புலிநகக் கொன்றை - பி ஏ கிருஷ்ணன்

A modern Tamil cult classic.

This is a story of four generation of a South Indian Iyengar family.This family has a history of violent death. This story beautifully brings the lifestyle of Iyengers with their customs and habits.Its very new for me and i learnt so many things about them.

எக்கர் ஞாழல் இறங்கிணர்ப் படுசினைப் 

         புள்ளிறை கூருந் துறைவனை 

உள்ளேன் தோழி படீஇயரென் கண்ணே .

                                        -அம்மூவனார் (ஐங்குறுநூறு ,142)

The story starts with Ponna getting married to Raman-good for nothing guy.His is a family of money lenders who supports British.How the family overcome all the  struggles and continue their lives is the story.There are so many characters which one can definitely associate themselves.The political stance of various characters are very interesting and inside the same family there are lots of contradiction in their political principles .

Apart from Ponna, the character which I liked most was Nambi, her grandson. He believed in doing good things to people than following any political views.Even though he liked Marxism but he is not happy with comrades who were not following and doing anything for the people.He was brutally murdered and the manner in which the author leads his death says volume about the politics of those days.He married Rosa -a doctor.Their love story was very familiar., two of them attracted towards their belief.

And there is a beautiful story of Uma and Kannan and their romance.Two very different individuals falling in love and the way author portrayed their feelings was excellent specially the letters between them. Another memorable character Gopala Pillai who always talks about books and cricket.I loved this character.

I enjoyed and laughed loudly when i read pages which describes the three leading actors of those time - MGR,Sivaji and Gemini Ganeshan. In fact i laughed very loud everyone at the bus stop stared at me but i did not mind anything and continue to laugh for sometime.Some historical figures too appears in this book like Veera Pandiya Kottabomman,Oomaidurai ,VOC, Bharathi etc.Since the novel is laced with so many historical references these characters adds values to it. Kudos to the author for his wonderful research.The book also points the fall of once mighty Arbuthnot bank.

So many interesting things are there in this book ,from religion to politics to academics. Love this book.This book was first written in English and then translated by the author himself in Tamil. In English this book is titled " The Tiger Claw Tree". I liked this author B.A Krishnan's essays which was published in Kalachuvadu specially the one about Marudhu(Marudhu Pandian) brothers.

Overall this book is a classic which chronicles the trial and tribulation of not only four generations of an Iyengar family but also so many other things of those times.

P.A Krishnan

Some of the books mentioned in this novel:
1.The Social History of England by Travelyan
2.The Lady Wrestler
3.Farewell to Cricket by Don Bradman
4.Beyond the Bamboo Curtain
5.The History of CPSU(B)
6.Left Wing Communism
7.Animal Alphabet -Edward Lear
8.The Rise and Fall of the Third Reich - Shirer
9.Arabian Nights
10.Guy Mannering
11.The Talisman
12.The Mayor of Casterbridge

*From the big Willy himself
*The Marriage of True Minds
*Now Sleeps the Crimson Petal
*Sudden Light