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Home > Tamils - a Trans State Nation > One Hundred Tamils of the 20th Century > Somasunthara Pulavar
One Hundred Tamils of the 20th Century
"Navalyur K.Somasunthara Pulavar, born on 29th September 1879, was the son of Kadirgamar and Ilakkumipillai of Navaly, Jaffna. He was well educated in Tamil and traditional Hindu culture, during his early years under able scholars, Arunachalam Ramalingam and others. He made a special study of the Saiva scriptures and started composing verses at the age of fifteen. He also acquired a good knowledge of English .
He commenced teaching in 1899, at a humble village School at Sithankerni, which later became Vaddukkoddai Hindu English School. He taught there for nearly forty years .
During this period he composed prodigious number of verses dedicated to the deities enshrined in the temples at Nallur, Kandavanam, Kadirkamam and at other places where he venerated. Some verses were on common everyday subjects and these are found in the school text books of today. Many of his compositions are of special appeal to children. He wrote a few dramatic works and had them staged, by the students of his School. His style of composition closely resembled that of the Indian poet Subramaniya Bharathi. He passed away on 7th July 1953, at the age of seventy five." (from S.Arumugam's Dictionary of Biography of the Tamils of Ceylon - published here with permission)
