Meenakshi Sundaram Pillai or Mahavidhvan Meenakshisundaram Pillai was a Tamil scholar and teacher of U. V. Swaminatha Iyer, a Tamil scholar and researcher who was instrumental in bringing many long-forgotten works of classical Tamil literature to light. 

 

 

Meenakshi Sundaram Pillai’s important contribution is in the form of temple history called Thala Varalaru for ninety temples in Tamil Nadu. He was born in Trichy and went on to associate himself with Thiruvaduthurai Adheenam. He was an ardent devotee of Sivaperuman and a Tamil teacher.

 

Some of his notable works are Prabada Tirattu, Kanthimathiammai Pillai Tamil, Sri Mangalambigai Pillai Tamil, Perunthipirattiyar Pillai Tamil and Thiruvidaikazhi Murugar Pillai Tamil.

 

 

Early Life:

 

Meenakshi Sundaram Pillai was born on 6 April 1815 to Chidambram Pillai and Annathachi Ammayar in Somarasanpettai in Trichy. He was born in a Tamil Vellalar family. He got his early education from his father who taught him Tamil literature and also Mathematics. He then went on to learn Tamil from Velayutha Munivar in Mounamadam in Rockfort. 

 

He began his career as a Tamil teacher in Mayiladuthurai and went on to train many students in the craft of Tamil literature.

 

 

 

 

 One of his first publications under his own name was Akhilanda Nayaki Pillai Tamil, written in 1842. He is remembered for his contribution to Tamil studies as well as Saiva Agamas (Rules of Saivites). The celebrated Tamil scholar U. V. Swaminatha Iyer, known for his discovery of the Sangam classics, became his student at the age of 17.

 

He married Kaveriachi in his fifteenth year. He got Sivadikshai on his 21st year Thirisirapuram Setti Pandrathiya. He went on to associate himself with Thiruvaduthurai Adheenam where he started teaching and publishing his works.

 

Meenakshi Sundaram Pillai, who left behind him a treasure of Tamil palm leaf manuscripts, died in 1876. He led a poor person's life but is respected as one among the greats who served to Tamil language.  

 

In addition, we get to know the poetic brilliance and the unwavering Tamil bhakti of Poet Meenakshi Sundaram Pillai, and the high regard the Tamil-speaking world idolized him, by reading the first 300 pages of  Dr. U. Ve. Swaminatha Iyer’s book.

 

It was to the credit of the Saivite Thiruvaavaduthurai mutt and the then Sannidhanam HH. Subramania Desikar that Poet Meenakshi Sundaram Pillai could sustain despite the severe monetary challenges faced.  

 

He passed away at Thiruvaaduthurai after ailing for sometime, with his two foremost disciples at the deathbed, Saverinatha Pillai massaging his feet and U. V. Swaminatha Iyer reciting from the Thiruvaasagam.

 

 

Notable works:

 

Thala Puranas constitute one of the 96 minor literary genres of Tamil, which gained prominence after the 16th century and came to be recognised as an important literary text for studying temples in the context of socio-economic milieu. Pillai is said to have composed 90 Sthalapuranas (history of ancient temples) about various temples and imparted puranams to his pupils.

 

His major works are listed below.

 

 Prabanda Tirattu

Kanthimathiammai Pillai Tamil

Sri Mangalambigai Pillai Tamil

Perunthipirattiyar Pillai Tamil

Thiruvidaikazhi Murugar Pillai Tamil

Prabada Tirattu - Paguthi 10 - Sri Ambalavanathesikar Pillai Tamil

Vaatpokki Kalambagam

Thiruvavauthurai Atheenathuk Guru Parambarai Agaval

Prabantha Thirattu - Paguthi 11 - Sri Ambalavana Thesigar Kalambagam

Thiruvidaimaruthur Ula

Prabantha Thirattu - Paguthi 13 - Seekazhi Kovai

Prabantha Thirattu - Paguthi 14 - Thirupanjeelithirupandathi

Prabantha Thirattu - Paguthi 15 - Thiruthillaiyamagavanthathi

Prabantha Thirattu - Paguthi 16 - Thuraisaiyamagavanthathi

Prabantha Thirattu - Paguthi 17 - Thirukudanthai Thiripandathi

Prabantha Thirattu - Paguthi 18 - Thiruvidaimaruthur Thiripanthathi

Prabantha Thirattu - Paguthi 19 - Palaivana Pathitranthathi

Prabantha Thirattu - Paguthi 20 - Thirvooraipathiranthathi

Prabantha Thirattu - Paguthi 26 - Thiruchiramalaiyamagavanthathi

Prabantha Thirattu - Paguthi 27 - Thirupanjeeli thiripanthathi

Prabantha Thirattu - Paguthi 28 - Kalaichaichidambareswarar Malai

Prabantha Thirattu - Paguthi 29 - Agilanda Nayagi Malai

Prabantha Thirattu - Paguthi 30 - Subramaniya Thesika Malai

Prabantha Thirattu - Paguthi 31 - Sri Sachithananda Thesikar Malai

Thiruvanaikka Agilandanayagi Pillai Tamil

Prabantha Thirattu - Paguthi 2

Seizhkizhar Pillai Tamil

Thirugnana Sambandar Aaanantha Kalippu, Thirukkarkudi malai

Prabantha Thirattu - Paguthi 32 - Thesikar Nenjuvidu Thoothu

Prabantha Thirattu - Paguthi 33 

It would be fair to say that in the last 200 years, Pillai has contributed possibly the largest corpus to Tamil poetic literature than any other poet, and by his teaching and through his students brought out the greatness of Tamil literature to the public at large and beyond.