THE ARCHITECTS OF CHOZHA DESTINY: POLITICAL AGENCY in EORY INKALKI’S PONNIYIN SELVAN

ABSTRACT:
This research article investigates the intricate political agency of female
characters in Kalki Krishnamurthy’s historical novel, Ponniyin Selvan, arguing
that the narrative undermines conventional patriarchal historiography by
portraying women as the principal architects of the Chozha Empire’s political
destiny. The comprehensive analysis transcends traditional literary criticism,
which frequently oversimplifies these characters, instead applying a tripartite
Western feminist theoretical framework to deconstruct their diverse power
dynamics. Specifically, the paper uses Simone de Beauvoir’s concept of
transcendence vs. immanence to analyse the character of Princess Kundavai as
an intellectual kingmaker who explicitly rejects domestic confinement for
political governance. It also employs Margaret Atwood’s theories on survival
and weaponised femininity to examine Nandhini, the vengeance-seeking
Pazhuvur queen, demonstrating how she transforms objectification into a tool
of political insurrection and empire-breaking. Furthermore, the analysis
applies Rachel Carson’s ecofeminist lens to the boatwoman Poonguzhali,
interpreting her life on the sea as a rejection of civilisational patriarchy and a
radical assertion of autonomy through nature. The findings reveal that Kalki
creates a complex Alli Rajyam (Kingdom of Women) where female characters—
through strategy, calculated rage, or ecological independence—effectively
manage the succession crisis and the male egos driving the state. Ultimately,
the article concludes that Ponniyin Selvan constitutes a remarkable feminist
intervention in historical fiction, positioning women not as bystanders but as
the indispensable subjects who shape the narrative of 10th-century Chozha
politics.
Keywords: Feminist Literary Criticism, Transcendence, Ecofeminism, Survival Theory.