User:Vellai varanan

AARAICHI PERARIGNAR T.V.SATHASIVA PANDARATHAR Thiru T.V.SADASIVA PANDARATHAR popularly known as PANDARATHAR coming from a branch of the Udaiyarpalayam Royalty. His ancestors after staying many years at Thathanur(Jamin Thathanur),Trichy District, moved to Thirupurambiyam in the Kumbakonam Taluk and settled there some 300 years ago.They had done good service to the temples of the locality, particularly the local siva temples. Some minor temples in this village were constructed by them.My father born in 1892,broughtup well by his parents VAITHHIALINGAM and MEENAKSHI.Primary education, followed by Middle School study was completed by him at Thirupurambiyam and Puliancherri respectively.In the beginning of the 20th Century,he joined the Town High school in Kumbakonam and studied up to matriculation class.This was the period when he became a pet student of Thiru.Narayana Iyer ,the Commentator of Natrinai and Balasubramaniapillai,the two Tamil scholars. At their instance ,my father developed an abiding interest in Epigraphy and in Tamil Literature. In 1914, he marriedThailmuthu ammal the only daughter of a Gentleman-a wealthy land owner of Korukkai near Thiruthuraipoondi in Thanjavur District. The married life was a highly pleasant one but unfortunately this lady passed away in 1921 with out leaving any issue.In 1922, my father married Chinnammal the second daughter of a well known priest of  the  Vanniya Community Mr.Sadasiva Gurukkal of Elathur near Sirkazhi. To startwith, my father served as a clerk in the Pabanasam dasildar office for one year. In 1917 he became a Tamil Pandit in the Banadurai high school of Kumbakonam. He continued to hold this post for 15 years. During his stay at Kumbakonam as a Tamil Pandit,he taughtTamil and Epigraphy to many students and among them late S.K.Govindasamy of A.U, late T.N.Subramaniyam of Madras were his worthy students. A good number of scholars Came in to contact with him and V.ManikaNaicker, K.S.Srinivasapillai, N.M.Venkatasamy Nattar, T.V.Umamaheswaran pillai, thiru P.T.S Kumarasamy Chettiyar of Kumbakonam became his close friends. As a student of Epigraphy and Literature he used to travel to neighboring areas around Kumbakonam town and he copied the Inscriptions of the local temples. During this period he seems to have delivered many lectures on the historic importance of the different places in and around Kumbakonam.His contact with Umamaheswaranpillai of Thanjavur led him to write serial articles in the journal of the 'Tamil Sangam'. The lectures delivered by him were appreciated by Dr V.Swaminatha Iyer and Professor. S.Somasundara Bharathi in 30's of the last century. The publication of Kulothunga Chola1 and Pandiya varalaru attracted the Tamil scholars who wrote appreciation reviews in periodicals like NavaSakthi, SenThamil and others. The President of Karantahi Tamil Sangam and a friend of Raja Sir AnnamalaiChettiyar had been urging the University to start a separate Tamil Research Department. This was organized in 1941 and my father joined this department in 1942 and occupied a dignified place in this department for nearly 19 years. During this period his monumental works ' HISTORY OF LATER CHOLAS','HISTORY OF TAMIL LITERATURE PART 1(250 TO 600)','HISTORY OF TAMIL LITERATURE PART 2 (13,14 AND 15 TH CENTURY)' were published by him. He was passed away in 1960.

The Tamil world of scholars gradually became to recognize my father's creditable work late in the 50's.The Thiruvalluvar Academy at  Madurai headed by PalaniappaPillai (Thiru P.Nedumaran's father) had organized a special function. In this, a PONNADAI (GOLDEN SHAWL) presented by RAJA SIR.MUTHIAHCHETTIYAR. A gold medal bearing the Inscription 'AARAICHI PERARIGNAR' was presented to my father by a great Tamil ScholarKARMEGA KONAR of Madurai. Sometime later the Tamil Writers Association honoured him in a fitting manner at a grand function when Professor T.P.Meenakshi Sundaram and A.C.Valliappa had praised the services of my father in eloquent manner. In his elevation to scholarly post at Annamalai Nagar he has become inducted to T.V.Umamaheswaran Pillai(Thamilvel,Senthamil puravalar) of Thanjavur and Thiru.NarayanaIyer,a leading Lawyer at Pudukottai.Pulavar K Swaminathan a leading Professor of English,Professor K. Sundaram Iyer of Kumbakonam college,M.M.Ramanuja Charriyar of Kumbakonam had become intimate with my father and it may be stated here that Professor K.Subramaniyam was responsible for my father's appoinment in this University. Articles written by my father deal with many themes provoking interest among scholars for further research.They had been published serially in two parts in the past. Dr.A.M .Sathiyamoorthy had picked up somehow interest in my father's research activities and with the help of his beloved wife he celebrated the Centenary of my father life in elegant manner in Kumbakonam(1991-92).Dr.Pon.KothandaRaman, the present Vice-Chancellor of Madras University gave a lecture on the that occasion. Dr.Sathiyamoorthy brought out two publications entitled'Pandarathar valvum panium',and 'Aaivulagil Pandarathar Panigal'. At his instance some thesis have been published by his students dealing with my father's Literary activities. Dr.Mohan of Annamalai University had given a subject of the same nature to one of his students and a countable thesis was presented by a student in recent times,has to be gratefully acknowledged here. PAVENDAR BHARATHIDASAN in his popular journal "KUYIL" has referred to the marvelous memory of my father and urged the Tamils to set up statues in his honor. The chief contributions of my father to Tamil Literary Chronology are

1.The Age of Manikkavasagar. 2.The Age of Kambar. 3.Vinyaga Worship in TamilNadu. 4.The Period of saint Sekkizhar. Besides his abiding interest in Tamil Studies my father had become a close observer of Politics in TamilNadu.Like many other dignities he showed keen interest in attending the periodical conferences of the JUSTICE PARTY and he was fortunate enough in hearing the fiery speech delivered by Dr.T.M.Nayar in Thanjavur session of the conference. His interest in uplift the backward and deprived classes led him to induce many youngsters to join high schools and colleges in larger numbers.Many Tamil lovers had been taught by him in Tamil Literature.Several conferences conducted by the  backward  communities were frequently attended by my father who was said to have delivered lectures stressing the need for Social Justice. In the 30's, the local unit of D.K at Kumbakonam had come into close contact with him. During the visits of THANTHAI PERIYAR to Kumbakonam numerous poems were composed by my father and presented to the Leader. Mr.Emyavaramban, a close disciple of THANTHAI PERIYAR had promoted deep intimacy between my father and PERIYAR. Hearing the death of my father, THANTAHI PERIYAR wrote a condolence letter to me early in Jan.1960.