Kannadasan


Kannadasan was a Tamil philosopher, poet, film song lyricist, producer, actor, script-writer, editor, philanthropist, and is heralded as one of the greatest and most important lyricists in India. Frequently called Kaviarasu, Kannadasan was most familiar for his song lyrics in Tamil films and contributed around 5000 film lyrics apart from 6000 poems and 232 books, including novels, epics, plays, essays, his most popular being the 10-part religious book on Hinduism, Arthamulla Indhu matham. He won the Sahitya Akademi Award for his novel Cheraman Kathali in the year 1980 and was the first to receive the National Film Award for Best Lyrics, given in 1969 for the film Kuzhanthaikkaga.

Personal life

Kannadasan was born to Sathappan and Visalakshi in the year 1927, in Sirukudalpatti, near Karaikudi, Tamil Nadu, India and was given the birth – name Muthiah. He was the 8th child to his parents and had 10 siblings. He was adopted by Chigappi Aachi for a sum of INR 7000 at an early age, who brought him up and was responsible for his early stages of school education. He completed his schooling till the 8th standard in Sirukudalpatti and Amaravathipudhur. He worked for a private company in Tiruvottiyur before taking up an editorial post in a Tamil Magazine where for the first time he took up the pseudonym Kannadasan.

Religious views

Muthiah was a keen follower of the Dravidian atheistic movement. He had great love of Tamil language and its culture, and excelled in Tamil literature, both prose and poetry. He read the Thiruppaavai of Aandaal, and was amazed at its mystic poetry, which was to have a deep and lasting impact on him. After a lot of introspection, he decided to go back to Sanaatana Dharma. He renamed himself as Kannadaasan, meaning the servant of Lord Sri Krishna (In Tamil Kannan means Krishna and in Sanskrit, daasa means servant'. He dug deep into understanding Sanaatana Dharma, and wrote his series of books on Sanatana Dharma titled Arthamulla Indhu Matham. He was born in the village of Sirukoodalpatti, which is near Kaaraikkudi.

Songwriting

Kannadasan's greatest contribution to Tamil culture is his songwriting. Before Kannadasan, many lyricists like Papanasam Sivan, Kambadasan, Vindhan, A. Maruthakasi, and Ku. Ma. Balasubramaniam were sought after in the Tamil music industry, but after the advent of Kannadasan, the scene changed. He quickly became the most sought after lyricist in the industry and remained so until his death. Kannadasan was so popular that few songs written by other contemporary poets were considered to be written by Kannadhasan. Though, after his death, film lyrics have come a long way, many people still consider Kannadasan to be the best songwriter. He is considered to be the greatest modern Tamil poet after Subramanya Bharathi.
He was the producer of the historic Tamil film Sivagangai Seemai portraying the pioneers of the Indian freedom struggle "Marudhu Pandaiars". The song "Santhupottu" from that film remains popular.

Spiritual books

Lyrics

  1. Singari
  2. Aayirathil oruvan
  3. Mannadhi Mannan
  4. Thaai Sollai Thattadhe
  5. Thaayai Kaatha Thanayan
  6. Paasam
  7. Karuppu Panam
  8. Panathottam
  9. Paava Mannippu
  10. Periya Idathu Penn
  11. Dharmam Thalai Kaakkum
  12. Anandha Jodhi
  13. Needhikkuppin Paasam
  14. Kudumba Thalaivan
  15. Kaanchi Thalaivan
  16. Parisu
  17. Vettaikaaran
  18. Panakkara Kudumbam
  19. Palum Pazhamum
  20. Thiruvilayadal
  21. Saraswathi Sabatham
  22. Pattikada Pattanama
  23. Urimaikural
  24. En Kadamai
  25. Nadodi
  26. Thanga Pathakkam
  27. Lakshmi Kalyanam
  28. Paasa Malar
  29. Moondram Pirai
  30. Iruvar Ullam
  31. Dheerga Sumangali
  32. Aalayam
  33. Annai
  34. Naanum Oru Penn
  35. Pazhani
  36. Varumayin Niram Sivappu
  37. Billa
  38. Thee
  39. Deiva Magan
  40. Kalathur Kannamma
  41. Paarthaal Pasi Theerum
  42. Paadha Kaanikkai
  43. Annai Velankanni

    As actor, writer & producer

Poet laureate

Kannadasan was the poet Laureate of the Tamil Nadu Government at the time of his death. He wrote two notable autobiographies, titled Vanavasam, a book about his past life whilst he was atheist, with the DMK and a sequel, titled Manavasam a book about his life after he had left DMK.

His contribution to Tamil literature

Kannadasan was a prolific writer and his writing covered a variety of forms- poems, novels, lyrics for Tamil films and books on spirituality. His series titled Arthamulla Indhu Matham is known for its simplicity in explaining the principles of Hinduism. He wrote a number of spiritual works in the later part of his life including Yesu Kaviyam'' the story of Jesus told in the poetic form. Many of Kannadasan's poems have been translated into French.
He wrote and published several volumes of poetry. He was an admirer of Kambar, and wrote a number of poems praising Kambar's artistry, contrary to the satire on the same by C.N.Annadurai. He also spoke at several of the Kambar festivals. He sang the beauty of Seethai's gait and the shoulders of Rama; he spoke of beauty intoxicating and dropped me in a vessel of amrut " This is one of Kannadasan's tribute to the poet Kambar.
He wrote a book about the life of Jesus Christ "Yesu Kaaviyam" rendered in a pristine poetical Tamil. It was published at Tiruchirapalli in the year 1981. The function was presided over by the then chief minister of Tamil Nadu Mr. M.G. Ramachandran. Yesu Kaaviyam was the last literary work of Kannadasan.

Death

Kannadasan died on 17 October 1981 in Chicago, United States, where he had gone from India to attend a Tamil conference organised by the Tamil Association of Chicago. He was aged just 54 at the time of his death. The song "Kanne Kalaimane" from the film 'Moondram Pirai', released a few months later, was his last song.

Legacy

The Government of Tamil Nadu erected a memorial hall as "Kaviarasar Kannadasan Manimandapam" at Karaikudi. The road adjoining Natesan Park in T.Nagar, Chennai was previously called as Hensman Road is where Kannadasan resided from 1958 and it was renamed "Kannadasan street" in his honour after his demise.
It was in this house where 7 Chief Ministers from Sri Mr. Bakthavachalam to Sri Ms.Jayalalitha had visited Kannadasan. Kannadhasan once owned 14 cars which were parked on either side of the road in front of house and the last remaining one which was given by Sri Kamarajar is still at display in this very house.