Periyasaami Thooran was a patriot, Tamil

Tamil people

Tamil people , also called Tamils or Tamilians, are an ethnic group native to Tamil Nadu, India and the north-eastern region of Sri Lanka. Historic and post 15th century emigrant communities are also found across the world, notably Malaysia, Singapore, Mauritius, South Africa, Australia, Canada,...

 poet, teacher, and a composer of Carnatic music

Carnatic music

Carnatic music is a system of music commonly associated with the southern part of the Indian subcontinent, with its area roughly confined to four modern states of India: Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka, Kerala, and Tamil Nadu...

.

Early life

Periyasami was born to K.A. Palanivelappa Gounder and Paavaathal on September 26 1908 at Manjakattuvalasu near Modakurichi

Modakurichi

Modakurichi is a panchayat town in Erode district in the Indian state of Tamil Nadu.It is located as a suburb of Erode City, at a distance of 15 km from Erode Central Bus Station & 8 km from Solar Bus Station....

 in the Erode district

Erode District

Erode District is a western district of the state of Tamil Nadu, India, with Erode as its headquarters. Until the year 1996, Erode district was called as Periyar District....

 of India. He was greatly influenced and inspired by Mahakavi Subramania Bharathiyar and Mahatma Gandhi

Mahatma Gandhi

Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi , pronounced . 2 October 1869 – 30 January 1948) was the pre-eminent political and ideological leader of India during the Indian independence movement...

. When a student in college he published a underground monthly magazine called 'Pithan' which was printed by his contemporary K.M.Ramasami gounder in Gobichettipalayam in the beginning and also wrote poems and short stories. It was at this time that he began writing under the pen name 'Thooran' as 'Pithan' featured anti British occupation literature. He declined to sit for the final Bachelor of Arts examination shocked by the execution by the British of Bhagat Singh. Thooran gained his B.A. (Mathematics with a Minor in Astronomy) and L.T. (Licentiate in Teaching) later. Thooran's background in Science was to later help him complete the Tamil Encyclopedia

Tamil Encyclopedia

Tamil Encyclopedia is a universal encyclopedia in Tamil, published by Tamil Academy, Chennai. It was a project funded by the Government of India after Indian Independence. The chief editor of this effort was Periyasaamy Thooran. The entire Kalaikalanjiam is available online at the Tamil Virtual...

 project as he was thoroughly convinced that Science and Technology was an integral part of language.

Literary career

A prolific writer, he composed over six hundred songs on national, spiritual and moral issues. He wrote 'a poem a day' for several years after his daily poojas. He became popular and the melody queens N. C. Vasanthakokilam and D. K. Pattammal

D. K. Pattammal

Damal Krishnaswamy Pattammal was a prominent Carnatic musician and a playback singer for film songs in many Indian languages. She along with her contemporaries M. S. Subbulakshmi and M. L. Vasanthakumari were popularly referred to as the Female trinity of Carnatic Music...

 always included his works in their concerts. A man with noble ideals, Thooran is an acknowledged poet and composer. Analogous to Tyagaraja

Tyagaraja

Kakarla Tyagabrahmam , colloquially known as Tyāgarājar and Tyagayya was one of the greatest composers of Carnatic music or classical South Indian music. He, along with his contemporaries Muthuswami Dikshitar and Shyama Shastry, forms the Trinity of Carnatic music...

's 'Santhamulekha, Soukyamuledhu' (set to Sama rāga

Raga

A raga is one of the melodic modes used in Indian classical music.It is a series of five or more musical notes upon which a melody is made...

m), Thooran's 'Santhamillamal sukham undo?' (Nattaikurinji) stresses that there is no joy without patience and no contentment amidst worries. Deep philosophical truths lay hidden in his simple devotional songs. Musical aesthetics and bhava

Bhava

The term bhāva is often translated as feeling, emotion, mood, devotional state of mind. In Buddhist thought, bhāva denotes the continuity of life and death, including reincarnation, and the maturation arising therefrom...

 find abundant evidence in his compositions.

