Kannadasan

Kannadasan
Kannadasan
Born	Muthiah (1927-06-24)24 June 1927 Sirukoodalpatti, Madras Presidency, British India (present-day Tamil Nadu, India)
Died	17 October 1981(1981-10-17) (aged 54) Chicago, Illinois, U.S.
Pen name	Karaimuthu Pulavar Vanangamudi Kanakappriyan Parvathinathan Arokiyasamy
Occupation	Poet, novelist, lyricist, politician, film producer, literary editor
Subject	Poetry and literature
Notable works	Arthamulla Indhu Madham Yesu Kaaviyam
Notable awards	National Film Award for Best Lyrics 1968 Kuzhanthaikkaga Sahitya Academy Award 1980 Cheraman Kadali
Spouses	Ponnazhagi (Ponnammal) (m. 1950–1981; his death); 7 children Parvathi (m. 1950–1981; his death); 7 children Valliammai (m. 1957–1981; his death); 1 daughter
Children	15

Kannadasan (; 24 June 1927 – 17 October 1981) was a poet, film song lyricist, producer, actor, script-writer, editor, philanthropist, and is heralded as one of the greatest and most important lyricists in India. Frequently called Kaviarasu, With over 5000 lyrics, 6000 poems and 232 books, Kannadasan is widely known by the sobriquet Kaviarasu (King of poets) and he is also considered to be the greatest modern Tamil poet after Subramania Bharati. including novels, epics, plays, essays, his most popular being the 10-part religious book on Hinduism, Arthamulla Indhu Matham (Meaningful Hindu Religion). He won the Sahitya Akademi Award for his novel Cheraman Kathali in the year 1980 and was the first to receive the National Film Award for Best Lyrics, given in 1969 for the film Kuzhanthaikkaga. Like many great poets he also suffered from cyclothymia, which comes under bipolar disorder spectrum.

Personal life

Kannadasan was born to Sathappan Chettiar and Visalakshi Aachi in a Nattukottai Nagarathar family in Sirukoodalpatti, near Karaikudi, Tamil Nadu and was given the birth name Muthiah. He was the eighth of ten children to his parents. He was adopted by Chigappi Aachi for a sum of INR 7000 at an early age, who brought him up and was responsible for his early stages of school education. He completed his schooling till the 8th standard in Sirukudalpatti and Amaravathipudhur. He worked for a private company in Tiruvottiyur before taking up an editorial post in a Tamil Magazine where for the first time he took up the pseudonym Kannadasan. He died on 17 October 1981.

Religious views

Muthiah was a keen follower of the Dravidian atheistic movement. He had a great love of Tamil language and its culture and excelled in Tamil literature, both prose and poetry. He read the Thiruppaavai of Aandaal and was amazed at its mystic poetry, which had a deep and lasting impact on him. After a lot of introspection, he decided to go back to Hinduism. He renamed himself as Kannadaasan, meaning the servant of Lord Krishna (In Tamil, Kannan means Krishna and in Sanskrit, daasa means servant'. He dug deep into understanding Hinduism, and wrote his series of books on Hinduism titled Arthamulla Indhu Matham.

Songwriting

Kannadasan's greatest contribution to Tamil culture is his songwriting. Before Kannadasan, many lyricists like Papanasam Sivan, Kambadasan, Vindhan, A. Maruthakasi, and Ku. Ma. Balasubramaniam were sought after in the Tamil music industry, but after the advent of Kannadasan, the scene changed. He quickly became the most sought-after lyricist in the industry and remained so until his death. Kannadasan was so popular that some songs written by other contemporary poets were considered to be written by Kannadhasan. Though, film lyrics have come a long way since his death, many people still consider Kannadasan to be the best songwriter. He is considered to be the greatest modern Tamil poet after Subramanya Bharathi.

He was the producer of the historic Tamil film Sivagangai Seemai portraying Marudhu Pandaiars, one of the pioneers in the Indian freedom struggle. The song "Santhupottu" from that film remains popular.

Spiritual books

• Arthamulla Indhu Matham
• Yesu Kaviyam
• Bagavath geethai
• Ponmazhai
• Bajagovindam
• Sri Krishna Kavasam
• Sri Venkatesa Suprabatham - Andal Thirupaavai
• Ambigai Alagu Dharisanam
• Krishna Anthathi
• Sankara Pokisham

Notable novels

• Cheraman kathali
• Aval oru hindhu pen
• Sivappukal mukkuththi
• Ratha pushpangal
• Avalukakga oru padal
• Swarna saraswathi
• Nadantha kathai
• Misa
• Suruthi seratha rakangal
• Mupadhu naalum pournami
• Arangamum antharangamum
• Kadal konda thennadu
• Ayiram thivu angkayarkanni
• Kamini kanchana
• Kutti kathaigal
• Oru kavinani kathai
• Velangkudi thiruvila
• Ayiramkal mandapam
• Birundhavanam
• Aachi
• Vilaku matuma sivapu
• Aathanathu aathimanthi
• Anarkalai
• Athaivida ragasiyam
• Paarimalai kodi
• Oru Nathiyin kathai
• Sembagathaman kathai
• Manampola vaalvu
• Sivakangai seemai
• Santhithen sinthithen
• Oomaiyin Kottai
• Sarasuvin soundarya lagari
• Artham ulla indhu matham

Poetry

• Mutruperatha Kaviyangal
• Sri krishna anthathi
• Ambigai alagu dharisanam
• Maangani
• Paadi kudutha mangalam
• Thaipaavai
• Kannadhasan Kavithaigal Parts 1-7
• Yesu Kaaviyam
• Pon Mazhai

Autobiography

• Enathu Suyasaritham.
• Enathu Vasantha Kaalangal.
• Vanavasam.
• Manavasam.
• Naan Partha Arasiyal.

