Kalki R. Krishnamurthy is well known for humour and subtlety in his writing, which do poke at times at the readers and the world at large. One of the best examples of his cutting wit is ‘The Tiger King’ (புலி ராஜா). As a matter of fact, I wonder how long will the present regime under Narendra Modi and Smriti Irani allow The Tiger King, which mercilessly makes fun of astrologers, to be included in the syllabus for CBSE Standard 12 English (Core).
BTP, the first incident where I felt that Kalki is gently tweaking the reader’s nose was in the Volume 2 of Ponniyin Selvan. Let us take a look at the timeline of events in Ponniyin Selvan Volume 2 – as described by Kalki himself. In this article, we will see how the author is full of guile and mystery, unless we admit that he fumbled his own timeline.
In Volume 2, Chapter 13, para 1, we have the author describe the situation: that Vandhiyadevan walks towards Mathota from Naka Tivu in Sri Lanka; the First Minister Anirudha Brahmarayar debriefs his agent Azhvarkkadiyan at Rameshwaram; and Princess Kundavai and Vanathi arrive at Thanjavur. All these happen on the same day, if not at the same time.
The First Minister Anirudha Brahmarayar is at Rameshwaram after visiting Mathota in Sri Lanka where he briefed the young Prince Arulmozhivarma. The same Mathota (in Mannar) to which Vandhiyadevan is walking towards from Naga Tivu (in Jaffna). Plotting the described situation in Google Maps would give us a far better idea of distances and time involved.
The walk from Naga Tivu to Mathota is around 104 km, which would mean a 2 days plus travel time with adequate rests. The cruise time from Mathotha to Rameshwaram is around 7 hours, counting the speed of Dhows of that time.
Vandhiyadevan on arrival at Mathota Fort creates a ruckus, as is his usual practice, and is taken into custody. His request for an audience with the Chola General Vikarama Kesari is denied for the moment, as the General is busy in seeing off the First Minister Anirudha Brahmarayar!
Now, how is that Brahmarayar is talking to his counter intelligence agent Azhavarkkadiyan at Rameshwaram, a full day (or 2 ?) ‘before’ he sets sail from Mathota to Rameshwaram?
There are 2 explanations I can think of.
One is the obvious, that Kalki somehow mixed up his own timeline. To correct it, all we have to do is disregard the one sentence referring to the meeting at Rameshwaram as happening on the same day.
The second is convoluted, but more to my liking. That the First Minister Anirudha Brahmarayar uses Political Decoy or Body Double to suit his purposes. The real Brahmarayar meets the Prince, and sails away as Vandhiyadevan lands at Naga Tivu – without the knowledge of anyone, including General Vikrama Kesari. He meets, debriefs Azhvarkkadiyan and gives him further orders at Rameshwaram.
Meanwhile, the Political Decoy or Body Double stays on for one more day at Mathota and departs with full fanfare when Vandhiyadevan reaches Mathota and is taken into custody. The decoy reaches Rameshwaram the same day, informs the original Brahmarayar about Vandhiyadevan, who further orders Azhvarkkadiyan to immediately proceed to Mathota.
The next day Azhvarkkadiyan sails for Mathota, reaches in the evening and manages to meet Vandhiyadevan, and the fighting cat in the dark prison cell.
So there we have it. Either we can disregard the one sentence as a blunder by Kalki, or we can take it as a subterfuge by the First Minister. The choice is ours!
BTP, the first incident where I felt that Kalki is gently tweaking the reader’s nose was in the Volume 2 of Ponniyin Selvan. Let us take a look at the timeline of events in Ponniyin Selvan Volume 2 – as described by Kalki himself. In this article, we will see how the author is full of guile and mystery, unless we admit that he fumbled his own timeline.
In Volume 2, Chapter 13, para 1, we have the author describe the situation: that Vandhiyadevan walks towards Mathota from Naka Tivu in Sri Lanka; the First Minister Anirudha Brahmarayar debriefs his agent Azhvarkkadiyan at Rameshwaram; and Princess Kundavai and Vanathi arrive at Thanjavur. All these happen on the same day, if not at the same time.
The First Minister Anirudha Brahmarayar is at Rameshwaram after visiting Mathota in Sri Lanka where he briefed the young Prince Arulmozhivarma. The same Mathota (in Mannar) to which Vandhiyadevan is walking towards from Naga Tivu (in Jaffna). Plotting the described situation in Google Maps would give us a far better idea of distances and time involved.
The walk from Naga Tivu to Mathota is around 104 km, which would mean a 2 days plus travel time with adequate rests. The cruise time from Mathotha to Rameshwaram is around 7 hours, counting the speed of Dhows of that time.
Vandhiyadevan on arrival at Mathota Fort creates a ruckus, as is his usual practice, and is taken into custody. His request for an audience with the Chola General Vikarama Kesari is denied for the moment, as the General is busy in seeing off the First Minister Anirudha Brahmarayar!
Now, how is that Brahmarayar is talking to his counter intelligence agent Azhavarkkadiyan at Rameshwaram, a full day (or 2 ?) ‘before’ he sets sail from Mathota to Rameshwaram?
There are 2 explanations I can think of.
One is the obvious, that Kalki somehow mixed up his own timeline. To correct it, all we have to do is disregard the one sentence referring to the meeting at Rameshwaram as happening on the same day.
The second is convoluted, but more to my liking. That the First Minister Anirudha Brahmarayar uses Political Decoy or Body Double to suit his purposes. The real Brahmarayar meets the Prince, and sails away as Vandhiyadevan lands at Naga Tivu – without the knowledge of anyone, including General Vikrama Kesari. He meets, debriefs Azhvarkkadiyan and gives him further orders at Rameshwaram.
Meanwhile, the Political Decoy or Body Double stays on for one more day at Mathota and departs with full fanfare when Vandhiyadevan reaches Mathota and is taken into custody. The decoy reaches Rameshwaram the same day, informs the original Brahmarayar about Vandhiyadevan, who further orders Azhvarkkadiyan to immediately proceed to Mathota.
The next day Azhvarkkadiyan sails for Mathota, reaches in the evening and manages to meet Vandhiyadevan, and the fighting cat in the dark prison cell.
So there we have it. Either we can disregard the one sentence as a blunder by Kalki, or we can take it as a subterfuge by the First Minister. The choice is ours!
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