Maraimalai Adigal
Encyclopedia
Maraimalai Adigal (15 July 1876 – 15 September 1950) was an eminent Tamil
orator and writer
. He was a devout Hindu
as a staunch follower of Saivism. He has authored more than 100 books, including works on original poems and dramas, but most famous are his books on his research into Tamil literature
. Most of his literary works were on Saivism. He founded a Saivite institution called Podhunilaik Kazhagam. He was an exponent of the Pure Tamil movement and hence considered to be the father of Tamil puritanism
. He advocated the use of Tamil devoid of Sanskrit
words and hence changed his birth name Vedhachalam to Maraimalai.
Politically he was inclined towards non-Brahminism and hence he and his followers considered that the Self-respect movement
was born out of his efforts. Nevertheless, the atheist ideologies of Periyar E. V. Ramasamy
were shunned by Maraimalai Adigal and caused years of differences between the two. Maraimalai Adigal spent most of his income on buying his books and after his death his collection were made into a library according to his will.
from Tamil scholar Narayana Pillai, who was making his livelihood by selling Tamil palm leaf manuscripts. He learnt Sanskrit
and English
through his own effort. He later authored several articles in Tamil monthly called Neelalochani. He later studied Saiva Philosophy
under Somasundara Naicker. With the help of Sundaram Pillai, author of Manonmaniam, he learnt Tamil poetic dramas and thus acquired employment as a Tamil teacher in a school in Trivandrum.
to work as a sud-editor to a journal Siddantha Deepikai. Later, in March 1898, he quit this job to work with V. G. Suryanarana Sastri
as a teacher in Madras Christian College
. In his time in Madras Christian College he toured throughout Tamil Nadu
giving lectures on Saivism. At about the same time he started a society for Saivism called Saiva Siddhanta Maha Samajam. As a young teacher he was popular with his students who would visit his house to listen to his lectures.
(Though he changed his name (Marai = Vedham; Malai = achalam; Adigal = swamy) only in the 1916, we chose to address him as Maraimalai Adigal (for the period prior to 1916)out of shear respect for that great Tamil Scholar/ leader )
"Tamil made optional" by Madras University :
In the year 1910 a decision was made by the Madras University to make Tamil language (vernacular) as optional for graduation in Arts subject leaving English as a medium of education. Some members of the University, who were inimical to Tamil but unashamedly calling themselves as Tamils made a proposal to make English and Sanskrit as compulsory subjects. In the absence of a true Tamil who could oppose that shameful act, only a European member took strong objection to that move and questioned as to how Tamil, a language rich in literature and grammar spoken by the majority people could be made as optional, while making Sanskrit, a language not spoken by anybody be made as a compulsory subject. Thus their sinister attempt to make Sanskrit as compulsory failed miserably.
Maraimalai Adigal Left the Job:
Because of the above decision of Madras University many Tamil teachers lost their jobs. Realizing the vast knowledge and his great capacity as a teacher Miller the then Head of Christian College Madras and other friends insisted that Maraimalai Adigal be given a job in the college and should not leave the job. As the opportunity to teach Tamil got considerably reduced and number of students opted Tamil was minimal,the need for full time teacher was not a required.
Maraimalai Adigal had refused the offer of Miller and other friends from other colleges and resigned his Christian College job to lead an ascetic life in a serene atmosphere outside the city and to study and do research in Tamil.
, which he composed during the times of illness were published as Thiruvotri Muruhar Mummanikkovai in 1900. He also wrote poems in memory of his teacher Somasundara Naiker in 1901 as Somasundarak Kaanjiaakkam. This has been considered as one of his best works. He also released his research work on Tamil literature Mullaip Pattu Aaraichi for students of Tamil literature. He translated Kalidasa
's Sakuntalai into Tamil.
Some of his prominent works include:
In 1911, he published his first novel, Kumuthavalli allathu Naahanaattarasi, an adaptation of English novel Leela by G. W. M. Reynolds.
1. Maranathin pin Manithar Nilai (Human Life stage After Death)
2. Mesmerism and Hypnotism
3. Tholaivil unarthal (Telepathy)
After quitting Christian College job On 10 April 1911, he moved to Pallavaram, a suburb of Chennai. While at Pallavaram, he started to dress as a Sanyasin from 27 August 1911 and became to be known as Swami Vedhachalam. He became a devout follower of Saivism and started an institution named Podhunilaik Kazhagam. The motto of the institution was set at Ondre Kulam, Oruvanae Devan (Mankind is one, and God is one). The Kazhagam made efforts to make people of all castes, creeds and religions to worship together.
