https://en.bharatpedia.org/w/index.php?action=history&feed=atom&title=Pandithurai_ThevarPandithurai Thevar - Revision history2026-10-21T03:23:00ZRevision history for this page on the wikiMediaWiki 1.43.6https://en.bharatpedia.org/w/index.php?title=Pandithurai_Thevar&diff=524139&oldid=prevJames at 15:16, 1 April 20262026-04-01T15:16:47Z<p></p>
<p><b>New page</b></p><div>{{Short description|Founder of fourth tamil sangam and King of Palavanatham}}<br />
{{more citations needed|date=August 2021}}<br />
{{Infobox person<br />
| name = Pandithurai Thevar<br />
| image = பாண்டித்துரைத் தேவர்.jpg<br />
| image_size = 200px<br />
| alt = <br />
| caption = <br />
| birth_name = Ukkira Pandian<br />
| birth_date = {{Birth date|1867|03|21}}<br />
| birth_place = [[Ramanathapuram]]<br />
| death_date = {{Death date and age|1911|12|02|1867|03|21}}<br />
| death_place = Ramanathapuram<br />
| other_names = <br />
| occupation = Zameendhar<br />
| years_active = <br />
| known_for = [[Philanthropy]]<br />
| notable_works = Establishing Madurai 4th Tamil Sangam<br />
}}<br />
<br />
'''Vallal Pon Pandithurai Thevar''' (21 March 1867 – 2 December 1911), born '''Ukkira Pandian''', also known as '''Pandi Durai Thevar''', was the [[Zamindar]] of [[Palavanatham]], [[Virudhunagar District]] in [[Tamil Nadu]], [[India]]. A scholar and poet belonging to the royal house of the [[Sethupathi]]s of [[Ramanathapuram]], Pandithurai Thevar contributed greatly to the revival of the [[Tamil language]] by establishing the [[Madurai Tamil Sangam|Fourth Tamil sangam]] in [[Madurai]], restoring rare Tamil texts, and becoming a patron of Tamil-language scholarship. He published the magazine ''Senthamizh'' as part of the [[Madurai Tamil Sangam|Fourth Tamil sangam]].<ref>[https://books.google.com/books?id=La8wDwAAQBAJ&dq=pandithurai+Thevar&pg=PA221 Passions of the Tongue: Language Devotion in Tamil India, 1891–1970 By Sumathi Ramaswamy] (English)</ref><ref>[https://books.google.ae/books/content?id=LXoOAAAAYAAJ&pg=RA2-PA118&img=1&pgis=1&dq=pandithurai+Thevar&sig=ACfU3U267qXioMD8UQfqfPBGwCz0pHt8BQ&edge=0 Tamil Series :Tamil Studies, Volume 1 A. V. Subramania Aiyar] (English)</ref><br />
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==Early life==<br />
Pandithurai Thevar was born on 21 March 1867. He was the third son of Ponnusamy Thevar, a minister at [[Ramnad estate|Ramanathapuram Samasthanam]]. Pandithurai Thevar's father died when he was a child. He was taught [[Tamil language|Tamil]] by the Tamil poet, Azhagar Raju, and English by the lawyer, Venkateshwara Shastri, and he became fluent in both languages.<ref>[https://books.google.ae/books/content?id=1cVhAAAAMAAJ&pg=RA1-PA244&img=1&pgis=1&dq=Pandithurai+Thevar+history&sig=ACfU3U39bsIPTaTpkAR3BCrDkBy7gTSaKw&edge=0 Sociolinguistics: International Journal of the Sociology of Language, Issues 99-101] (English)</ref> During this younger age, he and his cousin, [[Bhaskara Sethupathi]], were brought up together at Ramanathapuram Samasthanam.<ref>[https://books.google.com/books?id=sHklK65TKQ0C&dq=Pandithurai+Thevar+history&pg=PA726 Literature : History of Indian Literature By Sisir Kumar Das] (English)</ref><br />
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When he reached adulthood, he inherited the properties managed until then by the agent, Seshadri Iyengar, including [[Palavanatham|Palavanatham Zameen]].<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=3TgoAAAAMAAJ&q=Pandithurai+Thevar+history|title=Madras Information|date=September 14, 1967|publisher=Director of Information and Publicity, Government of Madras|via=Google Books}}</ref><br />
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==Patron of Tamil development==<br />
Pandithurai Thevar invited Tamil scholar, [[U.V.Swaminatha Iyer]], a collector and printer of rare Tamil books, to Ramanathapuram, and vowed support for him in printing [[Manimekalai]] and [[Purapporul venbaamaalai]].<ref>{{cite journal |last1=Rajesh |first1=V. |title=Patrons and Networks of Patronage in the Publication of Tamil Classics, c 1800-1920 |journal=Social Scientist |date=2011 |volume=39 |issue=3/4 |pages=64–91 |jstor=41633794 }}</ref> He published ''Thevarathalaimurai Pathippu'' with the help of his teacher, Gnanasambandha Pillai (Ramasamy Pillai), and ''Sivagnana Swamigal Prabandha Thirattu''. In objection to anti-Shaivism, he published books on [[Shaivism]] through Sabapathy Navalar. He aided [[Kumaraswamy Pulavar|Chunnakam Kumaraswamypulavar]] in publishing Thandiyalankaram. Kumaraswamypulavar thanks Pandithurai Thevar for his patronage in the book, ''Saivamanjari'', which was compiled by Pandithurai Thevar.<ref>[https://books.google.com/books?id=Ns0xDwAAQBAJ&dq=Pandithurai+Thevar+history&pg=PA95 CULTURAL ASPIRATIONS : Essays on the Intellectual History of the Colonial] By A. GANGATHARAN (English)</ref><br />
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==Establishment of the Fourth Tamil Sangam==<br />
