Glad to see everyone discussing their Ponniyin Selvan experience. Mine - I think I read it first time when I was in sixth grade. It was a old book that came as a series (binded version with pics) at a relative house when I visited them. Unfortunately they had only one volume. I loved the book and wanted to read the rest of the story.
Since I was a bookworm my parents never encouraged my reading (unaku book Vaangi kuduka Nammala mudiyathu - you are finishing everything in a day or two). So I have to borrow books from others or get from library. When I was 7 or 8 , I used to go to small book store owned by a relative, sit there in the shop and finish reading all the new books they get ( Rathna bala, Ambuli mama etc). That’s where I started reading other books like malaimathi , vikatan etc. My pinjilae palutha reading habits started from there. No supervision and I was surrounded by books which meant the world to me.
Coming back to PS, I was desperately looking for other volumes after finishing first vol. There was a small private library, owner was a neighbour so he lent me the other volumes everytime someone returned it. I had to wait for weeks or months in between to get hold of the other volumes. My favourite character at that time - vandhiyathevan. Liked poongulazhi as well. Then I read PS again online 10 yrs back. I got the hard cover full set before 2 yrs but it is still sitting in the book shelf unopened. May be time to start reading PS again now .
Vanvar ( booma ?) , thanks for mentioning about the velpari book. I have seen the series in vikatan but never read it. Next time I will try to buy that book in India. I hope to find the online version (if there is any).
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