kalki in his early age was a katha kaalaatchebam expert. that is where he found the mesmerising effect of applause. many of the desicions that he took to carve out a life path was affected by this need to be appreciated by people. he had passed the village karnam exam and like his father or brother venkatraman could have gone into the job. but he chose lesser paying jobs that put him into the creative arena.
so these katha kaalaatchebams must have got into his veins. i have discovered quite a few in his writings which were straight out of the ithihasams. sometimes we have people like thirukoviloor malayamaan telling aravaan story. sometimes it is too much of a co incidence to ignore like arul mozhis sangu sakra regai, 14 years of political exile etc.
like wise i request members to come forward with example in kalki's books on impact of ithihasams mainly ramayan and mahabarat on kalki's writing.
Venkat, great subject!! Yes Kalki almost based every one of his heroes and heroines on Puranas, not just Ramayana and Mahabharat.
Sivakamiyin Sabatham, to start with. Just like Ponniyin Selvar Arunmozhi has sangu chakkara regai and 14 years in exile, hot blooded Narasimha Pallava is a thinly veiled Lord Shiva, married to the Pandiya princess Vanamadevi who is a 'descendant' of Goddess Meenakshi, and of course Sivakami, with her name and undying devotion to 'Lord Shiva' 'thalai petraal nangai thalaivan thaale'. Narasimha with his 'disguise' as the sivanadiyar in Parthiban Kanavau only strengthens the idea.
Seetha of Alai Osai also has many parellel to Seetha of Ramayana - in terms of her undying patience and several fire ordeals. I don't regard Alai Osai as the greatest of Kalki's works for its cliche ridden story line and confusing flow, but regardless this character deserves mention.