Yandamoori Virendranath
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Yandamoori VirendranathI won't recommend this novel to people with weak heart or soft hearted people. It is a real spooky thriller that gives an eerie feeling of deja vu. My experience of reading this were really terrific. Yes! they were, not it was. First time I read it about 5 years back at my cousin's place. I read it at a stretch because I had to leave to my home that night. I reached Cuddalore, since I didn't get an auto rickshaw at late night I walked all the way to home. Through out the way it was very haunting and felt relieved once I reached the home. That night I slept with lights on. Second time I read last week here in Abu Dhabi.

This is one of the best works by Telugu writer Endemoori Virendranath, translated into Tamil by Gowri Kripanandhan. I admire Endemoori for his versatility in writing. He is the one author who can write about thrillers, personality management and philosphicals at an ease, without getting slotted or steroetyped. His other famous novels include "Nila Penne..." (A story about chess player falling in love with his fan without actually seeing her), "Mul Paathai.." (A matured love story with the clash between urban and rural sensitivities as its backdrop)

Get back to "Thulasi Thalam..". If you want a real thrilling reading experience start visualising when you read. Endemoori's writing style will automatically guide you through the visuals on your mind screen. Think of a palatial house with lesser members, lot of trees and a "Thulasi plant" at its backyard, graveyards with corpses burning at the background, full moon, tortured artifacts, visualise the darkness, partly lit shots, rough and abnormal faces..... mark my words, you'll never forget this experience of reading.

"Thulasi Thalam" has black magic as its backdrop and tries to analyse it scientifically. You can divide the novel into two halves with first half focussing on the bad elements and fears about black magic, its practitioners, while the second half unveils the science behind the magic techniques.

The stroy revloves around "Thulasi" a nine year old girl who is bequeathed with a royal amount by the time she turns 10 and the greedy evil forces who try to snap it up by hook or crook, aided by the evil forces headed "Kadhra" who is infuriated by the death of his disciple, with her parents and well wishers struggling to save the girl from the clutches of the evil forces. How the innocents are conned by the black magicians, the mechanisms and beliefs of black magic are the moving forces of this thriller. This story is supposed to take place at 21 days and the incidents preceding them. The speed of the style is so fast and mesmerising, especially the incidents of days 20 & 21. Sacrifice by the Anita was something that still disturbs me whenever I used to think of this novel. Anything more I write about the story line is like giving away the end.

Endemoori weaves a web of deceit with terror and the scientific mechanisms behind them. He beautifully explains and equates the concept of the sorcery with post hypnotic suggestion. The scientific concepts that come to light with this novel are possession ("sooniyam") and psychologic "Post suggestion hypnotism (PSH)". PSH is the phenomenon of bringing the brain and body under the control of commands / instructions programmed in advance. Another thing is how chemistry is used in the black magic. The best orchestrated drama with skillful use of chemicals and setting up the suitable ambience is simply spooky. Infact when I read the novel for the first time in a hurry (365 pages in 7 hrs), I didn't notice the concepts, but when I read at leasure this time, I was surprised at the gravity / complication of the subject. I salute Endemoori Virendranath for taking the concepts of necromancy & PSH, which are similiar in concept but existing in different disciplines, correlating them and presenting in a convincing manner.

Through the character of Jaydev, Endemoori deftly & scientifically unties the noose tightened by the necromancy. The story's oneliner may sound like something that had been done to death in novels and movies, but what gives the uniqueness to this novel is its writing style and the way the scenes unfold. As said earlier, just start your visualising capability and surrender your vision to Endemoori Virendranath, each of letter of these episodes will assure a spine chilling experience.

This is something I suggest you people should not give a miss.

Available at: Alliance Publications, Chennai, Phone: 2494 1314
Pages: 365.
Price: Rs. 85/-, Second Edition, Dec 2004.