Parthiban Kanavu by Kalki

இது கல்கி கிருஷ்ணமூர்த்தி அவர்களால் கல்கி இதழில் தொடராக எழுதி வெளியான புகழ் பெற்ற வரலாற்றுப் புதினமாகும். இது பின்னர் நூலாக வெளிவந்தது. இச்சரித்திரக் கதையில் பார்த்திபன் எனும் சோழ அரசனின் கனவு அவரின் புத்திரன் மூலம் எவ்வாறு நிறைவேறுகின்றது என்பது அழகாகக் கூறப்பட்டுள்ளது. நரசிம்ம பல்லவன், சிறுத்தொண்டர் என்கின்ற பரஞ்சோதி போன்ற வரலாற்றுப் பாத்திரங்கள் இக்கதையில் வருகின்றனர். கல்கியின் மற்றொறு புதினமான சிவகாமியின் சபதத்தில் வரும் பல கதாபாத்திரங்கள் பார்த்திபன் கனவிலும் தொடர்வதை காணலாம்.

Parthiban Kanavu Parthiban's dream) is a famous Tamil novel written by Kalki Krishnamurthy.

This novel deals with the attempts of the son of (fictional) Chola king Parthiban, Vikraman, to attain independence from the Pallava ruler, Narasimhavarman.

The Cholas remain vassals of the Pallavas. Parthiban conveys his dream of the Chola dynasty regaining its glory - which he believes is lost since they are no longer the independent rulers of their land - to his young son Vikraman. Parthiban refuses to pay the taxes to the Pallavas and this triggers the Pallavas to wage war against the Cholas. In the resulting war Parthiban is killed and in the battlefield an enigmatic monk promises to Parthiban that he will make sure that Vikraman fulfills Parthiban's dream. Vikraman grows up and plans his retaliation against Narasimhavarman. But his uncle, Marappa Bhupathi, betrays him and Vikraman is arrested and banished from India by Narasimhavarman.

The narrative moves on to describe how Vikraman comes back longing to meet his mother and the mysterious beauty whom he saw before being deported. To his woe he later discovers that his mother has disappeared and has in fact been kidnapped by the savage Kapalikas - a tribe which believes in human sacrifice. He also comes to know that the beauty he has fallen for, Kundhavi, is none other than the daughter of his sworn enemy, Narasimhavarman.

The novel climaxes with the identity of the monk being finally being revealed as pallava king, Narasimhavarman and establishment of the independent Chola kingdom under Vikraman in Uraiyur. Vikraman also marries kundhavi in the final chapter.