He started a printing press named, "Thiru Murugan Press" (TM Press) in his residence at Pallavaram and published a number of books and magazines detailed above. He also started a monthly called Gnaana Saaharam (Ocean of Wisdom).
was born out of his views and principles. Nevertheless, the atheist stance of Periyar E. V. Ramasamy
, who was heading the Self-respect movement, was observed by Maraimalai Adigal and his followers as counter productive. On this issue, Ilavalaganar, a student of Maraimalai Adigal wrote:
(Thiru Vi. Ka as he was popularly known) and an eminent Saivite scholar himself, to arrange for a state-wide tour to counter the propaganda of the Self-respect movement. Maraimalai Adigal looked upon the Self-respect movement as a handiwork of the Vaishnavites. On this Maraimalai Adigal wrote
Kalyanasundara Mudaliar, although a Saivite himself, disagreed with Maraimalai Adigal. Kalyanasundaram refused to publish Maraimalai Adigal's essay against Self-respect movement in his journal. The antipathy between Maraimalai Adigal and the members of Self-respect movement was also explicit with Kudiarasu, the political organ of Self-respect movement claiming that Maraimalai Adigal was calling for Periyar to be murdered.
in Periyar's English language
weekly Revolt. Although the apology and reconciliation were at a personal level between Periyar and Maraimalai Adigal, the difference in ideologies still made their followers to cross swords.
, Sri Lanka
, Burma and Malaysia. Upon his death, on 15 September 1950, according to his will, the books were left for the people of Tamil Nadu and thus a library named after him was started in 1958 in Chennai
. The library was a repertoire of books and journals, some printed way back in 1779. The contents of the library were moved in May 2008 to Connemara Public Library
.
Tamil language
Tamil is a Dravidian language spoken predominantly by Tamil people of the Indian subcontinent. It has official status in the Indian state of Tamil Nadu and in the Indian union territory of Pondicherry. Tamil is also an official language of Sri Lanka and Singapore...
orator and writer
Writer
A writer is a person who produces literature, such as novels, short stories, plays, screenplays, poetry, or other literary art. Skilled writers are able to use language to portray ideas and images....
. He was a devout Hindu
Hindu
Hindu refers to an identity associated with the philosophical, religious and cultural systems that are indigenous to the Indian subcontinent. As used in the Constitution of India, the word "Hindu" is also attributed to all persons professing any Indian religion...
as a staunch follower of Saivism. He has authored more than 100 books, including works on original poems and dramas, but most famous are his books on his research into Tamil literature
Tamil literature
Tamil literature refers to the literature in the Tamil language. Tamil literature has a rich and long literary tradition spanning more than two thousand years. The oldest extant works show signs of maturity indicating an even longer period of evolution...
. Most of his literary works were on Saivism. He founded a Saivite institution called Podhunilaik Kazhagam. He was an exponent of the Pure Tamil movement and hence considered to be the father of Tamil puritanism
Religious fanaticism
Religious fanaticism is fanaticism related to a person's, or a group's, devotion to a religion. However, religious fanaticism is a subjective evaluation defined by the culture context that is performing the evaluation. What constitutes fanaticism in another's behavior or belief is determined by the...
. He advocated the use of Tamil devoid of Sanskrit
Sanskrit
Sanskrit , is a historical Indo-Aryan language and the primary liturgical language of Hinduism, Jainism and Buddhism.Buddhism: besides Pali, see Buddhist Hybrid Sanskrit Today, it is listed as one of the 22 scheduled languages of India and is an official language of the state of Uttarakhand...
words and hence changed his birth name Vedhachalam to Maraimalai.
Politically he was inclined towards non-Brahminism and hence he and his followers considered that the Self-respect movement
Self-Respect Movement
The Self-Respect Movement was founded in 1925 by Periyar E. V. Ramasamy in Tamil Nadu, India. The movement has the aim of achieving a society where backward castes have equal human rights, and encouraging backward castes to have self-respect in the context of a caste based society that...
was born out of his efforts. Nevertheless, the atheist ideologies of Periyar E. V. Ramasamy
Periyar E. V. Ramasamy
Erode Venkata Ramasamy , affectionately called by his followers as Periyar , Thanthai Periyar or E. V...
were shunned by Maraimalai Adigal and caused years of differences between the two. Maraimalai Adigal spent most of his income on buying his books and after his death his collection were made into a library according to his will.
