The Payyoli (Triaina): A Trident-Trishul Tryst

The trident is a prominent weapon throughout the mythologies of the world, wielded by important Greek, Norse, Mayan and Hindu Gods. The three prongs of the trident are significant, as three is the most sacred number in most major religions. Alexander the Great's men carry back to their homeland Greece, around 2300 years ago, the trident of Kali, the fierce Indian Goddess. It is deployed to adorn the statue of Poseidon in the splendid Sounion temple, south of Athens. In The Payyoli Triaina the task of retrieving Kali's trident falls on Harani and Manikkam, the two tech-savvy teenagers from Southern India whose adventures are depicted in the previous two books in the Payyoli Trilogy. Their search to find the trident leads them from the banks of the river Jhelum in today's Pakistan to Rome, Florence, Venice, Corfu, Santorini and Athens. The trail eventually leads them to the Sounion temple, now lying in ruins. They are directed by Devi, the benevolent form of Kali, to the graffiti attributed to the English poet Lord Byron inscribed on a marble slab in the temple. Will they be able to decipher the clues in the graffiti and unravel their mystery to recover the trident? Find out as The Payyoli Triaina reaches its thrilling conclusion. Mohan Narayanan is an Indian author whose mother tongue is Tamil, although he writes mainly in English. His earlier two books in the Payyoli Trilogy have earned him international recognition and acclaim, including a nomination for the prestigious 2012 Literature & Arts Award of the South Indian Government. At 77, he is still an ardent globetrotter. Publisher's website: http://sbpra.com/MohanNarayanan