The signet ring engraved with the palmyra emblem possessed a magical power, like the enchanted rings of legend. In the morning hours, milk and curd sellers, flower vendors, vegetable merchants, fruit sellers, and people of many other trades, along with accountants and officials, all thronged together, trying to enter the fort. At the fort’s main gate, the guards displayed their pompous authority by opening the wicket gate and letting them in one by one. But when our young hero showed the ring bearing the palmyra emblem, that alone caused a delay—then, with great respect, the guards opened one of the main gates for him; Vandiyathevan entered the fort.

Ah! Who could have guessed what hour it was when he set foot inside the fort of Thanjai? How many significant events followed from that moment! Was it not a turning point in the very history of the Chola Empire?

For a while after entering the fort, Vandiyathevan was lost in wonder. Kanchi had been the capital of the ancient Pallava dynasty. It had endured many enemy assaults. The palaces, halls, and other buildings there had grown old and dilapidated, with wild mushrooms blooming in the cracks. The buildings were adorned with beautiful sculptures, yet many parts lay in ruins and decay. Only a few palaces, rebuilt and restored after Aditya Karikalan’s arrival, shone here and there like flowers blossoming on a dry tree, accentuating the city’s desolate appearance.

But the sight of Thanjai was the very opposite. All the palaces were new; the halls were new. Amidst the whitewashed mansions, a few buildings constructed of red bricks baked in red earth gleamed like gems set among diamonds and pearls. Here and there, the palace gardens flourished with trees that drew nourishment from the rich red soil, standing tall and luxuriant. The thick foliage of punna, coconut, ashoka, arasu, banyan, jackfruit, and neem trees, with their many shades of emerald green, delighted the eye and filled the heart with joy. This was a city newly built by the wondrously powerful magician, Mayan. Entering this new city, a fresh exhilaration was born; the heart brimmed with pride, filled with a mysterious sense of elation. Vandiyathevan, who had observed the fort’s sentries and the restrictions on entering the fortress, had expected the inside to be rather deserted, with little movement of people. But, on the contrary, every street was crowded with throngs shouting “Jey! Jey!” Horses and horse-drawn chariots thundered past, making the ground tremble with their noise. The sound of bells from elephants, moving with a slow and majestic gait like black mountains in motion, echoed on all sides. The cries of vendors selling flowers, vegetables, fruits, milk, and curds assaulted the ears. Now and then, the sound of the town’s official time-telling bells mingled with the booming of drums. Sweet melodies from musical instruments blended with the honeyed songs sung by women. Everything was a grand festival, a tumult of celebration.

If this is not a city, what is? Surely, the capital of a vast empire that grows and spreads day by day must be like this! Vandiyathevan did not wish to reveal himself as a complete stranger to such a city. If he asked anyone for directions, they would look him up and down and carelessly ask, “Are you new to this town?” They might even mistake him for some rustic from a distant village, seeking the way to the palace. Therefore, he resolved to find the emperor’s palace without asking anyone for directions; after all, that should not be an impossible task…

Whichever way he looked, he saw mansions adorned with makara archways and fluttering flags. Battling fiercely with the swift upper winds, the flags flapped and snapped noisily. Tiger flags and palm flags were the most prominent. Towering above all other banners, a great tiger flag soared grandly, almost brushing the clouds. That must be the palace where the emperor resided, Vallavarayan guessed, and, pondering the task ahead, he walked in the direction where that flag flew.

The first task was to meet the emperor in person and deliver the letter. Along with that, he must also convey what Aditya Karikalan had instructed him to say by word of mouth. Without the permission of the Younger Pazhuvettaraiyar, it was impossible to see the emperor. How to obtain his permission? Divine favor had helped him enter the fort, but could he rely on divine guidance for everything? To see the emperor, he must devise his own strategy! What strategy would that be? O brain, descended through generations of the Vanar clan! Get to work now, let’s see! Let your imagination… Summon your imagination! It is not only poets and epic writers who require the power of imagination. Even those engaged in affairs of state, like yourself, must possess it. Come now, let us see your skill at work!

Vandiyathevan confirmed to himself that Periya Pazhuvettarayar had not yet returned to the fort.

As soon as he crossed the fort’s gateway and entered within, he approached a guard standing inside and asked, “Well, brother! Has Pazhuvettarayar come back?”

“Whom are you asking about, young man? The younger lord is in the palace.”

“As if I didn’t know that! I am asking about the elder lord, who had gone to Nadu Nadu.”

“Oh! The elder lord went to Nadu Nadu, did he? I did not know that. Yesterday evening, the young queen’s palanquin returned. The great king has not come yet; word is he may return tonight!” replied the guard.

This was good news indeed. Before Periya Pazhuvettarayar returned, Vandiyathevan must somehow see the Emperor and deliver the scroll. But how to do it…?

A plan dawned in Vandiyathevan’s mind. In that very instant, the worry vanished from his face; a mischievous smile and a gleam of excitement appeared.

He did not have to wander much to approach the Emperor’s palace. He followed the path marked by the great tiger banner. Soon, he reached the palace entrance. Ah! What a palace this