இலண்டன் சைவ மாநாடு (சிறப்புமலர்)
7வது 6061 மாநாடு இலண்டன் 2004
BIOGRAPHY OF ARUMUGA NAVALAR
By: M.K. Eelaventhan
Eelam's contribution to Tamil
From time immemorial, Tamil Nadu and
Tamil Eelam have contributed their share to the
enrichment of Tamil language, culture and way of
life. Eelaththu Pootham Devanar from Sangam age
and other eminent poets, writers and intellectuals
like Nallur Arasa kesari, Sababathy Navalar,
Sankara pandithar, Puloyoor Kathiravetpillai, C.V.
Thamotharampillai, Chunnakam Kumarasamy
Pulavar, Navaliyoor Somasundera Pulavar, Nallur
Gnanapragasar, Vipulanantha Adigal of Batticaloa,
Kanagasunderam of Trincomalee, Pandithanmani
Kanapathipillai, and Father Thaninayagam have in
their own way enriched the Tamil language and
literature. It can be safely said that Tamil Ealam has
contributed substantially towards the promotion of
Tamil language, literature, architecture, science,
technology and cultural growth of Tamils.
Navalar Awakened the Tamil
Consciousness
The early part of the 19th century was a dark
period for the Eelam Tamils. Under alien British rule,
there was the danger of the Tamils losing their
language, culture, their way of life and their religious
beliefs. During this crucial period, Arumuga Navalar,
the champion of Saivaism (Hinduism) and the
pioneer of Tamil prose appeared on the scene. The
Christian missionaries were converting the Tamils
to Christianity by providing education, employment
and concessions. There was a real danger of the
preponderant majority of the Tamils succumbing to
these inducements and attractions, and eventually,
losing their Tamil and Saiva identity. It was left to
Arumuga Navalar to awaken the consciousness of
the Tamils and to make them aware of this drift.
Navalar's Translation of the Bible
In this context it must be emphasized that
though Arumuga Navalar fought against the
conversion of the Tamils to Christinity, he was not
a religious fanatic. He was a
good friend of Rev. Percival
who was a Wesleyan
missionary teacher at Jaffna
Central College. When Rev.
Percival requested Navalar
to translate the Bible into Tamil, Navalar happily
undertook the task. Even the Tamil scholars of
Madras of the 19th century acclaimed his effort as
the best translation. This aspect of his life revealed
not only his command of English and Tamil but also
proclaimed to the world his broad thinking and
religious tolerance.
Birth and Early Childhood.
Arumuga Navalar was born in Nallur, the once
glorious capital of Tamil Eelam, in December 1822,
and passed away at the age of 57 on December 5th,
1879. His father Kandhar and mother Sivekamy
were deeply religious and devout and Navalar
imbibed those qualities. Even as a teenager he
mastered Tamil, Sanskrit and English, and made an
indepth study of Tamil grammar, language, literature
and religious works. It is on record that at a very
young age he completed a drama script begun by
his father, who passed away without completing it.
Scholars who had gone through this work were full
of praise for the originality he showed as a
playwright.
Eminent Writer and Silver-
Tongued Orator
Arumuga Navalar was a profilic writer and a
'silver tongued' orator. He was a pioneer in the field
of prose-writing. In the 19th century the Tamil prose
style was in its infancy. Navalar appeared on the
Tamil literacy firmament and brought out prose
works which are cherished by Tamil scholars as
160
7
வது
6061
மாநாடு
இலண்டன்
2004
BIOGRAPHY
OF
ARUMUGA
NAVALAR
By
:
M.K.
Eelaventhan
Eelam's
contribution
to
Tamil
From
time
immemorial
Tamil
Nadu
and
Tamil
Eelam
have
contributed
their
share
to
the
enrichment
of
Tamil
language
culture
and
way
of
life
.
