Indian oral traditions have urged many creative minds to take up writing as a profession. From the timeless fables that parents rendered during meal time to the classics and epics that grandparents narrated, stories and folklore have always found themselves firmly etched in the minds of listeners.
And sometimes, these stories tend to impress one so much that they let their imagination flow free, forming a world of their own.
Rounaak Shiv, a Bengaluru-based 16-year-old, has created one such world and turned it into his debut historical fiction titled Aazhikondan – The Conqueror of Oceans (Part 1). His literary work is spun off from the life and exploits of Emperor Rajendra Chola.
“This book is not meant to overwhelm readers with facts or dates,” says the teen writer. “It is for readers to first connect with the story and then feel curious enough to explore the history behind it.”
The author says that he first heard of the Cholas from the stories his grandmother narrated. Her stories on Tamil kings and warriors planted the seed of curiosity in Rounaak’s mind. Over the years, that interest grew into storytelling at school, and has attained fruition now as Aazhikondan. His grandmother’s stories aside, Rounaak found himself delving deep into the genre of historical fiction during the pandemic, when he laid his hands on Kalki Krishnamurthy’s Ponniyin Selvan. “It was transformative to read the novel as it transformed the way I looked at history,” Rounaak says. “Characters like Vanthiyan Devan made history feel dynamic and human, not distant. It made me realise that history could be imagined, felt, and carried forward through storytelling.”
While Ponniyin Selvan focuses on the earlier generation of the Cholas, Rounaak’s Aazhikondan focuses on what came after. “Rajendra Chola is often mentioned, but rarely imagined. He fascinates me, especially how he expanded the empire across oceans. His understanding of the oceanic routes and marine warfare strategies was immense, and his character was therefore powerful for me to explore through fiction,” he adds, thereby explaining his rationale behind the title, where aazhi stands for ‘ocean’ and kondan for ‘conqueror’.
Rounaak also admits to intentionally writing his book in a way that evades the weight of academic writing. Despite extensive research, he shares how he decided not to rely much on inscriptions or documentary references to ensure his writing doesn’t feel like a history textbook. He therefore kept 20 per cent of the book factual, while fictionalising the rest.
Keeping in line with that idea, he has in his book resurrected Raja Raja Chola, turning him into his son Rajendra Chola’s mentor. “I wanted Raja Raja Chola to exist not as history, but as a memory,” Rounaak says. “He becomes a guiding presence [in the book], showing how legacy does not end with death, but continues through the choices and responsibilities passed on to the next generation.”
Balancing his writing and academics, Rounaak took 14 months to complete Aazhikondan. While managing time was never an easy task for him, holding the first copy of the book made the struggle seem worth it, and has even fueled him to work on the second part of his book, which he promises would be a deeper, expansive, and imaginative work on the Chola dynasty.
Aazhikondan – The Conqueror of Oceans Part-1 by Pustaka publications is available online. Priced at Rs 390.