Kumaraswany Pulavar

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A. Kumaraswamy Pulavar of Chunnakam, 1854-1922,

Eminent Tamil Scholar and Poet from Jaffna. Chunnakam Kumaraswamy Pulavar was born to Ampalavanar and Chithamparammai in 18-01-1854 as only son, among two daughters. When the pulavar was 5, he stared studying Tamil under Namasivaya Desikar and also started studying at Malakam English School. At the age of 8 started learning Tamil literature from Murukasu Panditar. Encouraged by Arumuga Navalar, a friend of his grand uncle Muthukumara kavirayar, pulaver started learning Sanskrit literature from a close relative, Naganatha Panditar from the age of 9.

In 1878 Rao Bhahadur C W Thamootharampillai asked the Pulavar to teach at his Saivapracasa Tamil School at Elalai and 2 years later C W Thamootharampillai made the Pulavar, principal of the school. During this time pulaver wrote number of research papers on ancient Tamil literature. He also wrote and published lot of articles on greatness of Saiva religion to counter the insulting articles published by Christian clergy of that time in Jaffna and Tamilnadu. In 1892 married chinnachiammai, daughter of Mylvahanam of Kantharodai/Uduvil.

When in 1896 Pulavar became mumber of a committee, which was formed to oversee the reconstruction of 2550 years old Naguleswaram temple in Kirimalai which was destroyed by the Portuguese in 1621. Pulavar also composed the Oonjel songs on Lord Naguleswaram temple. In 1900 Yaazhpanna Tamil Sangam was established by Kailasapillai, with the Pulavar as the chief examiner and member of the scholarly panel. In 1902 Pulavar was appointed as the head master of Arumuga Navalar’s Saivapracasa Tamil School in Vannaarpannai.

Eventually he gained much recognition for his eminence. In 1902 Madurai Tamil Sangam was established in Tamilnadu by Zamindar Panditurai Devar and Ramanathapuram King Rajarajeswara Sedhupathi. Pulavar was one of the first Tamil scholars invited to be examiner of the panel of Tamil scholars.

Pulavar contributed research articles regularly to journals and wrote lots of poetic compositions and works in prose among which some are:- Tamil Pulavar Charithram, Ilakkiya Sol Aharathy, Neethi Neri Vilakkam, Megathoothakarikai & Raguvamsa Charitha Amirtham. Besides the above, he also published some of the Tamil classics, with his explanatory notes and commends. He is also a Sanskrit scholar.

Due to illness on 9-3-1922 Pulavar Passed away. He had two sons Ambalavanapillai & Muttukumaswamipillai, who were also able scholars and a daughter.