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, Azhvar-adiyan'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.

Glossary

Aadi - A month of the Tamil calendar, about July-Aug

Aavani - A month of the Tamil calendar, about Aug-Sept

Advaita - A philosophy, belief in the non-dual nature of God

Akka - Elder sister, a respectful greeting for an older girl

Amma - Mother, a respectful greeting for women

Ankush - A goad used by elephant drivers

Anna - Elder brother, respectful address for older men

Araya, raya, arasa King, chieftain, Raja

Ayya - Father, mode of address for an older man

Bharata Natyam - Classical dance style

Chakra - Discus

Champaka - A fragrant flower

Chanakya - A medieval personality of political cunning, a Machiavelli

Devi, Deva Lady, Lord

Iruvatchi - A fragrant flower

Jaamam - A period of time 3 hrs long;

1 Jaamam = 7� Nazli; 1 Nazli = 24 minutes

Jaggery - Unrefined or brown sugar

Kaadal - Love

Kaadam - A league or about 10 miles

Kaavi Reddish, ocher dye

Kadal - Sea

Kadamba - A flower

Kama - Love, Passion

Karadi  - 1. A musical instrument 2. Bear

Karagam - Folk dance with balancing decorated pots

Karaiyar - Coastal, fisherfolk

Karppu - Sanctity of a married woman. Chastity

Kavi - 1. Poet 2. Monkey

Konnai - A flowering tree

Kumkum - Red powder, used to decorate the forehead

Kummi - A folk dance of women circling while clapping hands

Kunrimani - A tiny red-black berry or bead

Kural - Ancient Tamil couplets

Kuravai - Koothu Gypsy dance or dance by maidens

Malai - Mountain

Mariamman - A village deity, a pagan Goddess

Marudai - A shade giving tree, a colloquial name for Madurai City

Mattalam - Drum

Maya - Illusion, Deception, unreal

Moringa - A leafy tree

Mu-ttholl-ayiram - A collection of romantic verse in Tamil

Muzlai - Cave

Naadu - Country

Naamam - A vertical, make-up like, caste mark worn by followers of Vishnu

Nanal - A sedge like grass

Nandavan - Garden

Netri-chutti - Forehead ornament

Padai Veedu - Army Housing

Padinettam Perukku - Eighteenth day flood

Palli Padai - Memorial temple

Panchayat - Council of Village Elders, often five persons

Parai - A kind of country drum, an announcement

Perumal - Lord, God

Pirati - Lady, Royal Princess

Pitam - Monastic seat

Punnai - A tree with yellow flowers

Rudraksha - A multifaceted bead, a sacred berry

Saelai - Loose pleated garment of women worn with one loose end thrown over a shoulder

Saiva - A sect of Hinduism, follower of Shiva

Salli - A musical instrument

Selvan - Beloved, Darling (masculine)

Selvi Beloved, Darling (feminine)

Silappadikaram - A Tamil Epic

Sindhu - Folk song

Puli -Tamarind A shade giving tree bearing a sour fruit

Thambi - Younger brother, mode of address for young men

Thaye - Mother, mode of respectful address for women

Thaazlai - A fragrant cactus

Thevar-aalan -Divine man, dancers

Thevar-aatti - Divine woman, dancers

Thevaram - Devotional Poems

Thiru-vai-mozli - Devotional Poems

Thinnai A raised platform or dias on the front porch of houses in South India. Often used like a living room; for family gatherings, seating visitors, and sleeping in the night.

Udukku - Small palm held drum

Uriyadi - A game to get the prize-pot tied to a pole similar to the Maypole

Vaetti - Loose lower garment of men

Vaishnava - A sect of Hinduism, follower of Vishnu

Vamsa  - Dynasty

Veena - A musical stringed instrument

Velan Attam - A semi-religious dance, usually by a man

Villu-pattu - Folk songs accompanying a string instrument, story telling

Vinnagara - Vishnu temple