Ponniyin Selvan-Untold

The Children | The 2nd Gen

(A/N): To know more about Paravai, please go to the (A/N) note I wrote at the end. I've also mentioned a small bit about Arulmozhi Chandramalli and Panjavan Maadeviyar in the note.

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8-year-old Kanmani ran to the meeting hall. She had gone to Vallam for a few months and was excited to meet Madhuranthankan again.

She saw him standing out of the hall with another unfamiliar-looking girl.

"Kanmani!" Madhuranthankan smiled. "Meet Paravai, she has come here from the Thiruvarur Periya Thalachery." The girl named Paravai folded her palms.

Kanmani stared at her.

"We're best friends now!" He said. "If she's from the Thalachery, can she dance?" Asked Kanmani.

"Not so much princess. I've started training only recently." Paravai replied.

"Oh."

"She likes visiting temples."

"Yes. I want to give massive donations to temples one day."

"I'll help you when I grow up, Paravai."

"Thank you, prince! You're so kind."

Kanmani silently listened. Maybe she could be a good friend of hers. Just then, a lady came out of the hall. "Paravai, it's time for us to leave."

"Okay Akka...Bye Madhu." She said. Madhu looked upset. "Please stay for a few days more."

"Don't worry. Kundavai Naachiyar said she'll bring me here sometimes." She smiled. Right as she said that, Kundavai and Vanathi came, the latter holding a covered plate.

"Right. Amma and I have a gift for you." Madhuranthakan said. Together, they presented a beautiful pair of golden anklets to Paravai. "Take it, child." Panjavan Maadeviyar told with a kind smile.

Paravai looked at her companion hesitatingly. Upon being persuaded, she accepted it.

"Well, I've given a gift as a token of our friendship. Where is my gift?"

"I will give it, once you come to Thiruvarur."

"I'll be waiting." Madhuranthakan smiled "Amma, Athai. I'll come after sending them off."

Once the three left, Kanmani turned to Vanathi. "Athai, where is Chandramalli?"

"She'll probably be tagging behind her father, Kanne."

"Where is appa, Kanmani?"

"He had to sort out some issue, Amma. So he couldn't come. He wanted me to give this olai to you." She said and handed a palm leaf to Kundavai.

•••

In the garden, Chandramalli and Kanmani were chewing on sugarcane. "Chandra, when did Paravai come here?" Asked Kanmani. "Just last week. Anna and Paravai Akka spent lots of time together. She was fun to be around with." Came the reply.

"Hmmm..."

"Why, what happened Kanmani?"

"Nothing."

Madhuranthakan popped up from behind them and stole a piece of sugarcane that Chandramalli had saved. "That's mine!" She hissed.

"Go eat your vegetables, Chandra. You're always chewing sugarcane all day long." Madhu advised his step-sister. "Here, take mine." Said Kanmani.

"At least my teeth are stronger than yours." Retorted Chandra. Before he could react, she grabbed his arm and bit it. "AMMA!" Madhuranthakan screamed. "Aiyo! Mama, mama come here!" Shouted Kanmani after spotting her Thaimaman taking a stroll in the gardens.

Arulmozhi Varman rushed towards them and separated the siblings away. "Chandramalli! Why are you biting him? And Madhuranthaka, I'm sure that you must've provoked her." He scolded.

"He took my sugarcane."

"Whatever is my sister's, also belongs to me right? Haven't you told me about how Harshavardhana had to wear his sister's clothes at the end of all his grand donations, Appa?"

"With that logic, Anna's arm too belongs to me. So, I am free to bite it right?"

"Eshwara! Stop it. Kanmani, what punishment should we give to these two?"

A wicked grin appeared on her face. "Thoppukaranam, mama. 50 times each."

"No. No. Noooo!" Madhu said and ran off.

"50 times is too much!" Chandra argued.

"Ey, Madhu ran off, leaving the piece behind. Hurry, grab it!" She said.

"Nah it's fine. Appa, you take this piece." Malli said and handed it to Arulmozhi.

"You do know how to eat it right appa? Just chew and drink the juice and don't eat the leftovers. Vanathi periyamma said that a sugarcane will grow inside you if you eat that."

"Don't worry, I'll spit it out."

Madhu came back with a sword in his hands. "Kanmani, I bet you thought that I was a coward since I ran away."

"No Madhu, I didn-"

"So I'm here with a sword to prove that I'm the most courageous person in our Chozha Parambarai. Only after appa, of course."

Arulmozhi laughed and ruffled his hair. "I have delayed your training for too long. Your paati was worried if you're going to hurt yourself."

"So you're going to start it?"

"Mhm."

Kanmani and Chandramalli sprang up. "For me too!" They said together and laughed.

"For all of you."

•••

Madhuranthakan was busy drawing in the anthapuram.

"What is my little tiger doing?" Asked Thillai Azhagiyaar tickling him. She had come in after a dance practice and was removing her Salangais.

"Oh Am-Hehehe! Amma sto- Ahahahaha! Amma don't tickle me please!" Madhu protested in between giggles.

"Is that a crown?" She asked looking at a drawing. "No! It's a temple!"

"I see. Is it a temple for Perumal or Thirumal?"

"Neither."

"Then who?"

"You, Amma."

Panjavan Maadeviyaar froze. "What do you mean?"

"I mean you always take care of me so much and play with me. I love my Amma a lot too, but she's mostly busy. But you are very special to me, Amma." He said, his hands displaying the drawing and his eyes sparkling with pride.

She hugged him tightly, feeling blessed to have a son like him.

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(A/N): Anukkiyar Paravai Nangaiyar (Anukkiyar means female friend) is described to be Rajendra Chozhan's friend or lady love in Rajadhiraja Chozhan's inscriptions. It is said that she had come from the Thiruvarur Periya Thalachery. She donated a lot of her wealth to temples.

Source: https://glorioustamils.com/tag/anukkiyar-paravai-nangaiyar/

Along with Paravai, Panjavan Maadeviyar too played an important role in Rajendran's life. Rajendran built the Panjavan Maadevi Pallipadai in her honor.

Chandramalli is Panjavan Maadeviyar and Rajaraja Chozhan's daughter.

Also, Kanmani is a fictional character (Probably). She appears in the Ponniyin Selvan 2.0 series and its sequels by Sunday Disturbers- Arunprasath Natrajan. I haven't watched it yet.

Glossary:

Thalachery- Residential dance school

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