Early life
Maraimalai Adigal was born on 15 July 1876 to Cokkanata Pillai and Cinnammai. His birth name was Vedhachalam. He did his early schooling at Wesley Mission High School in Nagappattinam, but had to abandon his formal education with Fourth Form after his father's death.English and Sanskrit Learning
His stint as a student in Wesley Mission High School Nagapattiam made him proficient in English language. When refused to be taught Sanskrit by a Sanskrit teacher on his being a non Brahmin at his early age, he found a way out by teaching a fellow Brahmin student English, learnt fom that boy Sanskrit on daily basis and became proficient in Sanskrit.Education in Tamil literature
Maraimalai Adigal in spite of discontinuing his formal education after 9th grade, continued learning Tamil languageTamil language
Tamil is a Dravidian language spoken predominantly by Tamil people of the Indian subcontinent. It has official status in the Indian state of Tamil Nadu and in the Indian union territory of Pondicherry. Tamil is also an official language of Sri Lanka and Singapore...
from Tamil scholar Narayana Pillai, who was making his livelihood by selling Tamil palm leaf manuscripts. He learnt Sanskrit
Sanskrit
Sanskrit , is a historical Indo-Aryan language and the primary liturgical language of Hinduism, Jainism and Buddhism.Buddhism: besides Pali, see Buddhist Hybrid Sanskrit Today, it is listed as one of the 22 scheduled languages of India and is an official language of the state of Uttarakhand...
and English
English language
English is a West Germanic language that arose in the Anglo-Saxon kingdoms of England and spread into what was to become south-east Scotland under the influence of the Anglian medieval kingdom of Northumbria...
through his own effort. He later authored several articles in Tamil monthly called Neelalochani. He later studied Saiva Philosophy
Philosophy
Philosophy is the study of general and fundamental problems, such as those connected with existence, knowledge, values, reason, mind, and language. Philosophy is distinguished from other ways of addressing such problems by its critical, generally systematic approach and its reliance on rational...
under Somasundara Naicker. With the help of Sundaram Pillai, author of Manonmaniam, he learnt Tamil poetic dramas and thus acquired employment as a Tamil teacher in a school in Trivandrum.
Career
At the age of seventeen, he got married to Soundaravalli and soon after his marriage, he moved to ChennaiChennai
Chennai , formerly known as Madras or Madarasapatinam , is the capital city of the Indian state of Tamil Nadu, located on the Coromandel Coast off the Bay of Bengal. Chennai is the fourth most populous metropolitan area and the sixth most populous city in India...
to work as a sud-editor to a journal Siddantha Deepikai. Later, in March 1898, he quit this job to work with V. G. Suryanarana Sastri
Parithimar Kalaignar
Parithimar Kalaignar , a Professor of Tamil at the Madras Christian College was the first person to campaign for the recognition of Tamil as a classical language.- Life :...
as a teacher in Madras Christian College
Madras Christian College
The Madras Christian College, commonly known as MCC, is a liberal arts and sciences college in Madras , India. Founded in 1837, MCC is one of Asia's oldest extant colleges. Currently, the college is affiliated to the University of Madras, but functions as an autonomous institution from its campus...
. In his time in Madras Christian College he toured throughout Tamil Nadu
Tamil Nadu
Tamil Nadu is one of the 28 states of India. Its capital and largest city is Chennai. Tamil Nadu lies in the southernmost part of the Indian Peninsula and is bordered by the union territory of Pondicherry, and the states of Kerala, Karnataka, and Andhra Pradesh...
giving lectures on Saivism. At about the same time he started a society for Saivism called Saiva Siddhanta Maha Samajam. As a young teacher he was popular with his students who would visit his house to listen to his lectures.
(Though he changed his name (Marai = Vedham; Malai = achalam; Adigal = swamy) only in the 1916, we chose to address him as Maraimalai Adigal (for the period prior to 1916)out of shear respect for that great Tamil Scholar/ leader )
"Tamil made optional" by Madras University :
In the year 1910 a decision was made by the Madras University to make Tamil language (vernacular) as optional for graduation in Arts subject leaving English as a medium of education. Some members of the University, who were inimical to Tamil but unashamedly calling themselves as Tamils made a proposal to make English and Sanskrit as compulsory subjects. In the absence of a true Tamil who could oppose that shameful act, only a European member took strong objection to that move and questioned as to how Tamil, a language rich in literature and grammar spoken by the majority people could be made as optional, while making Sanskrit, a language not spoken by anybody be made as a compulsory subject. Thus their sinister attempt to make Sanskrit as compulsory failed miserably.
