Translator’s Preface

(Edited on 10th October 2020)

Kalki Krishnamurthy's novels enjoy a cult status among avid readers in Tamil Nadu. I, like many folks of my generation and two earlier generations owe a debt of gratitude to Kalki for my interest in historical novels, and in history in general.

Students in India study history that is heavily skewed towards the north. While everyone knows who Ashoka, Akbar and Harshavardhana are, people in the northern parts do not know much about the dynasties of Pallavas, Chozhas, Satavahanas, Hoysalas and Chalukyas. These dynasties represent chapters of history that the regional folks are justifiably proud of.  

Historical fiction should not be confused with history. However it it can act as a stimulant for people to seek out the history of the eras that they find interesting. This translation is an attempt in my own small way to make this stimulant accessible to more people. 

Parthiban Kanavu  ( பார்த்திபன் கனவு:  translation: "Parthiban's Dream") was the first of Kalki Krishnamurthy’s historical novels. It was published as a series between 1941 and 1943. He followed this up with two more historical novels, which were more elaborate and better planned. However, I have always felt Parthiban Kanvu had its own distinct charm.

The later two were both brilliant in their respective ways.

Sivagamiyin Sabatham, (1944-46) his second historical fiction novel, can be thought of as a more elaborate prequel to the first one. It was about a young Narasimha Varma Pallava emerging from the shadows of his illustrious father, and the conflict between his love and duty. It had romance, revenge, sadness, spirituality and bravery, all in equal measure.

Ponniyin Selvan, (1951-54) the best known among Kalki’s works, was more elaborate than both Parthiban Kanavu and Sivagamiyin Sabatham. It was set in the 10^th century A.D, and was about later Chozhas. The writing style was more relaxed.  It had more vivid, well-chiseled characters, adventure, humour and intrigue. Kalki took his time to introduce and build his elaborate cast of characters. In hindsight, you could say Kalki was working his way up to the pinnacle of his career with the previous two works of historical fiction.

Despite all this, Parthiban Kanavu holds its own as a novel. The reader can see early traces of Kalki’s storytelling techniques that he would use more elaborately in his later works. The story is told through the eyes of two commoners - Valli and Ponnan. Spies roam freely between kingdoms. The kings use spying to keep tabs on everyone. Religious gurus have free access to royalty. Kalki talks religion through reference to contemporary works of Nayanmars; and takes detours to talk fondly of the Kaveri delta like he would do in later novels.

The story is set at an interesting time of India’s history, the 7^th Century. The three major rulers were Harshavardhana, who ruled the north of India, Pulakesin II, who ruled parts of what is now Karnataka, Andhra and Telangana; and Narasimha Varma Pallava, who ruled the south. Narasimha Varman figures in this story, but the reader's sympathies would be with a minor kingdom under his occupation - the Chozhas. Although the Chozha kingdom was dwarfed by these major powers, it was displaying the restlessness that would make it a greater power in later times.

                                                               

Map credit:  "Historical Atlas of India," by Charles Joppen; Source: Wikipedia

It was a pivotal time in religious terms as well. All the major religions of India at that time – Shaivism, Vaishnavism, Jainism and Buddhism, had their respective spheres of influence. The times and the conflicts were captured for history via stone carvings, magnificent sculptures and paintings, writings of Bana, the historian patronized by Harsha, and the notes of the Chinese traveler Xuanzang (Hsuan Tsang). Art, poetry and statecraft achieved a level of prominence in this era.

In translating Parthiban Kanavu, I have tried not to take too many editorial liberties. After translating a paragraph, I often felt the temptation to go back and improve it. I successfully resisted the temptation for the most part. While rewriting a page or paragraph would have improved readability, it might have compromised its authenticity. I am also glad I have resisted the urge to jump in and add explanations.

I hope you enjoy reading this as much as I am enjoying the translation process. While there is no way I can recreate the magic of the original prose, I hope that you can still bask in the sunshine of Kalki’s storytelling with my assistance. After all, not everyone needs to be in the Louvre to admire the beauty of Mona Lisa!

Note to the readers: You can navigate to the next chapter using the "Next" link below. Alternatively, you can use the table of contents.

Next: Part 01; Chapter 01: The Pier


Click here for the audiobook version
Parthban Kanavu: The Tamil version of the novel is in the public domain. Copyright for the translation is reserved by the translator..