To Him, My Love

To Him, my love

As he lays in my arms, he looks pretty and peaceful. His pale face shines in the moonlight, he's my ethereal prince. I know once his golden eyes open to greet the universe he would look at me with digust. And as I enjoy my last minutes of true peace, my heart is restless for the future.

-Mithra

1. Watching a good movie

2.going out with my friends

3.midnight rides

4.acheivements (which are very rare)

5.when i make new frnds(i feel very proud of my self).

@sampigehoovu @aksm @notebookmuseum @reeeereeeereeereee @thirst4light @thegleamingmoon

List 5 things that make you happy, then put this in the ask box of the last ten people who reblogged something from you. Spread the positivity<3

Thanks @yehsahihai and @hinsaa-paramo-dharma.

Here are the 5 things that make me happy:

1. Singada (samosa) and icecream. Sorry, I can't choose between the two. I need to have them both when depressed or stressed.

2. Mom and dad's care and support.

3. Books with happy endings.

4. My niece.

5. Talking to my best friends.

Here are the last ten people who reblogged something from me:

@mantrabay @ambidextrousarcher @dancingpotato @booksteaandcrying @thirst4light @the-psychotic-lady @sampigehoovu @nerdreader @krishakamal @willkatfanfromasia

Some crazy Ponniyin Selvan prompts

• Poonkuzhali joins Pandya Aabathudavigal.

Some time ago, some people from the Pandya country came here. They wanted me to help them wreak vengeance on the royal family which had betrayed my aunt. It was then that I heard my aunt's story. My blood began to boil and I decided to join them. Later, I came to know how my aunt felt about all this. . . . Then I abandoned the idea of joining hands with the Pandya group. As you said my aunt's love is really divine. But mark my words, I won't be like her. If any Prince tries to deceive me I'll take revenge. I'll kill him. I'll also kill the woman who steals him from me. Then I'll stab myself and die.

• Vanathi joins Buddha monastery for real.

Vanathi went on: "Yes! I've decided to become a Buddhist sanyasini. Why do you object to that? Weren't there many women in ancient Tamil Nadu who became ascetics? Did not Madhavi's daughter, Manimekalail, become an ascetic and attain divinity and don't we praise her now as the Goddess Manimekalai? I have no such aspirations. I tried to end my useless life, but failed in the attempt. Perhaps it is God's wish that I live a little longer. I want to join a Buddhist monastery and spend my time serving people. You won't refuse to help me, will you?"

• Chinna Pazhuvettaraiyar Kalanthaka Kandar adopts Vanthiyathevan.

Let's wait, he thought, until my older brother returns. We can find out about him then and do whatever is best. A warrior like him should be inducted into our private bodyguard. Even a portion of his ancestral kingdom could be given back to him. Helping boys like this will bind them to us and ensure their loyalty. But if he's proved an enemy, we'll have to make other plans. Let's wait for my brother, anyway. We’ll see.

• Poonkuzhali fakes her death and runs away from the palace.

The court politics and the never ending scheming are so tiring and infuriating. She doesn't like Senthan as much as thought and Emperor Senthan is the most eligible married man in the country. She runs away, to embrace the waves once again.

• Manimegalai thinks 'ponal pogattum poda' (let it go) and starts to manage the affairs of Sambuvarayar clan when Kandan Maran is away on border patrol.

She is totally embarassed about her emotional outburst about a man who doesn't like her, that too to the woman he actually loves.

• Parthipendra Pallavan and Manimegalai decide to get married out of spite and plot the end of Vanthiyathevan and Kundavai.

Yeah, I made that up. I am crazy.

If anyone writes anything, please tag me so that my evil heart can rejoice 😏

@vibishalakshman @willkatfanfromasia @celestesinsight @harinishivaa @nspwriteups @nature-writes29, @whippersnappersbookworm @philtstone @sambaridli @sampigehoovu @thirst4light @dr-scribbler @doesitmatterluv @thirishareads

Kundavai: The Thirukoilur Malayaman clan hates beauty, they think it is the enemy of valour.

Malayaman:  And, your father was also Arinjayan's only son. He was handsome as Manmatha when he was your age. Neither in the Chozha family nor in any other princely family in Tamil Nadu was there anybody as handsome . . . Kings and petty chieftains from Lanka to the Vindhyas performed penance in order to be worthy enough to offer their daughters to him in marriage. Neither the men or the women in my clan are known for their looks. The more battle scars our men had, the more handsome they were considered. And for our women, chastity and character were the ornaments, signs of beauty.

Malayaman brought up Vanamadevi by telling her that she was ugly, in a period when women were valued a lot for their beauty. It isn't like he inculcated confidence and independence in her by saying that such superficial things don't matter. He doubled down that women of his clan compensated for their lack of beauty by strictly following other regressive practises.

Vanamadevi too thought that beauty s an essential part of a woman's life. When Sundara Cholan expressed displeasure for dragging Mandakini to the palace, she asked her daughter to groom and beautify Mandakini.

The Emperor's disgust was evident in the way he referred to Mandakini as 'this'. Disappointed, Kundavai looked at her father . . .  Malayaman's daughter came up to Kundavai and whispered, "My child! Isn't she unbearable to look at. What is the point in being angry with your father? Come, let's see how skillful you are in the art of making her beautiful."

Unfortunately, it worked very well.

He (Sundara Cholan) was full of appreciation for Kundavai's skill at makeup. "You have transformed a wild looking being into Indirani of Devalokam. But did you have to choose an old woman like this? Can't you demonstrate your skill on young girls like Vanathi?" he teased.

Vanamadevi must have spent her whole life feeling ugly and unworthy of Sundara Cholan. Her father was a regressive pos even for 10th century and her husband (who talks about his lover in his sleep) was the most handsome man in the three worlds. She must have consoled herself that whatever affection she got was a big deal because Sundaran deserved and prefered prettier women.