Maraimalai Adigal Left the Job:
Because of the above decision of Madras University many Tamil teachers lost their jobs. Realizing the vast knowledge and his great capacity as a teacher Miller the then Head of Christian College Madras and other friends insisted that Maraimalai Adigal be given a job in the college and should not leave the job. As the opportunity to teach Tamil got considerably reduced and number of students opted Tamil was minimal,the need for full time teacher was not a required.
Maraimalai Adigal had refused the offer of Miller and other friends from other colleges and resigned his Christian College job to lead an ascetic life in a serene atmosphere outside the city and to study and do research in Tamil.
Works in Tamil literature
Apart from being a good orator he composed several Tamil poems too. He authored more than 100 books. Other than essays and novels he wrote books dealing with literary criticism, philosophy and religion, history, psychology and politics. His collections of poems to Hindu god MuruganMurugan
Murugan also called Kartikeya, Skanda and Subrahmanya, is a popular Hindu deity especially among Tamil Hindus, worshipped primarily in areas with Tamil influences, especially South India, Singapore, Sri Lanka, Malaysia, Mauritius and Reunion Island. His six most important shrines in India are the...
, which he composed during the times of illness were published as Thiruvotri Muruhar Mummanikkovai in 1900. He also wrote poems in memory of his teacher Somasundara Naiker in 1901 as Somasundarak Kaanjiaakkam. This has been considered as one of his best works. He also released his research work on Tamil literature Mullaip Pattu Aaraichi for students of Tamil literature. He translated Kalidasa
Kalidasa
Kālidāsa was a renowned Classical Sanskrit writer, widely regarded as the greatest poet and dramatist in the Sanskrit language...
's Sakuntalai into Tamil.
Some of his prominent works include:
- Pattinapalaai Aaraaichi-yurai (1906)
- Tamizhthaai (1933)
- Sinthanaikatturaikal (1908)
- Arivuraikkothu (1921)
- Chiruvarkaana Senthamizh (1934)
- Ilainarkaana Inramizh (1957 - posthumous publication)
- Arivuraikkovai (1971 - posthumous publication)
- Maraimalaiyatikal paamanaikkovai (1977 - posthumous publication)
In 1911, he published his first novel, Kumuthavalli allathu Naahanaattarasi, an adaptation of English novel Leela by G. W. M. Reynolds.
-
- Maraimalai Adigalar was the first and foremost author of self-improvement/self-help/personality development books in India. His works can be compared with those of Emerson,M.R.Kopmeyer,Dale Carnegie etc. He wrote the following books in the 1890s and they are still available at the leading publishers at Chennai,India :-
1. Maranathin pin Manithar Nilai (Human Life stage After Death)
2. Mesmerism and Hypnotism
3. Tholaivil unarthal (Telepathy)
As Swami Vedhachalam
Maraimalai Adigal as an Author and Publisher:After quitting Christian College job On 10 April 1911, he moved to Pallavaram, a suburb of Chennai. While at Pallavaram, he started to dress as a Sanyasin from 27 August 1911 and became to be known as Swami Vedhachalam. He became a devout follower of Saivism and started an institution named Podhunilaik Kazhagam. The motto of the institution was set at Ondre Kulam, Oruvanae Devan (Mankind is one, and God is one). The Kazhagam made efforts to make people of all castes, creeds and religions to worship together.
He started a printing press named, "Thiru Murugan Press" (TM Press) in his residence at Pallavaram and published a number of books and magazines detailed above. He also started a monthly called Gnaana Saaharam (Ocean of Wisdom).
Pure Tamil movement
In the year 1916 he became an exponent of pure Tamil movement advocating the use of Tamil language devoid of loan words from Sanskrit. Thus he changed the name of Gnaana Saaharam to Arivukkadal and his title of Swami Vedhachalam to Maraimalai Adigal (where Adigal is Tamil for Swami). Thus he is referred to as the Father of Tamil Puritanism.Non-Brahminism
Apart being the called as father of pure Tamil movement, Maraimalai Adigal is also considered as father of Non-Brahmin Tamil movements. Maraimalai Adigal himself claimed that the non-Brahmin stance of Self-respect movementSelf-Respect Movement
The Self-Respect Movement was founded in 1925 by Periyar E. V. Ramasamy in Tamil Nadu, India. The movement has the aim of achieving a society where backward castes have equal human rights, and encouraging backward castes to have self-respect in the context of a caste based society that...
was born out of his views and principles. Nevertheless, the atheist stance of Periyar E. V. Ramasamy
Periyar E. V. Ramasamy
Erode Venkata Ramasamy , affectionately called by his followers as Periyar , Thanthai Periyar or E. V...
