AVVAI DORAISAMY
An Apostle Commentator
40th Anniversary (3.4.2021)
Dr.N.ARUL
Director ( Translation ),
Tamil Development and
Information Department
In this day and age, while reading Avvai Doraisamy’s works and his interpretation of 1390 Sangam poems shed new light on the context and times of the renderings and it is important to imagine the authors’ intent which could be similar or different from the context of his text.
When we read, we automatically apply our own experiences, biases and understanding of the world to the text.
As such, every reader is likely to interpret the text in different ways. Along with varied interpretations, we need to be mindful of the circumstances and time in which the text was written.
Since the text may explicitly refer a certain event or person. Understanding the event/person, is key to understand the text.
When we read text from 300-3000 years ago, it becomes harder to interpret, because we are unfamiliar with the context. While we don’t have to know the context of the text perfectly, understanding the cultural believes and major events will help us consider the text objectively.
Some of the themes may still be relevant in the modern age, but it is difficult to fairly judge, critic and interpret these texts if we do not consider the context in which it was written.
Avvai Doraisamy’s works have stood the test of time. Readers from many generations had found his writings relevant and has a reference point for Tamil cultural renaissance.
Reading either hard or digital copies of his writings allows you many different lenses from each time and age to look through and realize the new perspectives.
They act as time machine which transport the reader to a particular time in the past with his intrinsic values and extrinsic culture.
Perhaps, there is a strong reason to believe that the gems one can get from his books may continue to give the reader a better return for a very long time…
Tamil savant and Saiva Siddantha scholar, Avvai Duraisamy the fifth blessed son of Sundaram Pillai-Chandramathy Ammal, is hailed as the prince among commentators on Tamil classics and Saiva Siddantha treatises.
Versed in Sanskrit and Pali, his translation of Pallava King Mahendra Varman’s ‘Matanga Sulamani’, a Sanskrit play into Tamil as ‘Mattavilasam’ and retelling of ‘Silapathikaram’, connotations of ‘Manimegalai’, ‘Chulamani’, ‘Yasodra Kaaviyam’, ‘Seevaka Chintamani’, ‘Sivagnanabodham’, ‘Pathitrupathu’, ‘Nattrinai’ and the Historical Accounts of the Chera Dynasty (‘Chera Mannar Varalaru’) are a treat to the connoisseurs and common man alike.
His 20,000-word long commentary on 6,000 verses of the classic ‘Thiru Arutpa’ of Ramalinga Swamigal with sparkling sincerity, radiant devotion,honeyed sweetness is a celebration of both spirituality and the Tamil language under the patronage of philanthropist Pollachi Dr. N. Mahalingam.
In ‘Nattrinai’, first of the eight anthologies in the Sangam Literature containing 400 poems mainly of 9-12 lines, where the name of 56 authors were unknown .
Avvai’s research and his versatility in reading and interpreting manuscripts led to the detection of the names in his 1600 pages incisive document of Nattrinai.
Doraisamy was a master-of-masters in deciphering age old manuscripts, rock inscriptions and hand written notes in Tamil, which are rare things to the current academic world and followed the trail blazed by U.Ve. Saminatha Iyer in rediscovering the treasures of Tamil Sangam Literature marked by poetic sensibility, grammarian logic and devotional fervour.
For instance while Dr U Ve Saminatha Iyer concluded Ponmudiyar the poet was named for pon means gold or one who wore a gold crown .
Avvai Doraisamy concluded that Ponmudi is the name of the poet’s native village. This original meaning was detected after centuries through inference, deduction and an extensive scrutiny of inscriptions.
Professor Doraisamy’s interpretation and commentaries of 132 poems of Purananooru (269 to 400) published in 1947 from the rock inscriptions is being studied widely now in the USA under the able guidance of Mrs Vaidehi Herbert (Honolulu).
Her teachings are embedded with Prof. Avvai Doraisamy interpretations and she has created a Research Endowment in the name of Avvai Doraisamy at International Institute of Tamil Studies, Taramani, Chennai.
Prof. Dr. Nirmala Mohan, Dr. Ku. Sivamani, Dr. Kalayanaraman have so far rendered annual endowment lectures on the intricacies and nuances of Tamil works of Prof. Avvai Doraisamy in the Institute.
Avvai’s scholarship unpacked many of the imponderables of the Sangam texts.
His erudition in deciphering the texts and situating them in context had made it possible for future Tamil scholars to stand on his shoulders and build on his work.
It is difficult to fairly judge, critique and interpret these texts if we do not consider the context in which it was written.
Avvai’s works have stood the test of time in this regard. Across generations Tamil scholars have found his writings relevant and as a reference point for Tamil cultural renaissance.
Professor Duraisamy was awarded a fellowship towards a study for the names of the districts of Tamilnadu with inscriptional evidence.
His avowed interest to decipher the real names of the sangam poets and their respective places from then chengelpet and North Arcot districts and had completed close to 10,000 lines and remains unpublished .
Maraimalai Adigal, father of pure tamil movement hailed Avvai Doraisamy scholarship and claimed that he shall be my diligent successor to interpret both saivaism and sangam classicism.
Professor Duraisamy was a banyan tree and left many props. Pulavar K. Govindan (Former Speaker, Tamil Nadu Legislative Assembly), who has published Prof. Avvai’s interpretation of ‘Aiynkurunooru’ in 1938, Vidwan M.V. Raghavan, Professor Ku. Sivamani and leaders Pala. Nedumaran, Kumari Ananthan, K. Kalimuthu, poets Abdul Rehman, Meera, Na. Kamarasan and Dr. Maraimalai are the proud students of Avvaism.
Many of them still remember his stimulating introductions to every lessons, and his ability to make complex doctrines crystal clear.
