பள்ளிகொண்டபுரம் (Pallikondapuram) - நீல.பத்மநாபன் (Neela.Padmanabhan)

Another Tamil classic.So far i have never read any Tamil book which depicts the soul of a place with the soul of a man.Simply awesome writing. I really felt sad that i did not read this book earlier in my life, nevertheless its not too late.The first four chapters describes the beauty of the Sri Padmanabhan Sway Temple, i should say the author really takes the reader a tour of the temple with minute details .Awesome.When i read this book i felt i was in the temple.

Ananthan Nayar's emotion filled roller-coaster life was REAL. His wife Karthiyayini left(eloped) him and their two children (Prabhagaran and Madhavikutty) and married another man of money and stature.Ananthan Nayar with the help of Kamatchi Ammal took care of the children and gave them good education. He never thought of marrying another girl.For fifteen years the thought of Karthiyayini made his life a living hell.

The Beautiful Padmanabhan Swamy Temple,
Thiruvanathapuram,.

Prabhagaran Nayar decided to move with his 'mother' and Madhavikutty on the other hand was in relationship with a low caste guy - Tharmabalan.Ananthan Nayar never expected these things from his children but he gradually controls his anger and decided to listen to their stories.The last six chapters says lot about relationships.

Superb characterization... memorable characters

Ananthan Nayar's pain of losing his wife and the anxiety of losing control over his children and the burden of the society were described beautifully and captures the essence of human emotion aptly.There is another book "Poithevu" by Ka.Na.Su which tells the life of a man from birth, with different story line but this book is best in telling a typical family man's life and its intricate problems more beautifully than other books so far i read in Tamil..

Neela.Padmanabhan

More about the author  

A website dedicated to the author
Magizchi - a Tamil movie was based on Neela.Padmanabhan's another novel "Thalaimuraigal".

A must read !