Probably Malayaman threw a party when she burnt herself on her husband's funeral pyre and boasted that his daughter was more pious and chaste than older widows from inferior clans, like  Kalyani Devi (Arinjayan's wife) and Sembiyan Madevi.

4- THE FIRST STEP

Part 1, 2, 3

Pazhayarai

"Madurayum Eezamum Konda Ko-Parakesari Parantaka Chozhare vanangidunnen". Veera Pandyan bowed before the Chola king showing great pretension of reverence and humility. The old king smiled arrogantly but he too pretended to be very gracious as he hugged Veera Pandyan and enquired about the welfare of his family.

A scribe read out the royal charter detailing the terms of surrender and the tax to be submitted to the Chola treasury. They have reviewed and conducted several rounds of deliberations in the presence of Chera vassals. Though they have no plans to follow it strictly, Cholas and Cheras don't need to know that.

Menandros pointed out the Pallava chieftain to Ravidasan. Fate is indeed a strange thing. Aditha Cholan once stood with his spine bent in the court of Aparajita Varman. Then he took his head. Now the irumudi adorns his son's head and Aparajita Pallavan's and Rajasimha Pandyan's grandsons worship his feet.

But this compromise didn't come out of nowhere, did it? Everyone knew about Aditha Cholan's fight with his father-in-law Kannara Devan. Parantakan wouldn't have agreed to this arrangement if most of his forces weren't engaged at Thirumunaipadi. That was their hope too. Only Menandros and a few trusted lieutenants escaped with the royals last time. If these upstarts suffer a crushing setback in the hands of Rashtrakutas, it won't be impossible to declare independence.

Read about Chola - Rashtrakuta problem

They moved to the dining hall to feast and rejoice and Menandros quitely introduced some other vassals to him. Though much was left unsaid, Ravidasan understood the implications of his words.

Some were elevated by marriage alliances and other allowances, like Periya Pazhuvettaraiyan Kandan Amudhan. Some like Miladudaiyan Malayaman were allowed to keep their possessions, but they are not sufficiently rewarded with higher responsibilities. To be frank, he seemed happier than the highly decorated chieftains. After a round of alcohol, he and his companions started singing folk songs and dancing. Cholan's grandson too joined them. No wonder he is called Sundaran. He glowed as if he is made of pure gold.

Chinna Pazhuvettaraiyan Tappilidharman's two sons who looked like Hiranyakashipu and Hiranyakshan stared at them. Ravidasan and Menandros stared back with equal intensity.

°°°°°°°°°°

Madurai

"Who won?"

"We won, ilavarase. Those two pebble eyed demons had to concede defeat".

"Is it true that young Pazhavoor princes are seven feet tall and can bend a sword with plain hands?"

"No, they are almost as tall as me. Definitely not seven feet tall. What do you say, Ravidasa?"

Ravidasan was planning to take it up directly with Veera Pandyan. If those Pazhuvoor men are any indication, Chola Velakkara Padai is insanely strong. He had gathered that the elder brother used to lead them but now the younger brother has taken up that position and the older one is with his family's forces now.

"Definitely not seven feet tall. No sword bending either. But they can snap the neck of a grown man easily. Thalapathi, shouldn't we intensify the training program of our forces?"

"We are allowed only minimal autonomy. Haven't we divided the forces into smaller units and train them individually? We will have to wait till they are confirmed to be occupied elsewhere."

"I got an intelligence report that Kodumbaloor Irunkovelan and Sambuvarayan marched to Kanchi even before you left Pazhayarai". Jatilan sounded extremely proud about the confidential information he managed to secure.

"Ilavarase, I heard that the younger Pazhavoor prince was summoned by Kondandaraman (Rajadithan). If they are moving the Velakkara Padai, their situation is more precarious than we thought. That's the only thing that gives me some peace of mind."

"Paatta, how is appa's new recruit? Is this guy learning everything?"

"Absolutely. Also if everything happens as Ravi says, we can start mobilising our forces soon".

"Let me test him. Anna, tell me the names of the chieftains who were present there".

Ravidasan recounted the names- Pazhuvettaraiyan, Pallavan, Miladudaiyan, Sambuvarayan, Irunkovelan, Vanangamudi . . . Menandros started giggling like a teenager. "Jatila, your dream father-in-law wasn't invited".

Some chieftains like Mazhavarayar who lost their lands and titles are relegated to the background and don't get invited to events like this. He has a mad daughter - Uma Maheshwari. The girl spends the whole day dancing and praying before Natarajan. Ever since Jatilan met her, he hasn't stopped dreaming about her.

The prince didn't like Menandros' teasing. Uma Maheshwari and Jatilavarman. They are made for each other. Ravidasan and Menandros had to agree to that logic. Jatilan too might as well learn some dance from Malayaman. He walked away, blushing and complaining that no one has any regard for him.

Aha! Troubles of a teenage heart. Today was a pleasant day indeed.

Bonus: Uma Maheshwari's dance

Is there no place for this thumba flower(symbolising Parvati) in your sacred matted hair decorated by the crescent moon?

In this bountiful nature that produces the sound of om, this flower blooms with the nectarine offerings of love.

Won't Haran (Siva)'s eyes caress the petals of this humble flower?

Can you guess who is Mazhappadi Uma Maheshwari?

Who are Chinna Pazhuvettaraiyan Tappilidharman's two sons?

@celestesinsight @whippersnappersbookworm @sambaridli @harinishivaa @sakhiiii @sampigehoovu @willkatfanfromasia @favcolourvibgior

I am happy if you just listen to my chatter.

Mahanati (Telugu, 2018)