As if Nandini had any free time to play with these royal brats! She has to learn pasurams, string garlands and help her parents.
When those three children went to the other wing of the palace, Sembiyan Madevi asked her to go with them. When she hesitated, she assured her that she'd take Nandini home when she visits their temple in the evening to oversee the arrangements.
•-------------•
"Did you see that owl faced girl, anna?"
Nandini was horrified. Was this girl talking about her? "My darling sister is jealous", the older prince teased her. "That's so mean akka, didn't you say that we shouldn't say such words?", the younger prince too looked horrified. "Yes, but we should always be truthful. She is so ugly, that's the truth", the princess insisted.
Nandini stopped dead in her tracks. She couldn't believe her ears. Why is the princess so cruel? What did she do these people? Did she look that bad? The esteemed Sembiyan Madevi just said that she looks like her grandmother. She went back to her mother and lied that she couldn't find the three children because she didn't know where to look in the unfamiliar place. That wasn't untrue either- this city seemed like an unwelcome place.
Kandarathithar- Gandaraditha Chola, the husband of Sembiyan Madevi and the uncle of Sundara Cholan.
Perumal - Lord Vishnu
Mazhappadi - A place in Tamil Nadu, Sembiyan Madevi's native
Periya Piratti - Senior Queen/Princess
Ilaya Piratti - Junior Queen/Princess
Paatti - Grandmother
Akka - Older sister
Pasuram - Hymn
Picture credits - Nila Comics. They have published Ponniyin Selvan novel as comic books (Eng and Tamil) https://nilacomics.com/
YOU ARE READING
Nandini
Tarihi KurguA reading of Ponniyin Selvan from Nandini's perspective. Nandini is the narrator of this story and the events are presented as she (could have) comprehended them. I don't own any of the characters or situations.
