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{{Short description|Tamil orator and writer (1876–1950)}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=November 2018}}
{{Infobox person
| name = Maraimalai Adigal
| image = Maraimalai Adigal 2007 stamp of India.jpg
| image_size =
| caption = Adigal on a 2007 stamp of India
| native_name =
| native_name_lang =
| birth_name = N. C. Vedhachalam Pillai
| birth_date = {{Birth date|df=yes|1876|07|15}}
| birth_place = [[Nagapattinam]], [[Tanjore District (Madras Presidency)|Tanjore District]], [[Madras Presidency]], [[British India]]
| death_date = {{Death date and age|df=yes|1950|09|15|1876|07|15}}
| death_place = [[Madras]], [[Madras State]], [[India]]
}}
'''Maraimalai Adigal''' (15 July 1876 – 15 September 1950) was a [[Tamils|Tamil]] [[Saivite]] writer, orator and father of the [[Tanittamil Iyakkam]] movement. He authored more than 100 books, including works on original poems and dramas and notable research works on [[Tamil literature]] and Saivism. He founded a Saivite institution called ''Podhunilaik Kazhagam''. He was an exponent of the [[Tanittamil Iyakkam]] movement and is considered to be the father of Tamil [[linguistic purism]]. He advocated the use of Tamil devoid of [[Sanskrit]] words and changed his birth name ''Vedhachalam'' to ''Maraimalai''.

Politically, he was inclined towards non-[[Vedic Brahmanism|Brahminism]] and considered the [[Self-Respect Movement]] to be an offshoot of his political activism. Though he was a scholar of Tamil, he had good scholastic command over Sanskrit and English. The ideologies of [[Periyar E. V. Ramasamy]] were shunned by Maraimalai Adigal and caused years of differences between the two. Maraimalai Adigal spent most of his income buying books and after his death, his collection was made into a library according to his will.

==Early life==
Maraimalai Adigal was born on 15 July 1876{{cn|date=August 2017}} to Cokkanata Pillai and Cinnammai.<ref name=companion213>Zvelebil, p. 213</ref> His birth name was Vedhachalam. He did his early schooling at Wesley Mission High School in [[Nagappattinam]], but had to abandon his formal education with Fourth Form after his father's death.<ref name=EIL82>Encyclopaedia of Indian literature, p. 82</ref>

==Education in Tamil literature==
Maraimalai Adigal in spite of discontinuing his formal education after 9th grade, continued learning Tamil from the Tamil scholar Narayana Pillai, who was making his livelihood by selling Tamil palm-leaf manuscripts.<ref name=EIL82/> He learnt [[English language|English]] through his own effort.<ref name=companion213/> He later authored several articles in Tamil monthly called ''Neelalochani''. He later studied Saiva [[philosophy]] under Somasundara Naicker. With the help of Sundaram Pillai, author of ''Manonmaniam'', he learned Tamil poetic dramas and thus acquired employment as a Tamil teacher in a school in [[Trivandrum]].<ref name=EIL82/>

==Career==
At the age of seventeen, he married Soundaravalli and soon after his marriage, he moved to [[Madras]] to work as a sub-editor to a journal ''Siddantha Deepikai''. Later, in March 1898, he quit this job to work with [[Parithimar Kalaignar|V. G. Suryanarana Sastri]] as a teacher in [[Madras Christian College]]. In his time in Madras Christian College he toured throughout [[Tamil Nadu]] giving lectures on Saivam.<ref name=EIL82/> At about the same time he started a society for Saivam called ''Saiva Siddhanta Maha Samajam''.<ref name=TN>[http://www.tamilnation.co/hundredtamils/maraimalai.htm One Hundred Tamils of the 20th century] on TamilNation.com</ref> As a young teacher he was popular with his students who would visit his house to listen to his lectures.<ref name=companion213/>