While he was not a musician, he had profound poetic talents. Like Arunachala Kavi

Arunachala Kavi

Arunachala Kavi was a Tamil poet and a composer of Carnatic music. He was born in Tillaiyadi in Thanjavur District in Tamil Nadu. The three Tamil composers Arunachala Kavi, Muthu Thandavar and Marimutthu Pillai are considered the Tamil Trinity, who contributed to the evolution of Carnatic...

rayar, he had to seek outside help to set his lyrics to music. Sivaramakrishna Iyer (who was born in 1913 in Mavelikara, Kerala

Kerala

or Keralam is an Indian state located on the Malabar coast of south-west India. It was created on 1 November 1956 by the States Reorganisation Act by combining various Malayalam speaking regions....

 and had joined Sri Ramakrishna Vidyalaya as music teacher in 1937) was his guru and choreographer. Thooran also availed of the services of senior musicians like K. V. Narayanaswamy

Palghat Kollengode Viswanatha Narayanaswamy

Palghat Kollengode Viswanatha Narayanaswamy , often referred to as KVN, was an Indian musician, widely considered to be among the finest Carnatic music vocalists of the 20th century. He was described as the "Gentle Perfect Knight" of Carnatic music, a phrase from Geoffrey Chaucer, by V. K...

, T.K. Govinda Rao and T. V. Sankaranarayanan.

Tiger Varadachariar

Tiger Varadachariar

Tiger Varadachariar was a famous Carnatic music vocalist who hailed from the Indian state of Tamil Nadu. M. D. Ramanathan was his student.-Early life:...

, Musiri Subramania Iyer

Musiri Subramania Iyer

Musiri Subramania Iyer was a Carnatic vocalist who's stage performing career spanned the 1920s to the 1940s. After retirement from the stage, he remained an iconic figure in Carnatic music as a dedicated teacher and leader in the Carnatic community...

 and Semmangudi Srinivasa Iyer

Semmangudi Srinivasa Iyer

Semmangudi Srinivasa Iyer is considered to be one of the greatest Carnatic vocalists of the twentieth century...

 are three of the eminent musicians who have spoken highly of his compositions. His popular compositions include Gananaathane (Saranga), Kaliyuga Varadhan (Brindavana Saranga)http://www.raaga.com/play/?id=85034, Muralidhara Gopala (Maand), Muruga Muruga (Saveri), Pazhani Nindra (Kapi), Punniyam Oru (Keeravani

Keeravani

Keeravani is a rāgam in Carnatic music . It is the 21st Melakarta rāgam in the 72 melakarta rāgam system of Carnatic music. The 21st melakarta rāgam as per Muthuswami Dikshitar school of music is ....

) and Thaye Thripurasundhari (Shuddha Saveri

Shuddha Saveri

Shuddha Saveri , , ) is a rāgam in Carnatic music . It is an audava rāgam . It is a janya rāgam , as it does not have all the seven swaras .The equivalent of Shuddha Saveri in Hindustani music is Durga.Raganidhi by P. Subba Rao, Pub...

).

Contributions to Tamil literature

His songs were published in five volumes entitled 'Isai Mani Manjari'. Other publications include 'Thooran Stories' (1962), 'Nalla Nalla Paattu' (1965), 'Call of the Wild' and 'Bharati' for children, some of which were purchased by Tamil Isai Sangam

Tamil Isai Sangam

Tamil Isai Sangam is a music association started to promote pure form of ancient Tamil music popularly known as the Tamil Isai throughout Tamil Nadu. The current president of the association is Judge P.R.Gopalakrishnan. The main premises are located in Chennai city.-History:It was founded in 1943...

.

He was Chief Editor from 1948 to 1978 of the Tamil Encyclopedia

Tamil Encyclopedia

Tamil Encyclopedia is a universal encyclopedia in Tamil, published by Tamil Academy, Chennai. It was a project funded by the Government of India after Indian Independence. The chief editor of this effort was Periyasaamy Thooran. The entire Kalaikalanjiam is available online at the Tamil Virtual...

 which ran to ten volumes. The credit for bringing out the first-ever Children's Encyclopaedia in Tamil

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...

 in ten volumes goes to him.

Works

• Poetry
• Ilanthamizha
• Minnal Poo
• Nilap Pinju
• Patti Paravaigal

• Short story collections
• Thanga Changili
• Pillai Varam
• Maavilakku
• Kaalingarayan Kodai
• Urimaip Penn
• Thooran Ezhuthoviyangal

• Essays
• Thein Chittu
• Poovin Sirippu
• Kaattu Vazhithanile

• Plays
• Azhagu Mayakkam
• Ponniyin Thyagam
• Choozhchi
• Ilan Thuravi
• Aadhi Aththi
• Manak Kugai
• Kaadhalum Kadamaiyum

• Books on psychology
• Kuzanthai Ullam
• Kuzanthai Manamum Athan Malarchiyum
• Thazhvu Manappanmai
• Adi Manam
• Manamum Adhan Villakamum
• Kumara Paruvam

