Kolaiyudhir Kaalam – Sujatha

அறிவியலுக்கும் அமானுஷ்யத்திற்கும் இடையே நிகழும் தீராத போராட்டத்தை முன்வைக்கும் இந்நாவல்கணேஷ் வசந்த்தோன்றும் சுஜாதாவின் படைப்புகளில் பெரும் புகழ்பெற்றதாகும். மனதை அதிர வைக்கும் சம்பவங்களும் எதிர்பாராத திருப்பங்களும் தீர்க்கமுடியாத புதிர்களும் நிறைந்தகொலையுதிர் காலம்வெளிவந்த காலத்திலிருந்தே வாசகர்களின் உற்சாகமான வாசிப்பிற்கு உரியதாக இருந்து வந்திருக்கிறது.

Kolaiyudhir Kaalam(Season of Murders) is a murder thriller from Sujatha, the famous creator of Ganesh-Vasanth duo.

I have previously reviewed some of Sujatha’s works here. This one is no different in the plot genre and the characters juxtaposition, but the difference is that it deals with two different tracks at the same time toeing the main line. There is a thin line between labelling a crime as done by human elements and labelling it as superstitious elements. Sujatha takes this thread wonderfully and woes a story around it.

Ganesh and Vasanth are sent to an estate to settle certain succession related disputes by a friend called Deepak. There they find that the legal heir apparent is an 18 year old girl named Leena Vyasan, taken care of by her uncle Kumara Vyasan.

The estate has some strange things to offer. Kumara Vysan fills them up on the legend that runs in te family-of a ghost haunting the Vyasan family members, especially female members and the latest to be affected by it is Leena who had committed a murder two years back, but is unaware of the fact.

Ganesh and Vasanth decide to investigate and are perplexed at the nature things take shape. Whsipering voices in the dark, murder attempts, Leena’s strange behaviour, apparitions walking in the night with no clue as to how it all happens make them pinch themselves and pull at their hair.

Ganesh, ever the logician, rationalist refuses to believe the supernatural element and investigates deeply, injuring himself in the process. Vasanth is not so convinced in the science element and draws his own conclusions from the events. And all points to Leena, who denies any knowledge of the events.

As gradually Ganesh uncovers the reasons behind the strange happenings, a great blow falls…and all is blank for Ganesh and Vasanth. More characters join towards the end and a stunning climax awaits the reader, leaving him wondering whether it is all science or supernatural elements that play foil.

A good interesting read indeed.

–Harish Ragunathan