Sivagamiyin Sabatham|Part-1|Chapter-4|
It would be difficult to point out who the real hero of the novel is. Mahendravarman I, the Pallava emperor, plays an important role in the first half of the story while his son Narasimhavarman comes into his own as the novel progresses. The plot revolves around the historical events of the Chalukya king, Pulakeshin II, laying a siege of Kanchi, and Narasimhavarman avenging this by attacking Vatapi, the capital of the Chalukyas. The novel is divided into four parts. Part 1: Paranjothi's JourneyEdit The novel begins with the arrival of Paranjothi in the city of Kanchi to attain tutelage under the Tamil saint Thirunavukkarasar. But he ends up saving the damsel Sivagami and her father Aayannar from a mad elephant by throwing a spear at it, almost by reflex. There is considerable unease in the town since the Chalukya king Pulikesi is on his way to attack Kanchi. That night Paranjothi is arrested by the guards and is kept in a cell since Mahendravarman wants to see and jail the young man who saved the life of his most important artists. But Paranjothi manages to escape from the prison with help from Naganandhi, the Buddhist monk who accompanied him to Kanchipuram. Naganandhi takes him out of the Kanchi fort through a secret tunnel to meet the master sculptor Aayannar, who stays outside the fort in a small settlement. Paranjothi plans to join the sculptor as a student and believes that should be possible since his uncle, a friend of Aayannar, has provided a letter asking Aayannar to take care of his nephew. Naganandhi, who has promised Aayannar that he would get him the secret behind the dyes used in the Ajanta paintings under Chalukyas, asks Aayannar to send Paranjothi on a trip to the Vindhyas to meet a monk who Naganandhi says, should give Paranjothi the secret formula for the dyes. Accordingly, Paranjothi is sent with a note written by Naganandhi ( which actually contains letter to Pulikesi which Paranjothi thinks it is a letter to the monk in the Ajanta regarding coming quickly to coming to Kanchipuram for invading as the current pallava army is weak and scattered)y. Narasimhavarman continues visiting his lover, Sivagami who has mastered the ancient Indian dance form, Bharathanatyam. But this growing romance between the prince and the sculptor's daughter does not have the approval of the king. Mahendravarman also orders a livid Narasimhavarman, that he should stay in Kanchi and safeguard it when he goes and takes care of Pulakeshin in the battle field. Meanwhile, en route, Paranjothi meets a soldier, Wajrabahu, who gives him company till the inn where they decide to stay for the night. When Paranjothi is fast asleep, Wajrabahu changes the content of the letter that Paranjothi is carrying. The change made saved both Kancipuram and Paranjothi's life. The next day both part ways.Paranjothi travels to a buddhist monastry and stays there for the night but he didnt know that in that monastry there were chalukya spies so the spies sent word to the king and soldiers came to arrest Paranjothi. Paranjothi is captured by the soldiers of the approaching Chalukya army. He is taken to Pulakeshin and presented as a spy. Pulakeshin deciphers the letter that Paranjothi is carrying to mean the young man should be given the secret of the Ajanta dyes. Unable to communicate with Paranjothi (since Pulakeshin does not understand Tamil and Paranjothi does not understand Kannada). Pulikesi asks Wajrabahu to interrogate the surprised Paranjothi. Having confirmed from Wajrabahu that Paranjothi indeed knew nothing, Emperor Pulakeshin the great orders Paranjothi to continue his journey to the Vindhyas accompanied by his soldiers. Wajrabahu informs the scared Paranjothi not to worry and asks the young man to trust him. Paranjothi leaves from Pulakesi's camp with some soldiers accompanying him. At night when the soldiers are asleep Paranjothi escapes with the help of Wajrabahu who takes him to the Pallava camp. Paranjothi believes Wajrabahu is a Pallava spy only to later realize that it is in fact the Pallava King, Mahendravarman himself.
It would be difficult to point out who the real hero of the novel is. Mahendravarman I, the Pallava emperor, plays an important role in the first half of the story while his son Narasimhavarman comes into his own as the novel progresses. The plot revolves around the historical events of the Chalukya king, Pulakeshin II, laying a siege of Kanchi, and Narasimhavarman avenging this by attacking Vatapi, the capital of the Chalukyas. The novel is divided into four parts. Part 1: Paranjothi's JourneyEdit The novel begins with the arrival of Paranjothi in the city of Kanchi to attain tutelage under the Tamil saint Thirunavukkarasar. But he ends up saving the damsel Sivagami and her father Aayannar from a mad elephant by throwing a spear at it, almost by reflex. There is considerable unease in the town since the Chalukya king Pulikesi is on his way to attack Kanchi. That night Paranjothi is arrested by the guards and is kept in a cell since Mahendravarman wants to see and jail the young man who saved the life of his most important artists. But Paranjothi manages to escape from the prison with help from Naganandhi, the Buddhist monk who accompanied him to Kanchipuram. Naganandhi takes him out of the Kanchi fort through a secret tunnel to meet the master sculptor Aayannar, who stays outside the fort in a small settlement. Paranjothi plans to join the sculptor as a student and believes that should be possible since his uncle, a friend of Aayannar, has provided a letter asking Aayannar to take care of his nephew. Naganandhi, who has promised Aayannar that he would get him the secret behind the dyes used in the Ajanta paintings under Chalukyas, asks Aayannar to send Paranjothi on a trip to the Vindhyas to meet a monk who Naganandhi says, should give Paranjothi the secret formula for the dyes. Accordingly, Paranjothi is sent with a note written by Naganandhi ( which actually contains letter to Pulikesi which Paranjothi thinks it is a letter to the monk in the Ajanta regarding coming quickly to coming to Kanchipuram for invading as the current pallava army is weak and scattered)y. Narasimhavarman continues visiting his lover, Sivagami who has mastered the ancient Indian dance form, Bharathanatyam. But this growing romance between the prince and the sculptor's daughter does not have the approval of the king. Mahendravarman also orders a livid Narasimhavarman, that he should stay in Kanchi and safeguard it when he goes and takes care of Pulakeshin in the battle field. Meanwhile, en route, Paranjothi meets a soldier, Wajrabahu, who gives him company till the inn where they decide to stay for the night. When Paranjothi is fast asleep, Wajrabahu changes the content of the letter that Paranjothi is carrying. The change made saved both Kancipuram and Paranjothi's life. The next day both part ways.Paranjothi travels to a buddhist monastry and stays there for the night but he didnt know that in that monastry there were chalukya spies so the spies sent word to the king and soldiers came to arrest Paranjothi. Paranjothi is captured by the soldiers of the approaching Chalukya army. He is taken to Pulakeshin and presented as a spy. Pulakeshin deciphers the letter that Paranjothi is carrying to mean the young man should be given the secret of the Ajanta dyes. Unable to communicate with Paranjothi (since Pulakeshin does not understand Tamil and Paranjothi does not understand Kannada). Pulikesi asks Wajrabahu to interrogate the surprised Paranjothi. Having confirmed from Wajrabahu that Paranjothi indeed knew nothing, Emperor Pulakeshin the great orders Paranjothi to continue his journey to the Vindhyas accompanied by his soldiers. Wajrabahu informs the scared Paranjothi not to worry and asks the young man to trust him. Paranjothi leaves from Pulakesi's camp with some soldiers accompanying him. At night when the soldiers are asleep Paranjothi escapes with the help of Wajrabahu who takes him to the Pallava camp. Paranjothi believes Wajrabahu is a Pallava spy only to later realize that it is in fact the Pallava King, Mahendravarman himself.