Eelaththu
Pootham
Devanar
from
Sangam
age
and
other
eminent
poets
writers
and
intellectuals
like
Nallur
Arasa
kesari
Sababathy
Navalar
Sankara
pandithar
Puloyoor
Kathiravetpillai
C.V.
Thamotharampillai
Chunnakam
Kumarasamy
Pulavar
Navaliyoor
Somasundera
Pulavar
Nallur
Gnanapragasar
Vipulanantha
Adigal
of
Batticaloa
Kanagasunderam
of
Trincomalee
Pandithanmani
Kanapathipillai
and
Father
Thaninayagam
have
in
their
own
way
enriched
the
Tamil
language
and
literature
.
It
can
be
safely
said
that
Tamil
Ealam
has
contributed
substantially
towards
the
promotion
of
Tamil
language
literature
architecture
science
technology
and
cultural
growth
of
Tamils
.
Navalar
Awakened
the
Tamil
Consciousness
The
early
part
of
the
19th
century
was
a
dark
period
for
the
Eelam
Tamils
.
Under
alien
British
rule
there
was
the
danger
of
the
Tamils
losing
their
language
culture
their
way
of
life
and
their
religious
beliefs
.
During
this
crucial
period
Arumuga
Navalar
the
champion
of
Saivaism
(
Hinduism
)
and
the
pioneer
of
Tamil
prose
appeared
on
the
scene
.
The
Christian
missionaries
were
converting
the
Tamils
to
Christianity
by
providing
education
employment
and
concessions
.
There
was
a
real
danger
of
the
preponderant
majority
of
the
Tamils
succumbing
to
these
inducements
and
attractions
and
eventually
losing
their
Tamil
and
Saiva
identity
.
It
was
left
to
Arumuga
Navalar
to
awaken
the
consciousness
of
the
Tamils
and
to
make
them
aware
of
this
drift
.
Navalar's
Translation
of
the
Bible
In
this
context
it
must
be
emphasized
that
though
Arumuga
Navalar
fought
against
the
conversion
of
the
Tamils
to
Christinity
he
was
not
a
religious
fanatic
.
He
was
a
good
friend
of
Rev.
Percival
who
was
a
Wesleyan
missionary
teacher
at
Jaffna
Central
College
.
When
Rev.
Percival
requested
Navalar
to
translate
the
Bible
into
Tamil
Navalar
happily
undertook
the
task
.
Even
the
Tamil
scholars
of
Madras
of
the
19th
century
acclaimed
his
effort
as
the
best
translation
.
This
aspect
of
his
life
revealed
not
only
his
command
of
English
and
Tamil
but
also
proclaimed
to
the
world
his
broad
thinking
and
religious
tolerance
.
Birth
and
Early
Childhood
.
Arumuga
Navalar
was
born
in
Nallur
the
once
glorious
capital
of
Tamil
Eelam
in
December
1822
and
passed
away
at
the
age
of
57
on
December
5th
1879.
His
father
Kandhar
and
mother
Sivekamy
were
deeply
religious
and
devout
and
Navalar
imbibed
those
qualities
.
Even
as
a
teenager
he
mastered
Tamil
Sanskrit
and
English
and
made
an
indepth
study
of
Tamil
grammar
language
literature
and
religious
works
.
It
is
on
record
that
at
a
very
young
age
he
completed
a
drama
script
begun
by
his
father
who
passed
away
without
completing
it
.
Scholars
who
had
gone
through
this
work
were
full
of
praise
for
the
originality
he
showed
as
a
playwright
.
Eminent
Writer
and
Silver
Tongued
Orator
Arumuga
Navalar
was
a
profilic
writer
and
a
'
silver
tongued
'
orator
.
He
was
a
pioneer
in
the
field
of
prose
-
writing
.
In
the
19th
century
the
Tamil
prose
style
was
in
its
infancy
.
Navalar
appeared
on
the
Tamil
literacy
firmament
and
brought
out
prose
works
which
are
cherished
by
Tamil
scholars
as
160