Principal Characters in Ponniyin Selvan

Aditya Karikala -Crown Prince of the Chozla Empire, Sundara Chozla's eldest son.
Amudan's Mother -A deaf-mute, garden keeper on the outskirts of Tanjore.
Anirudda Brahma-raya -The Prime Minister and confidant of Sundara Chozla.
Arinjaya Chozla-Sundara Chozla's father, King Gandara Aditya's younger brother, died after ruling for
merely one year.
Arulmozli Varma -Sundara Chozla's younger son.
Astrologer of Kudanthai- An astrologer patronized by Kundavai, a spy of sorts.
Azlvar-adiyan Nambi, Thirumalai Appan - A follower of the Vaishnava faith, step brother of Esanya
Bhattar, a spy.
Esanya Bhattar -A priest of Pazlayarai, elder brother of Azhvar-adiyan Nambi.
Gandara Aditya -Sundara Chozla's elder uncle, a devout follower of the Saiva faith, ruled before Arinjaya
Chozla.
Idumban Kari -A footman from Kadamboor, a conspirator against Chozla royalty, member of a gang
sympathetic to Pandiyas.
Kalyani of Vaithumba- Widow of King Arinjaya Chozla, a famous beauty, Sundara Chozla's mother.
Kandamaran- A young man, son of Sengannan Sambuvaraya of Kadamboor.
Kundavai, Younger Pirati - Sundara Chozla's daughter.
Lord Velir of Kodumbalur, the Elder, Bhoothi Vikrama Kesari - An important chieftain of the Chozla
Empire, Commander of Chozla Armies in Lanka. Elder-uncle to Vanathi
Lord Velir of Kodumbalur, the Younger, Paranthaka Vikrama - Younger Lord of Kodumbalur, Vanathi's
father who lost his life in a battle in Lanka.
Lord Pazluvoor, the Elder, - Ambalavan An important and powerful chieftain, - Officer of Taxation,
Food Supply and Finance for the Chozla Empire, elder brother of Kalanthaka, Nandini's husband, about
65 years old.
Lord Pazluvoor, the Younger, Kalanthaka - Commander of Tanjore Fort, Captain of the Guard Corps.
Madurandaka Deva -A Chozla Prince, son of Gandara Aditya and Sembiyan Madevi, a few years older
than Aditya Karikala.
Malayaman Milad-udayar of Thiru-kovalur -A nobleman and petty chieftain of the Chozla Empire,
Empress Vanamadevi's father and thereby grandfather to Karikala, Arulmozli and Kundavai.
Manimekala - Kandamaran's younger sister and daughter of Kadamboor Sambuvaraya.
Mazlava-raya - A nobleman, Sembiyan Madevi's brother.
Munai Raya - A nobleman, not very confident in Lord Pazluvoor's schemes.
Nallavan Sattanar - Court poet at Tanjore.
Nandini, Young-Queen - An extraordinarily beautiful Pazluvoor woman with a mysterious past, Azhvaradiyan's
adopted sister, raised by a priest's family near Madurai.
Parthiban Pallava - A nobleman of the Pallava clan, Crown Prince Aditya Karikala's confidant.
Poonkuzlali - Daughter of the Lighthouse Keeper of Kodi Karai, Sendan Amudan's cousin.
Ravidasa, the Sorcerer - Leader of the Pandiya conspirators, a former retainer of Veera-pandiya, had a
mysterious hold over Nandini.
Sambuvaraya of Kadamboor - A nobleman and crony of Lord Pazluvoor.
Sembiyan Madevi, Elder Pirati - Widow of King Gandara Aditya, Madurandaka Deva's mother, fond of
Sundara Chozla and his children, devout.
Sendan Amudan -A flower vendor of Tanjore, lived with his deaf-mute mother in the outskirts of the
city.
Soman Samban - A conspirator against Chozla royalty, member of Ravidasa's gang, sympathetic to
Pandiyas.
Sundara Chozla Paranthaka - Emperor of the Chozla Kingdom.
Vanamadevi of Thiru-kovalur - The Queen Consort, wife of Sundara Chozla, mother to Karikala,
Kundavai & Arulmozli.
Vanathi Devi - A young noblewoman of the Kodumbalur clan, Kundavai's friend, in love with Prince
Arulmozli.
Vandiya Devan Vallavarayan - A scion of the Vaanar clan of Vallam, Aditya Karikala's messenger.
Vasuki - Nandini's maid.
Veera-pandiya - Pandiya King vanquished and killed by Prince Aditya Karikala.