I'm new to this group and this is my first mail i'm sending across the group.
In the below mail, Ram wrote Oomai Rani was not real character in PS. Though i have not read Ponniyin Selvan even once, i feel Oomai Rani is real. I heard the following history from some people in Thanjai. Experts, pls validate the truth.
When Sundara Chola was in Ceylon, a lady Sengamala Nachiyar saved his life during a difficult time and thus he married her and also brought her to Thamilagam. It was Sengamala Nachiyar again, who saved Sundara Cholan's life in a battle field, in that course lost her life. Thus, the cholan built a temple for her. This temple is still in Thanjavur and is called as "Sengamala Naachiyamman Temple".
Kalki has clearly specified the below facts 1. Singala nachiyar temple in tanjore - currently in a bad condition - was built by raja raja, thanking her for her sacrifice. 2. in kalvettu's, periya pratti has been referred to as "Utthama cholarai thiruvayiru vaitha prattiyar" and says the poet who wrote so must be aware that utthama chola stayed away from her mother and she brought up some one elseas her own child. 3. Nandini's character also seems to be real when he says in his summary - that she died after her brother (Amarabhujangan Nedunjezhiyan)who was defeated by Raja raja himself in later years and Raja raja met her before her death and took a confirmation as to who is her real father. 4. he also says that 'in order to see asthamana earlier, Adhitya chola died accidentally" - if pandya aabathudavigal didnt kill him, how else he died. 5. Vanathi died much before raja raja was crowned, 15 years after Utthama chola was crowned - no wonder she was not his patta mahishi. May be she died soon after Rejendra was born - Rajendra was named after his uncle Madhurantaka though - as Madurantakan (Iyarpeyar).
Another discussion seen earlier - Is Vandhiya devan from Bana dynasity - i think what Kalki says is right, because, even the kalvettu says so.
Valla + arayan - there are only 2 Vallams - one very close to Tanjore and the other near Kanchi. the first one is too small a village and looks like he was the king from Thiruvallam near vellore.
characters like poonguzhali (do we know the name of Utthama chola's wives?), aalwarkadiyan look more fictional, though, youwould wish they were real if you visit kodiakkarai.
1. Singala naachiyar to OOmai rani - sacrifice - is most probably fiction and Kalki's imagination. The temple being built by rrc etc - i will let sps sir elaborate - but most certainly the character of oomai rani is ficiton. singala Nachiar equated to Oomai rani is kalki's poetic license.
2. Not clear what you are intending to say. can you please elaborate.
3. Nandhini is pure fiction and its the greatness of Kalki that she left such a large impact. Btw, the foot notes given by Kalki are like a guideline for future writers who may want to write sequels - thats it. senden amudhan is ficiton, so is ponguzhali. RRc defeating Amarabujan is fact
4. Your reading of this is wrong. There is no mention of accidentally. Kindly read the inscription once again or search our archives with the key work ` kali'. The Udayarkudi inscription is concrete proof of the assasination of AK - by ` throgigal ' - traitors , even giving them names - Ravidasan, soman Sambavan. please search our archives for udayarkudi.
5. Rajendra's mother was Vanathi - as we read sps sir giving us the inscription Vanavanmadevi tiruvayir uditha rajendra. However, there is no mention of her death etc - the pattamahishi of RRC was Olagamadevi aka danthi sakthi vitangi. So, its more for convenience and to make the kundantai jothidar episode, vanathi's oath etc are masterly written by sri kalki. Will be interesting to see if there are any endowments / gifts given by vanathi in actual inscriptions - would doubt there are. So it could be that she died before arunmozhi came to power.
Further one of RJc titles was madurantaka - which is a very common title for cholas - one who destroyed madurai. Am not sure if that was his iyar peyar.