In 1910 a decision was made by the Madras University to make the vernacular Tamil language optional for graduation in Arts subjects, leaving English as a medium of education. This decision caused many Tamil teachers to lose their jobs. Realising the vast knowledge and his great capacity as a teacher, Miller, the then Head of Christian College Madras, and other friends insisted that Adigal be given a job in the college. As the opportunity to teach Tamil was considerably reduced and few students opted to study it, the need for a full-time teacher was not a required. Adigal refused the offer and resigned to lead an ascetic life in a serene atmosphere outside the city and to study and do research in Tamil.{{citation needed|date=November 2014}}

==Works in Tamil literature==
Apart from being a good orator, Adigal composed several Tamil poems.<ref name=EIL82/> He authored more than 100 books. Other than essays and novels he wrote books dealing with literary criticism, philosophy and religion, history, psychology and politics.<ref name=companion214>Zvelebil, p. 214</ref> His collections of poems to the Hindu god [[Murugan|Sri Murugan]], which he composed during the times of illness were published as ''Thiruvotri Muruhar Mummanikkovai'' in 1900. He also wrote poems from recollections of his teacher Somasundara Naiker in 1901 as ''Somasundarak Kaanjiaakkam''. This has been considered as one of his best works. He also released his research work on Tamil literature ''Mullaip Pattu Aaraichi'' for students of Tamil literature.<ref name=EIL82/> He translated [[Kalidasa]]'s '[[Abhijñānaśākuntalam]]' into Tamil as ''Sakuntalai''.<ref name=TN/>

Some of his prominent works include:<ref name=companion214/>
*''Pattinapalaai Aaraaichi-yurai'' (1906)
*''Tamizhthaai'' (1933)
*''Sinthanaikatturaikal'' (1908)
*''Arivuraikkothu'' (1921)
*''Chiruvarkaana Senthamizh'' (1934)
*''Ilainarkaana Inramizh'' (1957 – posthumous publication)
*''Arivuraikkovai'' (1971 – posthumous publication)
*''Maraimalaiyatikal paamanaikkovai'' (1977 – posthumous publication)

In 1911, he published his first novel, ''Kumuthavalli allathu Naahanaattarasi'', an adaptation of English novel ''Leela'' by [[G. W. M. Reynolds]].<ref name=companion214/>

He also wrote books on the subjects of self-improvement, self-help and personality development. These included ''Maranathin pin Manithar Nilai'' (Human Life stage After Death), ''Mesmerism and Hypnotism'' and ''Tholaivil unarthal'' (Telepathy).

==As Swami Vedhachalam==

After quitting his teaching job on 10 April 1911, Adigal moved to Pallavaram, a suburb of Madras. There he began to dress as a ''[[Sanyasin]]'' from 27 August 1911 and became known as ''Swami Vedhachalam''. He became a devout follower of [[Saivism|Saivam]] and started an institution named ''Podhunilaik Kazhagam''. Once , at a rendezvous in Madras , he met [[V. O. Chidambaram Pillai|V.O Chidambaram Pillai]]. The motto of the institution was set at ''Ondre Kulam, Oruvanae Devan'' (Mankind is one, and God is one). The Kazhagam made efforts to make people of all castes, creeds and religions to worship Sri Siva together.
He started the Thiru Murugan Press (TM Press) in his residence at Pallavaram and published a number of books and magazines. He also started a monthly called ''Gnaana Saaharam'' (Ocean of Wisdom).<ref name=EIL82/>

