A SCINTILLATING NEW TRANSLATION OF THE CLASSIC TAMIL NOVEL. Why is Arulmozhi Varman, the dazzling younger prince of the Chozha dynasty, called ‘Ponniyin Selvan’? He must face an onslaught of enemies on the battlefield—a challenge he’s equal to—but can he simultaneously unravel the intricate web of conspiracies and betrayals within his own family and court? And who is the mysterious Poonguzhali, she of the mesmerising face and voice? Why did she agree to assist our hero Vandiyadevan in his dangerous quest to deliver a confidential message to Arulmozhi? The throne of the Chozha empire is on the line. As intellect and eloquence clash in the rivalry between the fearless Pazhuvoor Rani, Nandini, and the indomitable Chola Princess, Kundavai, which of these remarkable women will prevail? When Ponniyin Selvan was first serialised in Kalki, no one could have imagined the impact it would have on the circulation of the magazine. The novel invented a distinct style, in which slang alternates with erudition, wordplay with euphoric prose and vivid imagery—a style that critics came to call ‘Kalki Tamil’. Today, this pioneering work is considered one of the great classics of Tamil literature. This unabridged translation of Kalki Krishnamurthy’s masterwork by Nandini Krishnan is at once faithful to the original and accessible to the readers of this day. Carefully crafted in lyrical prose, the Ponniyin Selvan series is the quintessential page-turner: full of adventure, intrigue, conspiracy and romance.

A SCINTILLATING NEW TRANSLATION OF THE CLASSIC TAMIL NOVEL. As the winds of political intrigue and dynastic upheavals blow through the Chozha Empire, it all comes down to one woman–the powerful Pazhuvoor Ilaiya Rani, Nandini. What is the strange power she wields over her influential husband, Periya Pazhuvettaraiyar? Why does the mere mention of her name torment Crown Prince Aditya Karikalan? And what about our fearless hero, Vallavarayan Vandiyadevan. Does he complete the mission to deliver Karikalan’s message to Kundavai Piraatti? Does Azhvarkadiyaan Nambi succeed in his quest to meet Nandini? And what fate awaits those who are conspiring against Emperor Sundara Chozhar? When Ponniyin Selvan was first serialised in Kalki, no one could have imagined the impact it would have on the circulation of the magazine. The novel invented a distinct style, in which slang alternates with erudition, wordplay with euphoric prose and vivid imagery—a style that critics came to call ‘Kalki Tamil’. Today, this pioneering work is considered one of the great classics of Tamil literature. This unabridged and first-rate translation of Kalki Krishnamurthy’s masterwork by Nandini Krishnan is at once faithful to the original and accessible to the readers of this day. Carefully crafted in lyrical prose, Troubled Waters—Book Two in the Ponniyin Selvan series—is the quintessential page-turner: full of adventure, intrigue, conspiracy and romance.

Female-to-male transgender people, or transmasculine people as they are called, are just beginning to form their networks in India. But their struggles are not visible to a gender-normative society that barely notices, much less acknowledges, them. While transwomen have gained recognition through the extraordinary efforts of activists and feminists, the brotherhood, as the transmasculine network often refers to itself, remains imponderable, diminished even within the transgender community. For all intents and purposes, they do not exist. In a country in which parents wish their daughters were sons, they exile the daughters who do become sons. In this remarkable, intimate book, Nandini Krishnan burrows deep into the prejudices encountered by India's transmen, the complexities of hormonal transitions and sex reassignment surgery, issues of social and family estrangement, and whether socioeconomic privilege makes a difference. With frank, poignant, often idiosyncratic interviews that braid the personal with the political, the informative with the offhand, she makes a powerful case for inclusivity and a non-binary approach to gender. Above all, she asks the question: what does manhood really mean?

Whirlwinds, the exciting second part of Kalki R Krishnamurthy's historic magnum opus Ponniyin Selvan, our hero Vallavarayan Vandhiyathevan's adventures continue as he rides into marshy quagmires, befriends a mysterious girl, becomes the object of intense suspicion by the wily Pazhuvettarayars - and meets the hero of his dreams. Meanwhile, Kundhavai Piratti, princess of the Chozha empire is thrown into confusion and outrage, while the beautiful but poisonous Nandhini Devi weaves more deceitful webs to ensnare her enemies. She will stop at nothing to bring about the downfall of the Chozhas ... but will the scions of that royal clan escape in time? Read on to find out as the epic continues.

Sword of Slaughter findsus at an exciting cliffhanger following the end of Book 3 - have Vandhiyathevan and Arulmozhi Varmar truly been saved? What of their fate in the land of their birth, Chozha Nadu? Are the Pazhuvettarayars truly stirring the country in a revolt against their favourite prince? Why does the alluring Nandhini Devi insist on meeting allies within crumbling palaces? Why does Madhuranthaka Thevar ride his stumbling horse through fields, on a rainy night? And why does Vanathi, that shrinking, timid violet, leave her charming mentor to go on a solitary journey? Then, there are our trusted friends, whose fates are also unclear: Is Sundara Chozhar still bedridden? What of the canny Anbil Aniruddhar and his cunning disciple Azhwarkkadiyaan? And what of the light of the Chozhas, princess Kundhavai herself?

Historical novel on the life and reign of Rajaraja I, active 985-1014, King of Chola dynasty.