Remembering that great patriot Subramanya Siva ..

We, Srivaishnavaites are naturally attracted to works on the great Acharya – Sri Ramanujacharya. Here is a book and do you know its author ?

A couple of days back, Veteran Congress leader Kumari Ananthan set off on an 'ahimsa' (non-violence) march from Marina beach  urging the Tamil Nadu government to allocate funds for the construction of a temple for 'Bharata Matha' in Papparapatti village in Dharmapuri district.  A few years ago,  the elusive forest brigand  was shot dead by the Tamil Nadu Special Task Force (STF)  in a place closer to Papparapatti  which has better claims to fame. 

The man who was born here wrote Sri Ramanuja Vijayam – a great freedom fighter, closer to Subramanya Barathiyar, he published Gnanabanu, a collection of poems and prabanyamithran magazine in which he published Articles on the importance of attaining freedom for India, freedom struggle and the service of the National leaders. He staged labour agitations in Chennai, Kolkatta, Tuticorin, Tirunelveli against British Government. Despite his illness and the severe restriction imposed on him by the British Government, he did a lot in enlightening the people in political matters and introducing order in their public life. He continued to fight for independence and suffered numerous prison terms while serving his last prison term, he was afflicted by leprosy to which he succumbed in 23 July 1925.

இந்திய விடுதலை போராட்டத்தில் தமிழகத்தின் பங்கை விவரிக்கும் ஒரு அற்புத சினிமா 'கப்பலோட்டிய தமிழன்'  .. .. வெள்ளையர்களுக்கு சவாலாக ஆழ்கடலில் கப்பல் ஒட்டிய வ. உ. சிதம்பரம் பிள்ளையைப் பற்றிய படம்.  சுப்பிரமணிய பாரதியாரின் பாடல்களுக்கு  ஜி. ராமநாதன் இசையமைத்திருந்தார்.  இது பி. ஆர். பந்துலு இயக்கித் தயாரித்த திரைப்படம். திருவனந்தபுரம் கண்ணுசாமி சண்முகம் என்னும் ஔவை தி. க. சண்முகம் - சுப்பிரமணிய சிவா வேடத்தில் நடித்திருந்தார்.  வெள்ளையர் ஆட்சியிலே சிறைவாசம் எளிதல்ல ~ உடலை உருக்கும், மனதை இளைக்கும், மனிதனை உருமாற்றம் கொடிய தண்டனை.

சிறை வாசத்தில் செக்கிழுத்தல், கல் உடைத்தல், கிணற்றில் நீர் இறைத்தல், தோட்ட வேலை, கம்பளி, ஆடை நெய்தல் உள்பட பல்வேறு வேலைகளை செய்ய வேண்டும். கம்பளி தயாரிக்கும் வேலையை தான் தியாகி சுப்பிரமணிய சிவாவிற்கு முதலில் கொடுத்தார்கள். ஆட்டு தோலின் கழிவுகளை அகற்றி அதை சுத்தம் செய்தல் போன்ற வேலைகளை செய்ததினால் அவருக்கு தொழுநோய் பாதிப்பு ஏற்பட்டது. அதைப்பற்றியெல்லாம் கவலைப்படாமல் சாகும் வரை நாட்டின் சுதந்திரத்திற்காக பாடுபட்டார் சுப்பிரமணிய சிவா.

http://dharmapuri.nic.in/personalities.htm

India was born in midnight ! ~ the freedom was not a day’s affair or that of a single man packing the rulers away !! – it was a just fruit gotten by the sacrifices of very many leaders, many of whom perhaps the people of Nation have not recognised properly. The clamour to advertise that freedom was obtained without bloodshed sent to background many a great sacrifices.

‘Kappalottiya Thamizhan’  released in 1961 is a great movie by many counts. It was the first movie to be granted tax relief.   The film directed by B. R. Panthulu, having cast of Sivaji Ganesan, Gemini Ganesan,  S. V. Subbaiah, T. K. Shanmugham, S. V. Ranga Rao, S. A. Ashokan – powerfully portrayed the freedom struggle down South.  The film based on the biography of V.O.Chidambaram Pillai written by Ma. Po. Si.(M.P.Sivagnanam) taught history to later generations.

  

The film was about VOC (Valliappan Ulaganathan Chidambaram Pillai) – the great man, the advocate, who started shipping venture challenging the British on high seas – he suffered throughout his life and struggled.  VOC along with Subramanya Siva, another great patriot was summoned to Tirunelveli by the Collector  (shown as Winch in the film) – that meeting was also a great scene.  They were charged on sedition and sent to long years of imprisonment.  It was unthinkable suffering that broke their back but never their spirit.   Had it been properly documented, it would break all claims of gentleness and portray the barbarism of erstwhile British rulers.

The man Subramaniya Siva is remembered today.  He was born this day (4th Oct 1884).  Siva was born in Batlagundu ( வத்தலக்குண்டு)  near Dindigul.  In 1908, he was arrested by the British and was the first political prisoner in Madras jail. While serving a prison term, he was afflicted by leprosy and was shifted to Salem jail. Since leprosy was regarded as a contagious disease, the British authorities forbade him to travel by rail after his release and hence he was forced to travel on foot. He continued to fight for independence and was incarcerated many times until 1922.

Known for his fiery speeches and rendering of Mahakavi Barathiyar songs.  The relentless freedom fighter and heroic patriot Subramaniya Siva chose Papparapatti village in Pennagaram taluk as the center of activities during his last years of life and took efforts to establish a Bharatasharam in Papparapatti. He published Gnanabanu, a collection of poems and prabanyamithran magazine in which he published Articles on the importance of attaining freedom for India, freedom struggle and the service of the National leaders. He staged labour agitations in Chennai, Kolkatta, Tuticorin, Tirunelveli against British Government. Despite his illness and the severe restriction imposed on him by the British Government, he travelled places, organising people against the British.   The disease and injuries sustained in the jail hastened his death, which embraced him on  23 July 1925, hardly 41 years of age.

By some accounts, he had bought land at Papparapatti with public support to build a temple for Bharatha Matha. Senior leader Chitharanjan Doss had even laid a foundation stone for the temple in 1923. However, after Siva’s death in 1925, his body was buried at the spot and a memorial was built there.  About a decade ago, Hon’ble Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu  J Jayalalithaa inaugurated the memorial of Thyagi Subramaniya Siva constructed at a cost of Rs.40 lakhs in Papparapatti, Dharmapuri District.

pic credit :  http://tndipr.gov.in

Today, we remember Subrahmanya Siva and the sacrifices of those people which gave us the freedom.

The book at the start “Ramanuja Vijayam’ was written by this great freedom fighter in 1924.  The book, out of print for many decades,  was republished by Va.U.Si. Noolagam in recent years.  Written in  Manipravalam – Subramania  Siva portrays his deep understanding of Srivaishnavism as he uses  ‘Poornar’ instead of ‘nambi’.  Periya Nambi has been referred to as Maha Poornar, Thiukottiyar Nambi as Kottiyur Poornar, Thirukkachi Nambi as Kanchi Poornar. 

With regards to great souls ~ S. Sampathkumar.

4^th Oct 2017.