When Pandithurai Thevar came to Madurai in 1901, he was disappointed to find that Tamil books such as ''[[Thirukkural]]'' and ''[[Parimelazhagar]]'' ''[[Commentary (philology)|Urai]]'' were not available, even at the place where the third [[Tamil Sangams|Tamil Sangam]] was established. On 24 May 1901, he held a consultative meeting with eminent poets at Madurai Sethupathi High School to establish the Fourth Tamil Sangam in Madurai.<ref>{{Cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=nG0YAAAAIAAJ&q=pandithurai+thevar&pg=PA377|title = Encyclopedia of the Ancient World: Overviews, ʻAbd al-Malik-Corinthian War|isbn = 9780893560393|last1 = Sienkewicz|first1 = Thomas J.|year = 2002| publisher=Salem Press }}</ref><br />
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On 14 September 1901, Pandithurai Thevar established the Fourth [[Madurai Tamil Sangam]] in Madurai at [[Sethupathi Higher Secondary School|Sethupathi High school]] in the presence of [[Bhaskara Sethupathi|Baskara Sethupathy]], Zamindar of Ramnad, and all the Tamil scholars from Tamil Nadu and Sri Lanka. He assigned the management responsibilities of the Tamil Sangam to [[Thiru Narayana Iyengar]], a scholar of Tamil and Sanskrit who he knew from residential education from their childhood. The Sangam also included a college ("Sethupathi Senthamizh Kalaasaalai"), library ("Pandiyan Puthaga Saalai") and literary research centre ("Nool Aaraaichisaalai"). <br />
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A monthly collection of essays in Tamil by well-known poets was also launched, entitled ''Senthamizh'', which has since seen its centenary celebration.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=tY8MAQAAMAAJ&q=pandithurai+thevar&pg=PA365|title = The Cauvery, a Living Museum: 16-17 September 1999, 5-6 March 2001, Seminar Proceedings|year = 2001}}</ref> The magazine helped publish work in Tamil by poets including [[U. V. Swaminatha Iyer]], [[Thiru Narayana Iyengar]], [[R. Raghava Iyengar]], [[M. Raghava Iyengar]], Ettayapuram Sami Iyengar, [[Parithimar Kalaignar]], Arangasamy Iyengar, and [[C. W. Thamotharampillai]].<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=ijc9AAAAIAAJ&q=pandithurai+thevar&pg=PA70|title = Press and Advertisers Year Book|year = 1987}}</ref><br />
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When the creation of an [[academic department]] for Tamil language at [[Madras University]] was blocked due to objections, Pandithurai Thevar's Sangam created many [[Pandit|Tamil Pundits]] through its education and examination systems at its college. Parithimar Kalaignar considered Tamil to be a [[classical language]] and did his best to retain this status at Madras University through the Fourth Tamil Sangam. Pandithurai Thevar and Bhaskara Sethupathi supported him in this cause.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=3TgoAAAAMAAJ&q=pandithurai+thevar&pg=RA2-PA5|title = Madras Information|year = 1967}}</ref><br />
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==Indigenous Steam Navigation Company==<br />
Pandithurai Thevar provided financial assistance and also recruited share-holders for the [[Swadeshi Steam Navigation Company]], started by [[V.O. Chidambaram Pillai]] in 1906, which operated steamer services between Tuticorin and Colombo, to break the British monopoly. He then became chairman of the company.<ref>{{Cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=DEg1DwAAQBAJ&q=pandithurai+thevar&pg=PT112|title=V.O.Chidambaram Pillai|isbn=9788123025575|last1=Sampath|first1=R. N.|last2=Mani|first2=Pe. Su|date=30 August 2017|publisher=Publications Division Ministry of Information & Broadcasting }}</ref><br />
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==Accolades==<br />
Pandithurai Thevar was praised by [[Bhaskara Sethupathi]], the Zamindar of Ramanathapuram, as 'Marava chief of the West', as his Palavanatham zameen was present to the west of Ramanathapuram zameen.<ref>{{cite journal |last1=Price |first1=Pamela G. |title=Warrior Caste 'Raja' and Gentleman 'Zamindar': One Person's Experience in the Late Nineteenth Century |journal=Modern Asian Studies |date=1983 |volume=17 |issue=4 |pages=563–590 |doi=10.1017/S0026749X00011070 |jstor=312236 |s2cid=144055265 }}</ref> The first edition of ''Manimekalai'', printed in 1898, acknowledged Pandithurai Thevar's instrumental help to U.V. Swaminatha Iyer to bring it out in print.<ref>{{cite journal |last1=Rajesh |first1=V. |title=Patrons and Networks of Patronage in the Publication of Tamil Classics, c 1800-1920 |journal=Social Scientist |date=2011 |volume=39 |issue=3/4 |pages=64–91 |jstor=41633794 }}</ref><br />
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==Literary works==<br />
Pandithurai Thevar himself composed poetry works such as ''Sivagnanapuram Murugan Kavadich Sindhu'', ''Rettai Manimalai'' (written for his guru, [[Sivagyana Munivar|Sivagnana Swamigal]]), ''Raja Rajeshwari Padhikam'', and many others.<ref>{{Cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=txQOEAAAQBAJ&q=pandithurai+thevar&pg=PT126|title = Dark Interiors: Essays on Caste and Dalit Culture|isbn = 9789381345641|last1 = Gauthaman|first1 = Raj|last2 = Theodore Baskaran (Translator)|first2 = S.|date = December 2020| publisher=SAGE Publications }}</ref><br />
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==References==<br />
{{reflist}}<br />
<br />
[[Category:1867 births]]<br />
[[Category:1911 deaths]]<br />
[[Category:Tamil language]]<br />
[[Category:Patrons of literature]]<br />
[[Category:People from British India]]</div>James