==Pure Tamil movement Tanittamil Iyakkam==
{{main|Pure Tamil movement}}
In the year 1916 he became an expert of pure Tamil movement advocating the use of Tamil language devoid of loan words from Sanskrit. Thus he changed the name of ''Gnaana Saaharam'' to ''Arivukkadal'' and his title of Swami Vedhachalam to ''Maraimalai Adigal'' (where Adigal is Tamil for Swami).<ref name=EIL83>Encyclopaedia of Indian literature, p. 83</ref> Thus he is referred to as the "Father of Tamil Puritanism".<ref name=EIL83/><ref name=ENI92>{{cite book
| last = Mukherjee
| first = Meenakshi
| title = Early Novels in India
| publisher = Sahitya Akademi
| year = 2002
| page = 92
| url = https://books.google.com/books?id=VPJ7jqVSl34C
| isbn = 978-81-260-1342-5}}</ref><ref name=Ravi>Vaitheespara, R [http://chass.utoronto.ca/~tamils/tsc2007/programme/rvaitheespara.html The Question of Colonialism and Imperialism in Tamil Nationalist Thought: The Case of Maraimalai Adigal (1876-1950)] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090520020030/http://www.chass.utoronto.ca/~tamils/tsc2007/programme/rvaitheespara.html |date=20 May 2009 }} ''Tamil Studies Conference''. Toronto, Canada.</ref>

==Maraimalai Adigal and Self-respect movement==
{{Dravidian politics-col}}

===Non-Brahmin movement===
Apart from being called as the father of pure Tamil movement, Maraimalai Adigal is also considered to be the father of Non-Brahmin Tamil movements.<ref name=Ravi/> Maraimalai Adigal himself claimed that the non-Brahmin stance of [[Self-respect movement]] was born out of his views and principles.<ref name=coffee117>Vēṅkaṭācalapati, p. 117</ref> Nevertheless, the [[atheist]] stance of [[Periyar E. V. Ramasamy]], who was heading the Self-respect movement, was observed by Maraimalai Adigal and his followers as counter productive.<ref name=coffee116/> On this issue, Ilavalaganar, a student of Maraimalai Adigal wrote: {{cquote|[[Saivism]] is not one iota different from the primary aim of the [[Self-respect movement]]. The Self-respect movement arose to dispel the illusion of [[Vedic Brahmanism|Brahmanism]] from the [[Tamil people]] and infuse self-respect into them. Saivism also does the same. The Self-respect Movement detests the Aryan [[Brahmins]]. Saivism too doesn't like the Aryan Brahmins one bit... The Self-respect movement wishes to uplift the depressed classes. That is also the basic idea of Saivism.... The Self-respect movement is against caste differences among the Tamil people. Saivism too emphasizes the same point... when there are so many commonalities, why should Saivism and Saivite apostles be deprecated and condemned [by the Self-respect movement].<ref name=coffee116>Vēṅkaṭācalapati, pp. 116–117</ref>}}

===Differences with Self-respect movement===
Although initially a supporter of the Self-respect movement, which he saw as a non-Brahmin movement, he vehemently opposed the atheistic views of its leadership. At one stage he asked Ulaganatha Mudaliar, brother of [[V. Kalyanasundaram|Thiru. Vi. Kaliyanasundara Mudaliar]] (Thiru Vi. Ka as he was popularly known) and an eminent Saivite scholar himself, to arrange for a statewide tour to counter the propaganda of the Self-respect movement.<ref name=coffee118>Vēṅkaṭācalapati, p. 118</ref> Maraimalai Adigal looked upon the Self-respect movement as a handiwork of the [[Telugu language|Telugu]] [[Vaishnavites]]. On this Maraimalai Adigal wrote {{cquote|The leader of the [[Self-respect movement]] is a Vaishnavite; his brother too, we come to understand, is a Vaishnavite who has converted many gullible Saivites to Vaishnavism. Their accomplices too are Vaishnavites. Some of the Justice Party leaders too are Vaishnavites. Moreover, not only are they Vaishnavites, they are also [[Telugu language|Telugu]]-speakers.<ref name=coffee118/>}}

Kalyanasundara Mudaliar, although a Saivite himself, disagreed with Maraimalai Adigal. Kalyanasundaram refused to publish Maraimalai Adigal's essay against Self-respect movement in his journal.<ref name=coffee118/> The antipathy between Maraimalai Adigal and the members of Self-respect movement was also explicit with ''Kudiarasu'', the political organ of Self-respect movement claiming that Maraimalai Adigal was calling for Periyar to be murdered.<ref name=coffee119>Vēṅkaṭācalapati, p. 119</ref>