, who was heading the Self-respect movement, was observed by Maraimalai Adigal and his followers as counter productive. On this issue, Ilavalaganar, a student of Maraimalai Adigal wrote:
Differences with Self-respect movement
Although initially a supporter of the Self-respect movement, which he saw as a non-Brahmin movement, he vehemently opposed the atheistic views of its leadership. At one stage he asked Ulaganatha Mudaliar, brother of Thiru. Vi. Kaliyanasundara MudaliarV. Kalyanasundaram
Thiruvarur Viruttacala Kalyanasundaram, , better known by his Tamil initials Thiru Vi Ka , was a Tamil scholar, essayist and activist. He is esteemed for the strong humanism of his essays, the analytical depth of his commentaries on classical Tamil literature and philosophy, and the clear, fluid...
(Thiru Vi. Ka as he was popularly known) and an eminent Saivite scholar himself, to arrange for a state-wide tour to counter the propaganda of the Self-respect movement. Maraimalai Adigal looked upon the Self-respect movement as a handiwork of the Vaishnavites. On this Maraimalai Adigal wrote
Kalyanasundara Mudaliar, although a Saivite himself, disagreed with Maraimalai Adigal. Kalyanasundaram refused to publish Maraimalai Adigal's essay against Self-respect movement in his journal. The antipathy between Maraimalai Adigal and the members of Self-respect movement was also explicit with Kudiarasu, the political organ of Self-respect movement claiming that Maraimalai Adigal was calling for Periyar to be murdered.
Reconciliation
Eventually after years of disagreement, both Maraimalai Adigal and Periyar realised that the disagreement is harmful for their interest and worked towards a repproachment. Periyar offered an unconditional apology to Maraimalai Adigal and in reply, Maraimalai Adigal wrote a series on the RamayanaRamayana
The Ramayana is an ancient Sanskrit epic. It is ascribed to the Hindu sage Valmiki and forms an important part of the Hindu canon , considered to be itihāsa. The Ramayana is one of the two great epics of India and Nepal, the other being the Mahabharata...
in Periyar's English language
English language
English is a West Germanic language that arose in the Anglo-Saxon kingdoms of England and spread into what was to become south-east Scotland under the influence of the Anglian medieval kingdom of Northumbria...
weekly Revolt. Although the apology and reconciliation were at a personal level between Periyar and Maraimalai Adigal, the difference in ideologies still made their followers to cross swords.
Maraimalai Adigal Library
Maraimalai Adigal spent most of his income on buying books. Research on the readership of his book collections show that between 20 April 1923 to 10 August 1930 a total of 1852 people had borrowed his books. The readership included people from Madras PresidencyMadras Presidency
The Madras Presidency , officially the Presidency of Fort St. George and also known as Madras Province, was an administrative subdivision of British India...
, Sri Lanka
Sri Lanka
Sri Lanka, officially the Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka is a country off the southern coast of the Indian subcontinent. Known until 1972 as Ceylon , Sri Lanka is an island surrounded by the Indian Ocean, the Gulf of Mannar and the Palk Strait, and lies in the vicinity of India and the...
, Burma and Malaysia. Upon his death, on 15 September 1950, according to his will, the books were left for the people of Tamil Nadu and thus a library named after him was started in 1958 in Chennai
Chennai
Chennai , formerly known as Madras or Madarasapatinam , is the capital city of the Indian state of Tamil Nadu, located on the Coromandel Coast off the Bay of Bengal. Chennai is the fourth most populous metropolitan area and the sixth most populous city in India...
. The library was a repertoire of books and journals, some printed way back in 1779. The contents of the library were moved in May 2008 to Connemara Public Library
Connemara Public Library
Connemara Public Library at Chennai is one of the four National Depository Libraries which receive a copy of all books, newspapers and periodicals published in India. Established in 1890 the library is a repository of centuries-old publications, wherein lie some of the most respected works and...
.