• Book on embryology
• Karuvil Valarum Kuzhandhai

• Books on genetics
• Paarambariyam
• Petror Kodutha Perung Kodai

• Books for Children
• Songs

• Aanaiyum Poonaiyum
• Nalla Nalla Pattu
• Mazhalai Amudham
  • Animal and other stories
• Natya Rani
• Jimmy
• Nila Paatti
• Olai Kili
• Thambiyin Thiramai
• Kadakkitti Mudakkitti
• Manjal Muttai
  
  • Other stories
• Maaya Kallan
• Soorap Puli
• Kollimalai Kullan
• Sangagiri Kottaiyin Marmam
• Tharangambody Thangappudhaiyal
  • Science
• Parakkum Manidhan

• Musical Compositions with Swara notations
• Two Volumes published through Annamalai University containing 150 songs
• Isai Mani Malai
• Isai Mani Manjari
• Murugan Arul Mani Maalai
• Keerthanai Amudham

• Folk Songs
• Katril Vandha Kavithai

• Translations from English to Tamil
• Kanagathin Kural (Jack London
  Jack London
  John Griffith "Jack" London was an American author, journalist, and social activist. He was a pioneer in the then-burgeoning world of commercial magazine fiction and was one of the first fiction writers to obtain worldwide celebrity and a large fortune from his fiction alone...
  
  ’s Call of the Wild
  Call Of The Wild
  -Track listing:All songs written by Ted Nugent, except where indicated:#"Call of the Wild" – 4:51#"Sweet Revenge" – 4:06#"Pony Express" – 5:21#"Ain't It the Truth" – 4:57#"Renegade" – 3:33...
  
  )
• Kadal Kadandha Natppu (Naomi Mitchison
  Naomi Mitchison
  Naomi May Margaret Mitchison, CBE was a Scottish novelist and poet. She was appointed CBE in 1981; she was also entitled to call herself Lady Mitchison, CBE since 5 October 1964 .- Childhood and family background :Naomi Margaret Haldane was...
  
  ’s Judy and Lakshmi)
• Paravaigalaip Par (Jamal Aara’s Watching Binds)

• Editions
• Bharathi Tamizh
• Thakurin Aimperum Katturaigal

• Published from palm-leaf manuscripts
• Poet Kalamega’s Chithira Madal, with anotations and explanatory notes
• Vadivel Pillai’s Mohini Vilasam
• Avinashi Navalan’s Thingalur Nonndi Nadakam

• Books on Bharathi
• Bharathi Noolagal Oru Thiranaivu
• Bharathiyarin Nagaichuvaiyum,Naiyaandiyum.
• Bharathiyum Ulagamum
• Bharathiyum Kadavulum
• Bharathiyum Samoogamum
• Bharathiyum Thamizhagamum
• Bharathiyum Paattum
• Bharathiyum Paapaavum
• Bharathiyum Pennmaiyum
• Bharathiyum Bharatha Desamum

• Compilation of Tamil Encyclopedia
  Tamil Encyclopedia
  Tamil Encyclopedia is a universal encyclopedia in Tamil, published by Tamil Academy, Chennai. It was a project funded by the Government of India after Indian Independence. The chief editor of this effort was Periyasaamy Thooran. The entire Kalaikalanjiam is available online at the Tamil Virtual...
  
  
• General Encyclopedia, 10 Volumes
• Children’s Encyclopedia, 10 Volumes

Honours and Titles

• Padma Bhushan
  Padma Bhushan
  The Padma Bhushan is the third highest civilian award in the Republic of India, after the Bharat Ratna and the Padma Vibhushan, but comes before the Padma Shri. It is awarded by the Government of India.-History:...
  
   by President of India 1968
• Isai Perarignar by Tamil Isai Sangam
  Tamil Isai Sangam
  Tamil Isai Sangam is a music association started to promote pure form of ancient Tamil music popularly known as the Tamil Isai throughout Tamil Nadu. The current president of the association is Judge P.R.Gopalakrishnan. The main premises are located in Chennai city.-History:It was founded in 1943...
  
   1972
• Kalaimamani
  Kalaimamani
  The Kalaimamani is an award in Tamil Nadu state, India. These awards are given by the Tamil Nadu Iyal Isai Nataka Manram for excellence in the field of art and literature....
  
   by 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...
  
  Iyal Isai Nataka Mandram 1970
• Annamalai Chettiar Award by MAC Charities 1978