Remembering Mahakavi Subrahmanya Barathiyar - Sept 11..

The statue at Marina beach

The man who was to become an iconoclastic freedom fighter was born in a small village called Ettayapuram on Dec 11, 1882.  By his songs and concerted actions, he reached to the masses making the aware of the need for freedom struggle and could make a great movement in Southern part of the Nation.  His songs were imbued with patriotism, over flowed with desire for freedom,  enthused people to revolt against British rule, encouraged youth to remain fit and aspire for greater things; his words woke up the sleeping slavery minded people to think of freedom and the need for the same.  He was a Genius, Extrovert, Patriot, Poet,  Thinker, man who dreamed beyond his time,  an eternal Optimist, man with die-hard spirit, motivator, man capable of uniting great minds, natural leader – all rolled one. Most unfortunate thing was his age – his life was too short - he lived for only 39 years and passed away on  this day 91 years ago (11^th Sept 1921)

The house where he lived in Triplicane

Sept. 11 -  World over might be remembered for various reasons – to us this day marks the remembrance of the greatest of Poets and the revolutionary Freedom fighter.  His life was short–At the age of 22, he became the Assistant Editor of a daily newspaper called "Swadesamitran".   In 1906, he was editor of a weekly magazine called "India". By 1912, he was already a legend in South India and his political meetings were attracting multitudes of young patriots, ready to join the  movement for attaining freedom from the British rule.

He was not a just Writer--  a person whose writing stoked the passion of freedom struggle.  He was on the run for most part of his life as British rulers foisted cases on him and incarcerated him.  No amount of pressure would keep his spirits in wrap.  He was a real genius, a great reformer and a very great Social Revolutionist with fiery ideas.

Mahakavi Subramanya Bharathiyar passed away on September 11, 1921,

at the young age of 39.

We remember the Great Poet today……….

வீர சுதந்திரம் வேண்டி நின்றார் பின்னர்
      வேறொன்று கொள்வாரோ?-என்றும்
ஆரமுதுண்ணுதற் காசை கொண்டார் கள்ளில்
      அறிவைச் செலுத்துவாரோ?

[those desirous of fiery Freedom, will they ever think of anything else;

        Those desirous of eating delicious feast – will they waste their money on arrack]

மண்ணிலின்பங்களை விரும்பிச் சுதந்திரத்தின்
      மாண்பினை யிழப்பாரோ?
கண்ணிரண்டும் விற்றுச் சித்திரம் வாங்கினால்
      கைகொட்டிச் சிரியாரோ!

[ will somebody lose the might of Freedom in search of earthly simplistic pleasures;

            Will not the World clap their hands and laugh at those who sell their Eyes to buy    

             a picture]

~~~~~~~~~~  some immortal words of Mahakavi Subrahmanya Barathiyar.

Bharathiyar signature

With great reverence

S. Sampathkumar