Ponniyin Selvan by kalki

I was planning to read this novel for a long time.Finally i have started and finished volume - 1
It has 5 volumes each has around 350 pages.

But the book is awesome.So much of details about Tamilnadu and the places we have lived and passed by without knowing much about the important events that has taken place there.

Though Indian rulers conquered a lot of places within Indian subcontinent i always had a small concern about them not going outside india for conquests as done by these Europeans. I have always wondered why south Indians did not have a strong Navy even though they were ruling the coastal areas.

But this book will makes us proud about the kind and expanse of the conquests made by the cholas(Raja Raja Chola and Rajendra chola). We might have read that Rajendra chola was called "Kadaram kondaan".Kadaram is the present day kedah in Malaysia.It was conquered by Rajendra. And cholas had a powerful navy and they had developed expertise in navigation in 1000 AD. They developed art and architecture which spreads the glory of chola empire even now.I have attached an image which depicts the territories which was under chola empire's control.

Still 4 more volumes to go and lot of information to grasp from this book. Will update as soon as i read.