A wonder is these scholars claimed that they are archers in the army of Avvai Doraisamy.
He was the driving force behind ‘Avvai Tamilagam’ which incubated deep Tamil learning on literature and grammar and was instrumental in many Vidwans evolving from that Academy like Dr Radha Thiagarajan (Former Vice-Chancellor, Alagappa University, Karaikkudi) – wife of ‘Kalai Thanthai’ Karu. Muthu Tyagaraja Chettiyar, where she held Prof. Avvai Doraisamy in her lofty words:-
“I was really blessed in having Avvai as my Guru. His profound Scholarship, great mastery of Tamil literature, nobility and humility filled with amazement. To listen to his interpretations of classical Tamil text was a royal treat. He was very sensitive to the nuances of Tamil Literature and was able to make me respond to them by his stentorian voice. As I have been born in a different state and into a different language and it was my prouder moment to pen a preface to the great scholar’s publication of Natrinai”.
Prof. Avvai’s ‘Introduction to the study of Thiruvalluvar’, an English speech in Lion’s Club, Madurai was enthralling and widely applauded for the exhaustive commentry and has been published and widely circulated.
Prof. Avvai served as an editor (1955-1963) for ‘Sentamil’ Magazine, published by Madurai Tamil Sangam.
Prof. Avvai Doraisamy was awarded a shield by the patrons of Tamil Writers Association and he quipped: “Do present me a sword than a shield as I can be a warrior till my last breath than saving self with shield”.
In 2003, the state government nationalized his works.
Born on 5th September 1902 in Avvaiyar Kuppam, a hamlet, in a modest family, the young Avvai studied at the American Arcot Missionary School at Tindivanam and Intermediate in Voorhis College, Vellore and served in Karanthai Tamil Sangam (Citadel of high learning in Tamil language and literature, 1925 – 1928) headed by the great Doyen Tamilavel Umamaheshwaranar.
Prof. Avvai Doraisamy passed Vidwan, the highest examination in those days in Tamil in 1930 from the University of Madras and started his career as a Tamil teacher and served in various district board high schools, in North Arcot district till the age of 39.
Later, for a year, he served as a research scholar in Tirupathi Tiruvenkatavan College (1942), and was a lecturer in Annamalai University (1943-1950) and later Professor in Madurai Thiagaraja College (1951-1968).
Prof. Avvai was richly honoured by the title, ‘Uraivendar’ during his 60th Birthday in 16.01.1964 and he was made to lead from bedecked chariot starting from Madurai Meenakshiamman Temple with Nadaswaram Procession by Madurai Thiruvalluvar Kazhagam and the scintillating poem recital of his student Poet Meera was so enchanting that it pleases anyone listening to it even today.
“If king Adiyaman if he were,
What may this man – Avvai be,
Will he not wonder? Delve in delight
And fetch another berry in love.
Of your scholarship and prohibit your withering age.”
‘Thoothukkudi Saiva Siddhantha Sabhai’ honoured Prof. Avvai Doraisamy with the title, ‘Saiva Siddhantha Kalanidhi’.
Madurai Kamaraj University honoured Prof. Avvai Doraisamy with the title ‘Tamil Peravai Semmal’ by the former Governor of Tamil Nadu Sri. Prabhudas Patwari on 29th March, 1980.
Prof. Avvai Doraisamy was honoured with the ‘Kalaimamani’ award by Government of Tamil Nadu on 26th January, 1980.
He had passed the citation to his grandson, (the writer of the article who was then studying 8th Std.) and blessed him to strive and rise in the Tamil literary world and achieve newer horizons.
There was another interesting side to the Versatile Tamil Pundit. After retiring from formal work, he relaxed with Perry Mason and Agatha Christie along with his book shaped silver snuff box ever by his side.
He also relished watching cricket matches in Doordarshan and he appreciated Imran Khan’s fast bowling and foretold that he will achieve greater heights which has turned out to be a reality.
Professor Avvai Doraisamy’s handwritten notes have been preserved for posterity in the University of Chicago, Illinois through the good offices of Prof. Norman Cutler, Mr. V.J. Babu (Chicago), Tamilmann Publisher Mr. Elavalagan.
Professor Avvai Doraisamy treasured works can be extrapolated to the present generation for further dravidology studies in any of the universities.
Prof. Avvai Doraisamy – Logambal were blessed with Mrs.Balagujam Ramanan, Dr. Avvai Natarajan, Mrs Manimegalai Subramaniam, Mrs. Thilagavathy Narasimhan, Mrs. Tamilarasi Kumaravelan, Mr. Thirunavukkarasu, Dr. Thirugnanasambanthan, Dr. Meikandan, Dr. Nedumaran.
Avvai Doraisamy passed away at the age of 79 on 3rd April, 1981 in Madurai and the place where his mortal remains were laid to rest has been redeveloped for commercial activities.
Orders were issued to celebrate his 100th birthday by the Government of Tamil Nadu and was kept in abeyance for no reasons.
The people of Avvaiyar Kuppam have raised a mini structure on the National Highway of Tindivanam which reads: (“Prof. Avvai Doraisamy was born on 05th September, 1903 and passed on 3rd April, 1981”)
A huge hoarding was put up in Anna salai (Mount Road) by Prof. Avvai Doraisamy’s grandson Dr. Arul, to commemorate the centenary celebration of his grandfather in a befitting manner way back in 2003
Prince of commentators, Avvai Doraisamy, has to be honoured and a memorial should be erected in near future by the Government of Tamil Nadu.
As found in the annals of Sir. Asuthosh Mukherji, his son and grandson became the Chief Justices of Kolkatta High Court.
Likewise, Dr. Avvai Natarajan and Dr. Arul Natarajan occupied the same chair of Director of Translations in the Government of Tamil Nadu.
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