Meenakshi Sundaram Pillai

Not to be confused with Guru Meenakshi Sundaram Pillai of Pandanallur style in Baratnatyam.
Meenakshi Sundaram Pillai
Born 1815 A.D.
Tiruchirapalli
Tamil Nadu
India
Died 1876 A.D.
Titles/honours Tamil Poet
Philosophy Saivism
Literary works Sthalapurana

Meenakshi Sundaram Pillai or Mahavidhvan Meenakshisundaram Pillai(Tamil:மீனாட்சிசுந்தரம் பிள்ளை) was an eminent Tamil scholar and teacher of U. V. Swaminatha Iyer, a Tamil scholar and researcher who was instrumental in bringing many long-forgotten works of classical Tamil literature to light.

Literary works

He began his career as a Tamil teacher in Mayiladuthurai, and went on to train many students in the craft of Tamil literature. Because of his poverty, he was compelled to ghost write books like Kuchelopakyam and the Suta Samitha. One of his first publications under his own name was Akhilanda Nayaki Pillai Tamil, written in 1842. He is remembered for his contribution to Tamil studies as well as Saiva Agamas(Rules of Saivites). The celebrated Tamil scholar U. V. Swaminatha Iyer, known for his discovery of the Sangam classics, became his student at the age of 17. Meenakshi Sundaram Pillai, who left behind him a treasure of Tamil palm leaf manuscripts, died in poverty in 1876.[1]

Along with the institution of Tamil literature came an increased specialization of roles. Whereas poetic and musical composition were often combined in the creation of dramatic and poetic works, the dual role of Kirthana(musical text) composer and erudite poet was becoming unusual in the 19th century. U. V. Swaminatha Iyer reports the contempt of his teacher, Pillai, for poets who composed musical works; music was thought to be a distraction from the more important aspects of grammar, poetics and mastery of traditional commentaries.[2]

Sthala Puranas

Sthala Puranas constitute one of the 96 minor literary genres of Tamil, which gained prominence after the 16th century and came to be recognised as an important literary text for studying temples in the context of socio-economic milieu. Pillai is said to have composed 90 Sthalapuranas(history of ancient temples) about various temples and imparted puranams to his pupils.[3]

Biography

Mahamahopadhyaya Dr. U. V. Swaminatha Iyer compiled Pilla's biography in Tamil, which was translated into English by Sridharam K. Guruswamy. as "A Poet's Poet" (Maha Vidhwan Sri Meenakshisundaram Pillai of Tiruchrappalli).[4] This book of 129 pages was first published in the year 1976 by Mahamahopadhyaya Dr. U. V. Swaminatha Iyer Library, Madras, now known as Chennai.

Notable works

References

  1. ↑ Historical dictionary of the Tamils. P.190. Vijaya Ramaswamy
  2. ↑ Singing the classical, voicing the modern: the postcolonial politics of music in South India. P.154.Amanda J. Weidman
  3. ↑ In those days there was no coffee: writings in cultural history. P.108. Ā. Irā Vēṅkaṭācalapati
  4. ↑ Religious controversy in British India: dialogues in South Asian languages. P.252.Kenneth W. Jones
  5. ↑ http://www.projectmadurai.org/pm_etexts/pdf/pm0129.pdf. Project Madurai.
  6. ↑ http://www.projectmadurai.org/pm_etexts/pdf/pm0232.pdf. Project Madurai.
  7. ↑ http://www.projectmadurai.org/pm_etexts/pdf/pm0233.pdf. Project Madurai.
  8. ↑ http://www.projectmadurai.org/pm_etexts/pdf/pm0234.pdf. Project Madurai.
  9. ↑ http://www.projectmadurai.org/pm_etexts/pdf/pm0235.pdf. Project Madurai.
  10. ↑ http://www.projectmadurai.org/pm_etexts/pdf/pm0236.pdf. Project Madurai.
  11. ↑ http://www.projectmadurai.org/pm_etexts/pdf/pm0237.pdf. Project Madurai.
  12. ↑ http://www.projectmadurai.org/pm_etexts/pdf/pm0238.pdf. Project Madurai.
  13. ↑ http://www.projectmadurai.org/pm_etexts/pdf/pm0240.pdf. Project Madurai.
  14. ↑ http://www.projectmadurai.org/pm_etexts/pdf/pm0243.pdf. Project Madurai.
  15. ↑ http://www.projectmadurai.org/pm_etexts/pdf/pm0250.pdf. Project Madurai.
  16. ↑ http://www.projectmadurai.org/pm_etexts/pdf/pm0253.pdf. Project Madurai.
  17. ↑ http://www.projectmadurai.org/pm_etexts/pdf/pm0262.pdf. Project Madurai.
  18. ↑ http://www.projectmadurai.org/pm_etexts/pdf/pm0264.pdf . Project Madurai.
  19. ↑ http://www.projectmadurai.org/pm_etexts/pdf/pm0265.pdf. Project Madurai.
  20. ↑ http://www.projectmadurai.org/pm_etexts/pdf/pm0272.pdf . Project Madurai.
  21. ↑ http://www.projectmadurai.org/pm_etexts/pdf/pm0274.pdf. Project Madurai.
  22. ↑ http://www.projectmadurai.org/pm_etexts/pdf/pm0275.pdf. Project Madurai.
  23. ↑ http://www.projectmadurai.org/pm_etexts/pdf/pm0328.pdf. Project Madurai.
  24. ↑ http://www.projectmadurai.org/pm_etexts/pdf/pm0343.pdf. Project Madurai.
  25. ↑ http://www.projectmadurai.org/pm_etexts/pdf/pm0345.pdf. Project Madurai.
  26. ↑ http://www.projectmadurai.org/pm_etexts/pdf/pm0346.pdf. Project Madurai.
  27. ↑ http://www.projectmadurai.org/pm_etexts/pdf/pm0347.pdf. Project Madurai.
  28. ↑ http://www.projectmadurai.org/pm_etexts/pdf/pm0348.pdf. Project Madurai.
  29. ↑ http://www.projectmadurai.org/pm_etexts/pdf/pm0184.pdf. Project Madurai.
  30. ↑ http://www.projectmadurai.org/pm_etexts/pdf/pm0184.pdf. Project Madurai.
  31. ↑ http://www.projectmadurai.org/pm_etexts/pdf/pm0190.pdf. Project Madurai.
  32. ↑ http://www.projectmadurai.org/pm_etexts/pdf/pm0284.pdf. Project Madurai.
  33. ↑ http://www.projectmadurai.org/pm_etexts/pdf/pm0351.pdf. Project Madurai.
  34. ↑ http://www.projectmadurai.org/pm_etexts/pdf/pm0352.pdf. Project Madurai.
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