One Hundred Tamils of the 20th Century

Maraimalai Adigal
மறைமலை அடிகள்
1867 - 1950

From Eminent Research Scholars, Edited by V.M.Gnanapragasam and K.C. Kamaliah, Academy of Tamil Culture, 1980 -

Maraimalai Adikal was born on 15 July 1876 at Nagapattinam in Tamil Nadu. He studied Tamil under Ve. Narayanasamy Pillai. He had his schooling in the Wesleyan Christian High School. He enjoyed the friendship of Sundaram Pillai, author of Manonmaniyam. He settled in Madras thanks to the efforts of Sandamarutam Somasundara Nayakar. He joined the Madras Christian College as a Tamil teacher. He founded the Saiva Siddhanta Maha Samajam.

He edited 'Gnanasagaram'  in which appeared Kokilambal's letters, and Kumudavalli. He edited the English journal, 'Oriental Mystic Myna.' He was a research scholar proficient in Tamil, Sanskrit and English. He translated Kalidasa's Sakuntalai into Tamil. He advocated purism in Tamil and changed his very name 'Vedachalam' into 'Maraimalai Adikal'.  He later renounced family life. Contrary to practice, he began writing a commentary on the Thiruvasagam. His famous research work is Manikkavacakarin varalarum kalamum. He passed away on 15 September 1950.

From Tamil Literature Through the Ages - Professor Krishnamurthy -

His original name was VEthAchalam ( வேதாசலம்). He was one of the earliest proponents of the pure Thamizh movement which stood against the Sanskritization of pure Thamizh words. Because the name, VEthachalam was Sanskrit, he changed his name to the pure Thamizh equivalent, MaRaimalai. In his literary works also he used pure Thamizh words. He was proficient in Sanskrit and English and was influenced by the style of English authors. He is well remembered for his excellence in writing in prose. He was one of the earliest Thamizh authors who showed interest in research especially in the field of literary policy. Like his contemporaries he was a staunch Saivaite but had a social reforming motif. His works included the following:

Novels (குமுதவல்லி, கோகிலாம்பாள் கடிதங்கள்);
Drama (அம்பிகாபதி அமராவதி)
Thamizh research (தமிழர்மதம், அறிவுரைக்கொத்து, தமிழ்நாட்டவரும் மேல்நாட்டவரும், முற்காலப் பிற்காலத் தமிழ்ப்புலவர், தமிழ்த்தாய்)
Religion (மாணிக்கவாசகர் வரலாறும் கால ஆராய்ச்சியும், பழந்தமிழ்க் கொள்கையே சைவசமயம் )

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