Kurinji Malar

Book excerpt: On a rock on the road to a hill temple are carved the names 'Aravindan' and 'Poorani'. Barely out of her teens, Poorani is plunged into crisis with the sudden passing of her father. As she brings her life back on course, fate arranges a meeting with Aravindan. Gentle and idealistic, Aravindan makes it his goal to right the wrongs in society. Spirited and refined, Poorani blazes a trail to recognition and renown with her public-speaking knowhow. Their friendship soon blossoms into love. But can a world riddled with opportunism and deceit ever hold their dreams and ideals? Written more than six decades ago and set in Madurai and the surrounding areas of the Tamil land, this classic romance - peopled by an array of compelling characters - was first serialized in a magazine in the 1960s, and later attained further popularity on-screen. Believed to be Na. Parthasarathy's magnum opus, Kurinji Malar is a sweeping saga that conjures an unforgettable landscape of hope and heartbreak - a delicate balance only a master storyteller can offer.