I am sure this will raise some hackles but that never stopped me before. :) I do believe that Vanthiyathevan, as portrayed by Kalki in PS is one of the less "heroic" heros that I have read in any book. He is more like a bumbling fool, albeit a very lucky one. He mostly has others come and bail him out of difficulties. Time and again, he stumbles across things and events more or less catch up to him rather than his shaping things. Maybe Kalki wanted to portray exactly that.. that he was like a leaf caught in the Chola war-of-succession maelstrom but that's what it looks like to me.
There are lots.. if you look at historical novels in english..
well "The count of monte christo" is one.. another would be D'Artagnan from the Three Musketeers".. there are instances were luck plays a part but they also create their own luck sometimes through their daring and bravado...
I am not sure about Kadal Pura as I always felt it as a boring book to read. But I finished Three Muskateers. As far as I could see Vanthiyathevan is portraitred as no less heroic than any of them. Yeah he was lucky, but fortune favours the brave.
he was brave enough to take a spear meant for another is one instance enough for his heroism, also, he was a figther and a spy, not a detective to deduce things. really his quick wit and braveness has brought him the fan following.
vanthiyathevan has some wholesome experiences in those months.
his dearest friend has been inviting him to come home for years and yet he lands up on a night of the Great conspiracy.
he falls into quick sand, the palk strait sea, is chased by elephants,makes friends and enemies fights with arab pirates is wiling to give his life for the love of a girl while another girl out of love for him dies in his lap.
surely not a bumbling idiot. anyone with so many experiences would not have a definite plan of action??? right
I didn't say he wasn't heroic. But he wasn't terribly intelligent, the way he was portrayed... Most of what happened to him was due to pure luck.. and it wasn't because of any superior wit/wisdom/intelligence that he managed.. That is my point.
Dear Arun If you are enamoured by Ilaya Pallavan you ll love Ilanchezhian to bits(Yavana Rani) But there is no comparison at all because Kalkis heros are lesser mortals with a quick wit... Even Arulmozhivarmar is saved by Women Mandhakini nad then Poonguzhali....thats the greatness of Kalki just because someone is the centre theme charector he cant or doesnt do it all...everybody has weakness and pitfalls
Vandhiyadevan couldnt swim
He was valiant and has only lost to superior warriors Arulmozhi though it is due to surprise and poonguzhlais distraction...
He has resisted all tempataions Mannasai Ponnasai and Porulaasai...
He was committed in his goals
its all those which make him a great hero
secondly its in our mindset that hero always finds a way out and doesnt need anybody else..its his quick wit which gets him out of ravidasan its his valaour which saves him from the arabians so please dont write him off Sri
I totally agree with you. Ilaya pallavan and Ilanchezian are larger than life portrayal.
Arun,
If we belive that a hero deinitely has to do everything by himself, then Vandhiyadevan may not be the choice.
He is defnitley lucky but not a bumbling idiot. The way the stoy goes, it gives me a feeling that he uses his brain and quick wits to overcome any danger. So I think he indeed is a hero.
Well I am rereading it now.. (PS I mean).. and started the second book.. so Vanthiyathevan goes to Kodikkarai.. meets Poonguzhali... falls into a ditch... is rescued by her.. she tells him about people looking for him.. SHE hides him.. she takes him on her boat.. the idiot jumps off the boat.. she rescues him... she finds out at Boodhaththeevu about the whereabouts of ArulMozhi..
now YOU tell me what particular aspect of his intelligence and verve and wit has Vanthiyathevan demonstrated here :)
Also, I never said he wasn't brave.. just that if I was Karikalan and I had to send someone as my personal envoy.. I would find someone with a LOT more "VivEgam" than just muscles and a willingness to fight.