Mayuram Vedanayagam Pillai.
Samuel Vedanayagam Pillai (1826-89) was one a Tamil poet of the 19th century from Tamil Nadu, India. He is very well known as Mayuram Vedanayagam Pillai.
One daily paying homage to this poet on his death, said, "Mayuram Vedanayagam Pillai was the Oliver Goldsmith of our times". Vedanayagam Pillai was not just a master poet but also much more.
First Tamil Novelist
A renowned jurist, a social worker, Tamil's first novelist, Vedanayagam had in addition a sterling personal quality that made him stand head and shoulders above his fellowmen. He was humane. The same newspaper also added these words in its obituary — "Only a few men deserve the name of `Gentlemen' and if the word can with perfect propriety be applied, it is to this great man". The newspaper was not paying encomiums without reason. During the famine that shook Tamil Nadu during 1876-1880, Vedanayagam responded to the desperate hunger calls of humanity. He contributed all the physical and material resources that he could generate towards the rehabilitation of the victims.
Blessing of Menicant
The spontaneous appeal of the songs of Vedanayagam captivated even the orthodox and rigid connoisseurs of both Tamil and music. Vedanayagam Pillai was a Tamil Christian by birth. Story goes that on one occasion his parents — Savarimuthu Pillai and Arogya Mariammal — offered food and clothing to a mendicant in distress. The mendicant was touched by this kindness and blessed them that they would give birth to a worthy son and that he should be named Vedanayagam.
The mendicant's words came true. At a village called Kolathur in Trichy district, Vedanayagam Pillai was born. In the world of letters, the father was his son's first tutor, but later on, Vedanayagam was brought under the tutelage of Tyagaraja Pillai, who taught him both English and Tamil. Learning English was a matter of great prestige and honour in those days. Vedanayagam must have certainly been a precocious child, for even at the age of ten, he started composing light, humorous verses for situations like a wedding or the arrival of a rare guest.
Munsiff of Mayiladuthurai
On completing his education, Vedanayagam joined the Trichy court as a record keeper and soon got promoted as a translator. A quick learner, he learnt Sanskrit, French and Latin and also used every opportunity to acquaint himself with the law books. In 1856, he wrote an examination to qualify as district Munsiff(a village President with some judicial powers) of Mayuram (Now called as Mayiladuthurai.
He became a district munsiff of Mayuram (Mayiladuthurai) in 1860 and served there for 13 years. The name Mayuram got affiliated with him forever. However, his road to professional success was ridden with difficulties. Finally, he quit his job in 1963.
Neethi Nool
Notwithstanding his professional demands, Vedanayakam pursued his mission of writing songs and books. In 1858, he wrote a highly acclaimed ethical work called the Neethi Nool.
Prathapa Mudaliar Charithram
In all, he wrote 16 books. His hugely popular "Prathapa Mudaliar Charithram" has also the distinction of being the first novel in Tamil. In addition, he also translated law books in Tamil.
Proficiency in music
Vedanayagam Pillai was also a noted musician. The great musicologist Abraham Pandian, a contemporary of Pillai paid him compliments. "Mayuram Vedanayagam Pillai was a celebrated vidwan in Tamil and Sangeeta Sahityam and a good player on the veena. More than a thousand of his keerthanais have been printed and are in use..."
The great Tamil composer Gopalakrishna Bharati was charmed by the songs of Pillai. It is said that Vedanayagam sang every one of his compositions, as soon as it was created, in the presence of Bharati, to get his approval. Tamil poet and litterateur Meenakshisundaram Pillai and Vedanayagam Pillai had mutual admiration for each other. Ramalinga Vallalar found a like-minded soul in Pillai, the Mahasannidham of Tiruvavaduturai Math — Subramanya Desikar — held regular parleys with him on several topics. It was not surprising, for if Pillai knew his Bible he knew his Tirukkural equally well.
Mayuram Vedanayagam Pillai was a secular universalist but his poems expressed divinity in a religious mode which was not restrictive. He used the words 'ayyan', 'samayam' and other religious words without confining to a particular god of a particular religion. One can call him a secular religionist or an eclectic Unitarian. In every poem MVP conveyed a special philosophical message. He rejected atheism and believed in the existence of a creator of the universe. He used Sanskrit words liberally in his Tamil poems which added some luster and also a touch of realism. His adherence to the grammar structure of 'etugai' and 'monai' in his poems is phenomenal
Secularism
For that matter, Vedanayagam Pillai was secular to the core. His songs were not addressed to any personal God and were aptly titled, "Sarva Samaya Samarasa Kirtanaigal".
Vedanayagam Pillai's domestic life was far from happy. He married five times as each of his wives lived only for a short time.
The peace loving man that Pillai was, his journey through life also had a smooth ending. He died peacefully with all his loved ones around him