===Reconciliation===
Eventually after years of disagreement, both Maraimalai Adigal and Periyar realised that the disagreement is harmful for their interest and worked towards a rapprochement.<ref name=coffee120>Vēṅkaṭācalapati, p. 120</ref> Periyar offered an unconditional apology to Maraimalai Adigal and in reply, Maraimalai Adigal wrote a series on the ''[[Ramayana]]'' in Periyar's [[English language]] weekly ''Revolt''.<ref name=coffee121>Vēṅkaṭācalapati, p. 121</ref> Although the apology and reconciliation were at a personal level between Periyar and Maraimalai Adigal, the difference in ideologies still made their followers to cross swords.<ref name=coffee121/>

==Maraimalai Adigal Library==
Maraimalai Adigal spent most of his income on buying books.<ref name=EIL83/> Research on the readership of his book collections show that between 20 April 1923 to 10 August 1930 a total of 1852 people had borrowed his books.<ref name=EIL83/> The readership included people from [[Madras Presidency]], [[Sri Lanka]], [[Burma]] and [[Malaysia]].<ref name=EIL83/> Upon his death, on 15 September 1950,<ref name=TN/> according to his will, the books were left for the people of Tamil Nadu and thus a library named after him was started in 1958 by the then MD, Padmashri V.Subbiah Pillai of [[South India Saiva Siddhanta Works Publishing Society Ltd.]] at Linghi Street, [[Chennai]]. by adding more no of rare collection of Tamil books<ref name=EIL83/> The library was a repertoire of books and journals, some printed way back in 1779. In May 2008, the Tamil Nadu Government helped by allocating a space at [[Connemara Public Library]] but the library management is still with the present MD [[Rajagopal Muthukumaraswamy]] of South India Saiva Siddhanta Works Publishing Society.<ref>{{cite web
| last = Mohammed
| first = Peer
| title = Rare library turns 50
| publisher = Deccan Chronicle
| url = http://www.dc-epaper.com/dc/dcc/2008/08/25/ArticleHtmls/25_08_2008_004_007.shtml
| archive-url = https://archive.today/20111005153447/http://www.dc-epaper.com/dc/dcc/2008/08/25/ArticleHtmls/25_08_2008_004_007.shtml
| url-status = dead
| archive-date = 5 October 2011
| accessdate = 31 January 2009}} </ref>

==Notes==
{{reflist|25em}}

==References==
{{Commons category|Maraimalai Adigal}}
*{{cite book
| title = Encyclopaedia of Indian literature vol. 1
| publisher = Sahitya Akademi
| year = 1987
| url = https://books.google.com/books?id=ObFCT5_taSgC
| isbn = 978-81-260-1803-1}}

*{{cite book |last=Vēṅkaṭācalapati |first=Ā. Irā |title=In Those Days There was No Coffee |publisher=[[Yoda Press]] |year=2006 |pages=116–121 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=tk-KZmcUEvAC |isbn=978-81-902272-7-8}}
*{{cite book
| last = Zvelebil
| first = Kamil
| title = Companion Studies to the History of Tamil Literature
| publisher = Brill
| year = 1992
| pages = 213–214
| url = https://books.google.com/books?id=qAPtq49DZfoC
| isbn = 978-90-04-09365-2}}

{{Authority control}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Adigal, Maraimalai}}
[[Category:1876 births]]
[[Category:1950 deaths]]
[[Category:Tamil language activists]]
[[Category:Dravidian movement]]
[[Category:Tamil-language writers]]
[[Category:Hindu poets]]
[[Category:20th-century Indian writers]]
[[Category:People from Nagapattinam district]]
[[Category:Indian Shaivites]]

Maraimalai Adigal - Revision history

JOVFinlay2 at 16:19, 19 March 2026