Selected filmography

Main article: List of songs written by Kannadasan

Lyrics

1. Singari
2. Aayirathil oruvan
3. Mannadhi Mannan
4. Thaai Sollai Thattadhe
5. Thaayai Kaatha Thanayan
6. Paasam
7. Karuppu Panam
8. Panathottam
9. Paava Mannippu
10. Periya Idathu Penn
11. Dharmam Thalai Kaakkum
12. Anandha Jodhi
13. Needhikkuppin Paasam
14. Kudumba Thalaivan
15. Kaanchi Thalaivan
16. Parisu
17. Vettaikaaran
18. Panakkara Kudumbam
19. Palum Pazhamum
20. Thiruvilayadal
21. Saraswathi Sabatham
22. Pattikada Pattanama
23. Urimaikural
24. En Kadamai
25. Nadodi
26. Thanga Pathakkam
27. Lakshmi Kalyanam
28. Paasa Malar
29. Moondram Pirai
30. Iruvar Ullam
31. Dheerga Sumangali
32. Aalayam
33. Annai
34. Kunkhumam
35. Naanum Oru Penn
36. Pazhani
37. Varumayin Niram Sivappu
38. Billa
39. Thee
40. Deiva Magan
41. Kalathur Kannamma
42. Paarthaal Pasi Theerum
43. Paadha Kaanikkai
44. Annai Velankanni
45. Thillu Mullu

As actor, writer and producer

Year	Film	Actor	Writer	Producer	Notes
1952	Parasakthi	Yes	No	No
1954	Illara Jothi	No	Yes	No
1954	Sugam Enge	No	Yes	No
1956	Madurai Veeran	No	Yes	No
1956	Tenali Raman	No	Yes	No
1957	Mahadhevi	No	Yes	No
1958	Maalaiyitta Mangai	No	Yes	Yes
1958	Nadodi Mannan	No	Yes	No
1959	Sivagangai Seemai	No	Yes	Yes
1960	Kavalai Illaadha Manithan	Yes	Yes	Yes
1960	Mannadhi Mannan	No	Yes	No
1960	Sangilithevan	No	Yes	No
1961	Thirudathe	No	Yes	No
1962	Vanambadi	No	No	Yes
1962	Sumaithaangi	No	No	Yes
1963	Ratha Thilagam	Yes	Yes	No
1964	Karuppu Panam	Yes	Yes	No	as blackmailer
1968	Lakshmi Kalyanam	No	Yes	No
1972	Thiruneelakandar	No	Yes	No
1973	Suryagandhi	Yes	No	No	as singer in song "Paramasivan Kazhuthilirundhu"
1975	Apoorva Raagangal	Yes	No	No	as himself
1979	Velum Mayilum Thunai	Yes	No	No
1979	Sigappukkal Mookkuthi	No	Yes	No
1981	Thillu Mullu	No	Yes	No
1981	Deiva Thirumanangal	Yes	No	No

Poet laureate

Kannadasan was the poet laureate of the Tamil Nadu government at the time of his death. He wrote two notable autobiographies, titled Vanavasam, a book about his past life whilst he was atheist, with the Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam and a sequel, titled Manavasam a book about his life after he had left DMK.

Contribution to Tamil literature

Kannadasan was a prolific writer and his writing covered a variety of forms- poems, novels, lyrics for Tamil films and books on spirituality. His series titled Arthamulla Indhu Matham (Meaningful Hindu Religion) is known for its simplicity in explaining the principles of Hinduism. Many of Kannadasan's poems have been translated into French. He wrote and published several volumes of poetry. He was an admirer of Kambar, and wrote a number of poems praising Kambar's artistry, contrary to the satire ("Kambarasam") on the same by C.N. Annadurai. He also spoke at several of the Kambar festivals. He sang the beauty of Sita's gait and the shoulders of Rama; he spoke of beauty intoxicating and dropped me in a vessel of amrut (nectar)" This is one of Kannadasan's tribute to the poet Kambar.

Death

Kannadasan died on 17 October 1981 in Chicago, United States, where he had gone from India to attend a Tamil conference organized by the Tamil Association of Chicago. He was aged 54 at the time of his death. The song "Kanne Kalaimane" from the film 'Moondram Pirai', released a few months later, was his last song.

Legacy

The Government of Tamil Nadu built a memorial hall as "Kaviarasar Kannadasan Manimandapam" at Karaikudi. The road adjoining Natesan Park in T. Nagar, Chennai was previously called as Hensman Road is where Kannadasan resided from 1958 and it was renamed "Kannadasan street" in his honour after his demise. It was in this house where 7 Chief Ministers from M. Bhaktavatsalam to J. Jayalalithaa had visited Kannadasan. Kannadhasan once owned 14 cars which were parked on either side of the road in front of house and the last remaining one which was given by K. Kamaraj is still at display in this very house.

See also

• List of Indian writers

External links

• Kannadasan at IMDb
• Gandhi Kannadasan Talks About Kannadasan. 1 August 2018. Vikatan.
• A Poet Turned Politician Kannadasan. Vikatan.