Who is Bharathithasan ?
And why am I writing about him ?
good questions . . . . . m m m .......
A society is a component of different compositions.
Yes we live in a world today which has shrink because of multimedia . But are we using the tools at our disposable to integrate or segregate ?
Well it is a good question. But as an immigrant who came in some 40 years ago it is in my interest to share the cultural enrichment of my background which in my mind will help to aid the integration of cultures.
So what is great about Bharathithasan ?
Well for one he was a person who spoke out against the cast division in India at a time it was very difficult to oppose it.
Let us look at his background !
Bharathidasan was born to Kanagasabai Mudaliar and Lakshmi Ammal in a well-to-do merchant family of Pondicherry. His original name was Subburathinam. He underwent formal education in Tamil literature, Tamil grammar and Saiva Siddhanta Vedanta under reputed scholars. He studied at the Collège Calvé in Pondicherry. In 1909, he was introduced to Subramaniya Bharathiyar, and his interactions with the Mahakavi had a major impact on him. He initially worked as a Tamil teacher in the French territory of Karaikal.
He actively participated in the Indian Independence Movement and through his writings,he openly opposed the British and the French Government. He was sentenced and imprisoned by the French Government for voicing views against the French Government that was ruling Pondicherry then.[citation needed]
Throughout his writing career he was encouraged by political leaders such as Annadurai, M. Karunanidhi,Tanjore Poet Ramanathan and M. G. Ramachandran. In 1955 he was elected to the Puducherry Legislative Assembly. In 1960 he failed in the election. He remained a prolific writer until he died in 1964 in a hospital in Madras (now Chennai).
Bharathidasan penned his works under different pseudonyms such as Paavendar,Puduvai Kalaimakal, Desopakari, Desabhaktan, Anantapotini, Swadesamitiran, Tamilarasu, Tupleks, Kirukkan, Kindalkaran and the name by which he example of his known today - Bharathidasan. As he was a staunch follower of Anti-Brahmanism, many of his works were anti-Brahmin in nature. Often he talked of "Tamil Race" and "Aryan Race" as polar opposites
நனிபசு பொழியும் பாலும் – தென்னை
நல்கிய குளிரிள நீரும்
இனிய என்பேன் எனினும் – தமிழை
என்னுயிர் என்பேன் கண்டீர்.
questionsAnd why am I writing about him ?
good questions . . . . . m m m .......
A society is a component of different compositions.
Yes we live in a world today which has shrink because of multimedia . But are we using the tools at our disposable to integrate or segregate ?
Well it is a good question. But as an immigrant who came in some 40 years ago it is in my interest to share the cultural enrichment of my background which in my mind will help to aid the integration of cultures.
So what is great about Bharathithasan ?
Well for one he was a person who spoke out against the cast division in India at a time it was very difficult to oppose it.
Let us look at his background !
Bharathidasan was born to Kanagasabai Mudaliar and Lakshmi Ammal in a well-to-do merchant family of Pondicherry. His original name was Subburathinam. He underwent formal education in Tamil literature, Tamil grammar and Saiva Siddhanta Vedanta under reputed scholars. He studied at the Collège Calvé in Pondicherry. In 1909, he was introduced to Subramaniya Bharathiyar, and his interactions with the Mahakavi had a major impact on him. He initially worked as a Tamil teacher in the French territory of Karaikal.
He actively participated in the Indian Independence Movement and through his writings,he openly opposed the British and the French Government. He was sentenced and imprisoned by the French Government for voicing views against the French Government that was ruling Pondicherry then.[citation needed]
Throughout his writing career he was encouraged by political leaders such as Annadurai, M. Karunanidhi,Tanjore Poet Ramanathan and M. G. Ramachandran. In 1955 he was elected to the Puducherry Legislative Assembly. In 1960 he failed in the election. He remained a prolific writer until he died in 1964 in a hospital in Madras (now Chennai).
Bharathidasan penned his works under different pseudonyms such as Paavendar,Puduvai Kalaimakal, Desopakari, Desabhaktan, Anantapotini, Swadesamitiran, Tamilarasu, Tupleks, Kirukkan, Kindalkaran and the name by which he example of his known today - Bharathidasan. As he was a staunch follower of Anti-Brahmanism, many of his works were anti-Brahmin in nature. Often he talked of "Tamil Race" and "Aryan Race" as polar opposites
He was so followed then a famous poet and an ardent supporter of Indian Independence movement "Bharathi" he4 became known as "Bharthithasan" which meant that he was the son of Bharathi.
Just a couple of examples of his love for tamil and socialism
தமிழை என்னுயிர் என்பேன்
கனியிடை ஏறிய சுளையும் – முற்றல்
கழையிடை ஏறிய சாறும்
பனிமலர் ஏறிய தேனும் – காய்ச்சுப்
பாகிடை ஏறிய சுவையும்நனிபசு பொழியும் பாலும் – தென்னை
நல்கிய குளிரிள நீரும்
இனிய என்பேன் எனினும் – தமிழை
என்னுயிர் என்பேன் கண்டீர்.
Tamil is my Life
As the part of a fruit - Riped
Fruits sweetness
The honey that got into
the comb in the hills
tastiness of the milk that
was boiled
even though they are great
they will not equal
to the sweetness of my mother tongue
Tamil
மெழுகுவர்தி அழுந்தழுந்து கண்ணீர் விடுவதால்
ஜோதி எழும்பியது,
- நான் எத்தனை முறை அழுந்தழுந்து புலம்பி
- கண்ணீர் சிந்தினாலும்
- நீ வர போவதே இல்லை
- என அறிவேன்......இ௫ந்தும் ஏனோ
- இத்தனை மனப்போராட்டத்தின் வ௫த்தம்
நீ மரணப் படுக்கையின் ஒ௫ வெள்ளி தீவில்
குளிர்காய்ந்தாழும், என்றும் எம்மனத்திரையில்
நட்பால்................, உறவால் ........................
பூத்து குலுங்கிய ரோஜவன பொக்கிஷம்
தீக்குச்சியில் கொழுத்திய தீ அல்ல
நம் நற்பு...................... அது
அற்புதமான ஓர் தீப்பந்தத்தால் ஏற்றப்பட்ட
தீபமல்லவா............................இத்தனை
அழகிய ஜோதியை நான் எப்படி அணைப்பேன்
The above poetry is about the friendship
Because a candle cries
we get bright light
How many times I cry
You will never come back
even tough I know that
I am still aching for it
You are in the midst of
Death bed as if you are
in a middle of an Island
that no one can approach
All ways in our hearts
a garden of roses
Which was constructed
by friendship
It is a light that was
created by the flame
of true friendship
How am I going to
put that out ?
My dear friends ! why am I today introducing you to this great person ? because it is the day that he left us. Yes it is his remembrance day.
Let us all remember him in a positive light !
Sakthi Sakthithasan
