Vallal Pon.Pandithurai Thevar Memorial day 02.12.2013

Shared from http://maduraitamilsangam.com/founder.html

One of the great patrons of Tamil language was vallal.Pon.Pandithurai Thevar. He devoted his whole life for the cause of Tamil.  Vallal.Pon.Pandithurai Thevar was born to the Tamil parents Thiru.Ponnuswami Thevar and Veerayi Nachiyar as third son on 21.03.1867. The sudden death of his father brought the vallal under the tutorship of a Tamil doyen Sheshatri Iyengar. The well taught student of ruminant Tamil scholars become a well versed disciple in Tamil as well as in English. Pon.Pandithurai Thevar was educated under the supervision of Sheshastri Iyengar. Pulavar Alagar Raju was one of his mentors at his early stage.

Vallal.Pon.Pandithurai Thevar inherited the family property of Paalavanththam Zamin and certain villages around it on April 4th 1884. Vallal.Pon.Pandithurai Thevar, a man of boundless liberality prevented Tamil books from its disappearance by recording it in a printed form. Thiru.U.V.Swaminatha Iyer was one of the Tamil professor rendering his service in a government college at Kumbakkonam, was very often honoured at his bungalow in Ramanathapuram by Vallal.Pon.Pandithurai Thevar. At that time, Thiru.U.V.Swaminatha Iyer was in dire need of money to the publication of great ancient Tamil works “Puraporul Venbamalai” and “Manimekalai”.

On 21, 22, 23 of May 1901, a State Level Political Conference was held at Madurai. Great many political figures assembled at Madurai. Vallal served as Vice-President of the conference, welcomed the delegates and delivered political lectures. Many Political resolutions were passed during those three days. At this juncture, our Vallal voiced his desire for founding a Tamil Sangam in Madurai. He requested all the members and the citizens of Madurai to participate in the discussion, regarding

the founding of Tamil Sangam at the auditorium of Sethupathi High School. With the support of all delegates, a resolution to found the Fourth Tamil Sangam was passed. It was on the 13th day of Avani, Pelava Year, on Monday,the Fourth Madurai Tamil Sangam was founded. Sethupathi Senthamil Institution, Pandian Library and Research Centre started functioning in the adjacent buildings of Sethupathi High School, the founding ceremony was celebrated for three days and there were great many lectures delivered. Vallal remained as an orator, a researcher a publisher and a poet.

Vallal was for purity in all Tamil works. He wouldn’t tolerate errors and omission in Tamil works. For an instance, there was an Englishman name Lord scott, was an advocate in Madurai. With the little Tamil he knew, he wanted to change the alliterations in Thirukkural. Then the book was published. He was so proud to present it to our Vallal, Thinking that he had done a great service to Tamil language. The very first Thirukkural were changed.  This infuriated our Thevar but he contained himself and brought all the copies published and they are burnt.

As a patriotic, he donated Rs. one Lakh to Thiru.V.O.Chidambaram to start an Indian shipping company. The present value of that Rs.One Lakh might be equal to many crores of present day.6

After his remarkable service to Tamil language and literature our vallal.Pon.Pandithurai Thevar breathed his last on the 2nd day of December in 1911, the Pandian of Madurai Who strove for the progress of Tamils and Tamil language.

Through his books and services, he still holds our honourable place in the hearts of billions of Tamils.
Long Live his Fame