பிரதாப முதலியார் சரித்திரம்/Select Opinions
Select Opinions
The following extract is taken from 'Christian College Magazine" published in February 1886, at pages 621—22.
"The first Tamil Novel: The story of PRATHAPA MUDALIAR By S. VEDANAYAGAM PILLAI. D strict Munsiff, Mayavaram, Madras Scotish Press 1879."
"In these days when our vernaculars are at a discount the appearance of this Tamil Novel should be hailed with joy. ("One swallow does not make a summer says the proverbs yet it may be the herald of sunny days, and as such deserves to be greeted by a cordial welcome. Such a welcome must be given to this novel, which, thought it cannot constitute a new literature, marks the coming of a new era.)
"The writer of this novel, Mr. Vedanayagam Pillai, besides being our first Tamil Novelist, has other claims to popular esteem. He is one of the best of modern Tamil Poets Some of his best known works are the following.
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kalvi and Penmanum. Readers may be inclined to question his claim to be the first Tamil Novelist, but so far as we know, the claim is perfectly just. It is true that the immortal Beschi wrote the "Adventures of Guru Paramartan," a book made familiar to Englishmen by the pencil of Alfred Crowquill, and we have also seen anothor little book published some twenty years ago in verse which the author designates a Tamil Novel. But the term will be far more justly applied to the work before us than to either of these. The only other work of fiction which deserves mention is the transla. tion of "Undine" which originally appeared in the pages of the 'Dinavaitamani." But this is a European tale. The present Novel Prathaba Mudaliar, was published seven years ago, and is now out of print. (It is a volume of three hundred and thirty pages, admirably written, and full of purity of sentiment and sound wisdom.) It is an excellent book to place in the hands of our Tamil Young men is calculated to stir their thought on many subjects, and reveal to them the weaknesses of our time. The writer is not afraid to speak aloud his views on important questions both social and political, and as they are the views of one possessing much intelligence, considerable experience as a Government official, added to an intimate knowledge of native social life, they are entitled to a respectful hearing. The story into which all these are woven is full of interest and thoroughly Hindu. We follow Prathaba Mudaliar through childhood and youth on to his marriage and chequered events of later years, and he is by no means the solitary object of interest to be found in the story; his wife Gnanambal, Kanaka Sabei and others, make up a series of excellent characters, which cannot fail to delight the reader. We were especially pleased with the narrative of Prathaba's childhood and education; the character of his easygoing father and his indulgent grand mother are admirably delineated. English readers cannot fail to learn much from the author's glimpses of the inner life of a “Hindu” family.
The following extract is taken from "Harvest Field" (a Bangalore Magazine specially devoted to Missionary topics) published in March 1886, at page 267.
A chapter from the first Tamil Novel, "Prathaba Mudaliar" the first Tamil Novel, was first published seven years ago, and has, until lately, been for some time out of print. Its author, S. Vedanayagam Pillai, is perhaps the foremost Tamil Writer of the present time, and is master in Poetry as well as in Prose. He is a Christian, and withal a true Tamil man as he ought to be. This book is an indication of a clear advance both in Tamil thought and literature for in it the spirit of the west often clothes itself in Tamil speech. It is an eminently healthy and homely book and is well planned and ably written.
The Hindu
24th July, 1889
The Late Mr. S. Vedanayagam Pillai,
We regret to record the death of Mr. VEDA- NAYAKAM PILLAI pensioned District Munsiff, a resident of Mayavaram, on the night of the 21st from dropsy. As District Munsiff, he was very popular and discharged his duties with great credit and ability, at a time when Munsiffs of the present type we re rare. He was distinguished also for his independence; he once declined to put up with the treatment accorded to him by a judge, who was then well know for his idio syncrasies, and who is now practising in the Madras Bar. But in Mr. Vedanayagam Pillai's case it was not his official life that contributed to raise him in the estimation of his countrymen. He was an erudite scholar of Tamil and devoted his lifetime to the embellishment of Tamil literature. He was a Tamil Novelist and Tamil Poet. His prose ard poetical works are read with great avidity by the Tamil knowing population. The great merit of his works was the purity of expression, and the moral precepts of which they are so full. His ambition was to create a good Tamil literature so as to suit the modern taste of his countrymen, in which he attained eminent success. He interested himself very much in the successful administration of the local Municipality, over the council of which he presided for several years. The following are some of his well-known productions: Penmathimalai, Neethinoolthiratu, Prathaba Mudaliar Charitram, and Suguna Sundari. In his death, the Native community have lost a worthy citizen, a talented Tamil Writer, in short, one whose literary attainments and
whose earnest longing to improve the social and intellectual condition of his fellow countrymen have work for him their everlasting gratitude. The present generation of youngmen would find in his life much to admire and imitate. The news will cause great sorrow to all those that are acquainted with him of his writings.The “Southern Star”
27th July, 1889
The Late Mr. S. Vedanayagam Pillai:
The night of the 21st july witnessed the death of one of ladia's sons- Mr. VEDANAYAGAM PILLAI, the pensioned Munsiff of Mayavaram, at the age of 65.He was a pious Christian and a great thinker. A regular student till his last moment. In him we have lost a great Tamil Novelist and a Poet. His best productions: The adventure of Prathaba Mudaliar, Sugunasundari, Penmathimalai, and Sarva Samaya-Samarasa Keerthanai. In a word, he was the Oliver Goldsmith of our time. His death was felt here as something more than a public calamity. Men started at the intelligence and turned pale as if they had heard of the loss of a dear friend. An object of our pride and our hopes was suddenly taken into the account of grief.
