Mahavidwan R. Raghava Iyengar

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Contents 1 Introduction 2 Life 3 Mahavidwan R. Raghava Iyengar's works 3.1 Edited works 3.2 Research books 3.3 Poems 3.4 Translations 4 External links

[edit] Introduction

The Bhasha Kavisekhara Mahavidwan R. Raghava Iyengar (born Sept. 20 1870) was known for critical scholarship and creative interpretation of literature.

[edit] Life

Mahavidwan R. Raghava Iyengar was born in Ramnad, Tamil Nadu and having studied up to matriculation, devoted his entire time to the mastery of Tamil literature. He attracted the attention of Prof. R. Ranganadam and Dewan Venkata Ranga Iyer who introduced him to Raja Bhaskara Sethupathi of Ramnad. At the age of 21 he was appointed Poet Laureate of the Sethu Samasthanam, a post he held for 42 years.

Raghava Iyengar became the editor of Sen Tamil and along with his cousin edited this journal for 3 years. He was the first to set the right norms for Tamil research which had a scientific basis. He wrote articles on Kamban, Valluvar and the female bards of Sangam literature. He wrote the biography of these poets, identified the cities mentioned in the Sangam works and established the correct authorship of many works of the Sangam age. He translated Kalidasa's Abhijñānaśākuntalam (The Recognition of Sakuntala) and the Bhagavad Gita.

He was conferred the titles of Bhasha Kavisekhara and Mahavidwan and received a presentation of Rs 1,000 for his poem "Pari kathai". At the age of 65, he was appointed Head of the Tamil Research Dept. of Annamalai University. He proved for the first time that Karur was the capital of the Cheras in the Sangam age.

[edit] Mahavidwan R. Raghava Iyengar's works

[edit] Edited works

1. Ahananooru
2. Kurunthogai Villakam

   an erudite commentary on all 400 songs of Sangam classic literature

3. Perumpanarruppadai, Pattinappalai

   In R Ragahva Iyengar's commentaries on the two Sangam classics, he identifies Thirumavalavan as the hero in Pattinappalai and Karikalan in Porunar arrupadai, another Sangam classic. They are two different Chola kings. In Perumpanarrupadai, he traces the origin of the Thiraiyans and the Pallavas and concludes that they canme to Tamilnadu from Dwaraka long long back.

4. Tolkappiyam
5. Athichoodi uraai

   An elaborate commentary of poetess Avvaiyar's one line moral sayings (Tanjore University publication)

6. Muthollayiram

[edit] Research books

1. Sethunadum thamizhum
2. Vanjimanagar

   This book describes the capital of Cheras which has been identified as Karur on the banks of the river Amaravati and is known in literature as Vanji. Later epigraphical and archaeological evidence have confirmed the finding.

3. Andakola meyporul
4. Nallisaipulamai melliyalar

   Biographical sketches of women Sangam poetesses like Avvaiyar, Parimahalir and several others

5. Tamil varalaru

   Classic essays on the origin of Tamil, its people and customs, Tolkappiyar, Agastiyar, Sangams, literature before Tolkappiyam, Udiyan cheral and the connection of Tamil to other ancient languages.

6. Kocar

   An ancient tribe like the Velirs who migrated from Kashmir and took part in Tamil politics by switching sides between the Cheras, Cholas and the Pandyas. They were always at war with the Velirs, another clan that came from the north

7. Thithan velir

   Velir chief aligned with Chola kings whose coin was found near Karur, the Chera capital of Sangam age.

8. Kambar

   A monograph with the complete survey of the great poet of 12th century.

9. Kurunila Vendar

   This essay traces the origin of tamil clans like the Velirs, Kocars, Pallavas and Sethupathi

10. Araichi Katturaihal, Iniya Ilakkiyangal & Sentamil Inbam

    These are essays that deal with all aspects of Tamil and Tamil literature

[edit] Poems

1. Parikathai

   Poems with notes on Pari chieftain of Sangam fame in venba metre, presented at the Annamalai university , reminiscent of similar Sangam arangerram

2. Puvi ezhupathu

   Poem in praise of mother earth on the lines of Kamban's Aer ezhupathu

3. Thozhil chirappu
4. Oru thurai kovai

   A poem that is basically a great exercise of a difficult Tamil poetic form in praise of Sethupathi

5. Thiruvadimalai

   This poem deals with his love for Lord Rama

6. Inkavi thirattu

   Poems sung in praise of Gods at Sethu, Thiruppullani and Thirupathi

7. Githa thazhisai

   Translation in poetic form of the Bhagavat Geetha, with Subramania Bharathi's prose translation in tamil of each sanskrit verse.

8. Andakola Meyyporul

   A very rare song of vaishnavaite saint Nammalwar to Sangam poets in ahaval metre. Its meaning was bothering scholars for a long time. R Raghava Iyengar wrote an exquisite commentary on the philosophical meaning of this poem. Incidentally it proves that "Sangam" existed in some form till the 8th century

9. Puvi ezhupathu

   Poem in praise of mother earth on the lines of Kamban's Aer ezhupathu

[edit] Translations

1. Abigna Sakuntalam Kalidasa's Sakuntalam

   translated in sandam style.

2. Bhagavat Gita

[edit] External links

• http://sathyans.com/R_Raghava_Iyengar/