A forgotten legend
Remembering Tamil scholar Mayuram Vedanayagam Pillai on his 193rd birth anniversary

Melur Main Road is perennially busy. Located at the point where Dr Thangaraj Road meets this road is the bust of 19th Century scholar, poet and philanthropist Mayuram Vedanayagam Pillai, also known as Samuel Vedanayagam Pillai. Installed right in front of the Rajah Muthiah Mandram, it is easy to miss this structure. Who is this man?
Mayuram Vedanayagam Pillai (1826–1889) wrote what is considered the first ever Tamil novel. Prathapa Mudaliar Charithiram written by him in 1857 and published in 1879 created a mark in the Tamil literary scene. A Secularist and an active social worker, he is supposed to have donated his entire wealth for relief during the 1876 famine in Tamil Nadu.
As a tribute to his extraordinary gesture, Gopalkrishna Bharati, a Carnatic composer (1810–1896) and contemporary of Tyagaraja, even penned a song on him.
Raja Muthiah Mandram houses the Tamil Isai Sangam, where S Mohan Gandhi, a retired IRS officer teaches devotional songs. Mohan Gandhi, 88, recollects some of Mayuram Pillai’s extraordinary compositions. “He started his career as a record-keeper at the Judicial Court of Trichy. He was a fast learner and was elevated to the post of Dubash, meaning translator. During this time, he studied Law and was appointed a Munsif in Mayavaram.”
“He knew Sanskrit, French and Latin in addition to Tamil and had a flair for writing from an early age. His first novel in Tamil written by him was a landmark in Tamil literature, which had hitherto seen only poetry,” adds Mohan Gandhi. The State Government apparently chose the spot for installing the bust during the Fifth World Tamil Conference in 1981. The then Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu, M G Ramachandran, inaugurated it, describing him the perfect choice for the honour for his contribution to Tamil music, literature and law.
Butnot many seem to know about him and even fewer people notice the statue. “Mayuram Pillai was for equality among all religions. This is evident from his Carnatic compositions. His magnum opus is Sarva Samaya Samarasa Keerththanaigal ,” says S Mallika, the principal of Rani Lady Meyyammai Achi Tamil Music college.
Contemporary Carnatic singers like Sanjay Subramanhyam are now performing Vedhanayagam’s compositions on stage to keep his works alive. S Meenakshi, who teaches violin in the college, says, “Vedhanayagam’s song Ninaipadeppo Nenje was often performed by D K Pattammal. His songs have stood the test of time. His compositions are not dedicated to any particular deity but remain extremely popular in the genre of devotional songs. People like Manonmaniam Sundaram Pillai and Ramalinga Swamigal were great admirers of his works,” she adds.
In an article titled The Confusing Vedhnayagams published in The Hindu in 2017, the late S Muthiah, historian and founder of Roja Muthiah research library Chennai, says Mayuram (also called Mayavaram) Vedanayagam Pillai was born a Roman Catholic in Tanjore in 1862. He translated several law books but is best remembered for Neethi Nool (The Book of Morality). Written in Tirukkural style, its couplets are on moral behaviour.
Interestingly, actor-composer Vijay Antony, on his official website, mentions that he is the great-grandson of Mayuram Vedhanayagam Pillai.
The next time you cross the Rajah Muthiah Mandram, do not forget to catch a glimpse of the man who stood for equality through his immortal musical compositions
Originally published in The Hindu Metroplus(Madurai ): https://www.thehindu.com/todays-paper/tp-features/tp-metroplus/a-forgotten-legend/article29652373.ece