Natesa Sastri


Natesa Sastri was a noted exponent of Harikatha. He came from Tiruvarur and lived during the second half of the 19th century and the first 20 years of the 20th century.Sastri published a massive four volume collection of Tamil folk tales, THE FOLKLORE OF SOUTHERN INDIA. He believed that folklore was a national literature; it was` the most trustworthy manifestation of people's real thoughts and characteristics'. Chembai Vaidyanatha Bhagavatar was one of his prominent disciples.
At the age of 47 he died because of a terrified horse charged at him and knocked him down. While falling down his skull hit on a stone and died.