Maraimalai Adigal

Maraimalai Adigal

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Category: Literature

Maraimalai Adigal Profile

  • Name:
  • Maraimalai Adigal
  • Other Name:
  • Vedhachalam
  • Born:
  • July 15, 1876
  • Died:
  • September 15, 1950
  • Father:
  • Cokkanata Pillai
  • Mother:
  • Cinnammai

Maraimalai Adigal Biography

Maraimalai Adigal was an Indian writer and orator in Tamil language. He had written more than 100 books. He has written prose, poetry and dramas and had contributed greatly to the Tamil literature.

 

He was born on 15th July 1876 in Nagappattinam in Madras Presidency of British India. His parents were Cokkanata Pillai and Cinnammai. His original name was Vedhachalam. He studied at the Wesley Mission High School at Nagappattinam. However as his father died he had to quit his studied with fourth form. He became highly proficient in English language and as he was a non Brahmin he was not allowed to learn Sanskrit. However he learned Sanskrit indirectly through a student and became proficient in that language also.

 

He married Soundaravalli when he was seventeen years old. He went to Chennai and started his career as a sub editor in the magazine Siddantha Deepikai. In March 1898 he joined Madras Christian College as a teacher. He gave a number of lectures on Saivism at that time and started Saiva Siddhanta Maha Samajam.

 

On 10th April 1911 he quit the job and started to lead an ascetic life. He dressed like a Sanyasin from 27th August 1911 onwards. His followers called him Swami Vedhachalam. In 1916 he changed his name into Maramalai Adigal. He started Podhunilaik Kazhagam with the motto Ondre Kulam Oruvane Devan.

 

He started a monthly magazine Gnaana Saaharam and printed it from the printing press Thiru Murugan Press that he had set up at his home. He is referred to as the Father of Non-Brahmin Tamil Movements.

 

He was highly interested in reading books. He spent most of his income in buying books. He died on 15th September 1950 and the books that he had left behind were collected and a library was started in Chennai in 1958. Later in 2008 they were shifted to Chennai Connemara Public library. 

Published: N/A

Updated: April 25, 2012

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