Only a few men deserve the name of Gentlemen.“ and
if the word can with perfect propriety be applied, it is to his great man. His life must teach some of our great ment hat even a happy well earned leisure may be profitably. spent for the benefit of his country if more time be not pent in mornings and evenings in their books and hats.Letters of Condolence
Madras Christian College,
27th July 1889.
Dear Gnanapragasam,
I am sorry to hear of your father's death. I believed, I remember that he sent me a copy of a book of his, which I have heard well spoken of. How are you employed yourself? Accept of my sincere sympathy with you, and
I am
Yours truly,
(Signed) Wm. MILLER
Madras, July 26th 1889
My Dear Friend,
I have received your letters to which I should have replied but that I have been laid aside with illness. I little thought that your letter of to-day would have contained such sad news. Your father's death is a great loss to you. for no one can fill his place. It is a great grief to me. I respected him much both for his goodness and ability. His writings will continue to do much good, and you and all of us who knew him either personally or by his works will continue to cherish his memory. We know that he has gone home to be with God and now what can we do better than follow him as he followed Christ. I pray that God may comfort you and all your bereaved friends. and that you may exert yourself with God's help and prove worthy son of so worthy a man. I wish he could have lived to have seen "Prathaba Mudaliar's in English (the 1st hundred pages of which are now printed.) But God had better things in store for him and we can only bow to His will. I should greatly like to have a photograph of him if you have one to spare, and I hope you will call on me if you come to Madras. I will say nomore now, but assuring you of my sincere sympathy and praying that God may comfort and bless you and all your sorrowing relatives.
I remain, my dear friend,
Yours sincerely,
(Signed) C. Mackenzie Cobban
The Madras Mail, 11th July 1912.
Prathapa Mudaliar Charitram is also a reprint, by his son, a Tamil novel entitled "The life and Adventures of Prathapa Mudaliar," written by the late Mr. S. Veda- nayagam Pillai of Mayavaram. The value of this publi- cation lies in the fact that the author was the first to write a novel and to supply the want of good prose works in the Tamil Language.
A Tribute to Vedanayagam
Pillai
Sri VEDANAYASAM PILLAI was a great inspired poet. In Tamil he is called as Vara Kavi', ie. one who has been blessed with the divine inspiration to compose poems. This inspiration is not received by all. It is only a very few who are blessed with this Divine Inspiration to give the world glorious poems giving the purpose of life, aim of life and the achievement of one's goal.
His poems are full of philosophical and thought. provoking. They are full of divine knowledge and wisdom. They are full of soul-elevating and soul-stirring. They contain the true purpose of human life, the relation of man with God. They elevate the singers and hearers and take one to the height of Supreme thought-provoking and will make one and all to enquire into the nature of the World, God and His relation with man. His poems are pregnant with meaning and a very few can really understand the real essence of these. These poems are not composed by the ordinary man because an ordinaary mind can never compose such poems full of light and wisdom. It is only due to his unbound thirst for God and His full vision which has given rise to these poems which even now inspire many and will inspire. generations to come. The whole south is indebted to this great poet, prophet and philosopher for his magnificient rendering of these and which is a source of strength, knowledge, light and love. We can pay our homage to him in right sense only when we learn these poems and live upte the ideal given there. Though this alone we can sincerely pay our homage to this great saint and poet.
Swamy Sivananda
Rishikesh,
23-7-1955.
Courtesy: Vedanayagar - A Good Poet.