While Malayamaan and Karikalan were talking on the banks of the Kedilam, our old friends Nambi and Vandiyathevan were in a unique situation on the banks of the river Kollidam, in a town called Thirukaanaatumullur (near present day Chidambaram).
In those days, Kollidam (also called Vada Cauvery) was also considered a holy river like Cauvery (Ponni). In the month of Tula, Lord Shiva from the Kaanaatumullur temple would come in a procession to the riverbank and give darisanam to the devotees. The Vishnu temple was a relatively smaller one in the town. Still, Lord Vishnu would also come down to the riverbanks to give darisanam in his Garuda-vaahanam. It was a grand festival where Shaivites and Vaishnavites gathered to have a dip in the river and get a darisanam of the Gods.
Nambi was here on the riverbanks with a branch of the Naaval tree planted in the sand. He was announcing that he was there to debate with anyone who thought that Lord Vishnu was not the Supreme God. His challenge was that, if anyone won the debate against him, he would carry them on his shoulders in a procession across town. If they lost, they would have to leave all their clothes, except their waist cloth, with him. He had a mound of silk clothes, kamandalams, and other miscellaneous items in front of him – establishing that he had won over many people already.
Leaning on a tall tree nearby was Vandiyathevan with his sword on the ready. He shouted — "People who want to debate in a fair manner can do so. If you lose and even attempt to lay a hand on my friend here, you will suffer the wrath of my sword."
A Shaivite who had just lost against Nambi grumbled, "Today, you might have won. You should go to Thirunaraiyur and debate against Nambi Aandar Nambi. He will destroy you."
To which, Nambi responded, "Ask your Nambi Aandar Nambi to come to Thirunarayanapuram and debate against Narayana Bhattar. Perhaps I might also be there."
Nambi figured that he was not going to get any more people to debate. He removed the Naaval branch and put up a flag with the Shanku-Chakram of Vishnu as a victory sign. A group of Vaishnavites came and celebrated the victory. They invited Nambi to come and eat at their homes. Nambi and Vandiyathevan accepted. The two of them had a grand meal at one of the Vaishnavites' homes.
Nambi exchanged all of the items that he had won in the debates for gold coins. He mentioned that he needed the money to travel all the way to North India for a pilgrimage. The two of them then started walking towards Kadambur. On their earlier crossing of the Kollidam, the boat in which they had been traveling across the overflowing Kollidam river had capsized close to the bank. They had lost their horses. Vandhiyathevan had lost the message that Ilayapraathi had given him, and all of his gold coins too. The above-mentioned debate was done by the two of them just to earn back the money. As there was no place selling horses in that area, they would have to go to Kadambur where there was a weekly market for horses. If they did not get any there, they would have to go to Thirupadiripuliyur.
The two friends argued whether they should head to Kadambur or not. On one hand, they could get more information about Aditya Karikalan's plans to visit Kadambur. On the other, they needed to be extremely careful about not being seen by anybody known to them – be it Kandanmaran, or Pazhuvettarayar's forces.
The friends spoke about the deadly night meeting that happened in Kadambur a few months ago. They reached Kadambur by sundown. Kadambur wore a festive look for the Prince's arrival. The chief treasurer Pazhuvettarayar and his wife were coming as well. Security was very tight.
The two friends walked around hearing what the common folk were talking about. They got to know that Kandanmaran had rode out to Kanchipuram to accompany the prince here. Some whispered about the untimely drowning of Prince Arulmozhi. People felt that, in the wake of such a sad event, having a feast and celebrations for the elder prince was uncalled for.
The two friends walked through the town. They did not wish to stay the night in town. There would be some chatthiram or dilapidated mandapam somewhere on the outskirts of the town, where they could sleep. Worst case, if they did not find anything, they decided to just keep going to Thirunarayanapuram, where they could sleep peacefully in the 1000-pillared hall of the Vishnu temple.
They spotted an Ayyanaar temple in the middle of a dense bamboo thicket, right outside the town.
"Vaishnavare, I cannot walk a step more. Let us sleep in this Ayyanaar temple. It is possibly the best place to sleep the night without getting anyone's attention."
They went around the bamboo thicket and found a narrow path leading inside. Once they got closer to the temple, they found a sacrificial altar nearby, and a few horses and elephants made of clay. These were common in most Ayyanaar temples.
Vandiyathevan quipped about praying to the Ayyanaar to give life to a couple of those horses for them. He pulled Nambi's leg by saying that Ayyanaars were very powerful and actually helped people, unlike Lord Vishnu, who slept through the day.
While the two of them were looking around, Vandiyathevan spotted some movement ahead of them. He whispered to his companion to keep quiet and pulled him into the shadow. A horse and an elephant moved. Vandiyathevan was shocked. They waited with bated breath. They saw a human figure climb out of the ground from between where the elephant, the horse, and the altar stood. Vandiyathevan was petrified, but the strong grip of the Vaishnavar on him did not falter a bit. The human stepped out and looked all around. On closer look, the two friends recognized the figure. It was Idumbankaari. The two friends pretended that they did not recognize him. Idumbankaari then walked towards the temple. In a few moments, the flicker of a lamp was seen.
Vandiyathevan whispered to Nambi that he wished to go and inspect the tunnel from which Idumbankaari had come out.
"Thambi, the tunnel could be very dangerous. Do you have any idea where it might lead to?"
"Ayya, which path is not dangerous these days. I think I know where the tunnel might take us."
"Then why do you want to go and inspect it?"
"I want to confirm. It might come in handy sometime in the future. You stay right here while I go and come back. I hope you will be true to your word, and not behave like Sugriva did to Vaali."
"Thambi, I will stay here for sure."
Vandiyathevan did a quick sprint and jumped into the tunnel. Perhaps Idumbankaari heard something. He came out and looked around. He found the tunnel open. He walked to the Trisulam near the deity and turned it. The tunnel closed.
Right then, Ravidasan and a few more of his gang arrived through the thicket. They all sat outside the temple.
"The day we have been waiting for is now near."
One of the men hissed, "This is what you have been saying for the last six months."
"True. But now, it is so close, we can count down to the day using our fingers. Karikalan has started from Kanchipuram. The old man from Tirukovilur has been unsuccessful in stopping him."
"What if the message from the princess reaches him?"
"Hah. We tied up the messenger in the forest and left him to the animals."
"Pch. I saw him today morning on the Kollidam bank. I saw him along with our other enemy, Nambi."
"Hmm. Then, we need to be careful. We have to be careful that these two do not meet the prince."
"This is crazy. We should have killed that youth when we caught him. I do not know why our Rani asked us to leave him alive there."
"Friends, I also did not understand this at that time. But, I later understood, and now accept that our Rani is smarter than me. There is a very important reason why she has kept him alive. You do not need to know that reason now. We need not worry about Vandiyathevan now. However, if you catch the Vaishnavan, do not spare him."