Ku. Natesa Gounder - From sewing buttonholes at a tailoring shop to interpreting pieces of literature in Tamil and Sanskrit.
The title Kaviarasu (King of Poetry) is generally given only to the poets, who are also lyricists in Tamil cinema. But, several decades ago, a veteran Tamil scholar in Coimbatore was honoured with the same title, though he did not pen any lyrics to Tamil movies.
Kovai Thamizh Sangam and Meykandar Kazhagam, the two literary organizations, jointly awarded the title Kaviarasu to the legendary Tamil scholar Ku. Natesa Gounder, lauding his valuable contributions to classical Tamil literature.
Kaviarasu Ku Natesa Gounder, who was born in 1901, could not pursue schooling after class VII due to his father’s demise and had to work at his maternal uncle’s tailoring shop. His job was sewing buttonholes. However, he developed an interest in poetry, as he met some literary enthusiasts at the tailoring shop, where they often discussed literature.
Though Natesa Gounder discontinued schooling after class VII, he was adept in interpreting the subtle nuances in classical Tamil poetry even while he was a boy. Surprised at his literary skills, Tamil scholars Azhukku Swamigal and Pallapalayam Vayyapuri Pillai taught him the deep literary areas in Tamil.
Later, when Natesa Gounder worked as a clerk for certain lawyers in Coimbatore, he got the opportunity to learn English from them. He also wrote the examinations for Tamil Pulavar conducted by Madurai Tamil Sangam and University of Madras respectively. Bagging first class in the examinations, he joined as a Tamil teacher in the City Municipal High School.
Natesa Gounder wrote Tamil poetry in the genres like Pillaithamizh, Thalattu, Palli Ezhuchi, Vazhthukanni and Keerthanai on his teacher Kandasamy Swamigal of Kaumara Madalayam in Coimbatore. His books of poems also include Pazhani Andavar Mayilvidu Thoothu, Saadhuguru Navamani Maalai, Mangayarkarasi Pillaithamizh, Thiruperur Kalampagam, Ettikudi Murugan Pillaithamizh, Thiruveragam Saminathan Pillaithamizh, Koopidu Vinayagar Pathigam, Thirunilai Nayagi Pillaithamizh and so on. He also penned prose works like Nyayakalanjiyam and Appar Varalatru Araichiyum Thevara Thiranayvum. With his mastery over Sanskrit literature, Natesa Gounder translated Neelakanda Dikshidar’s master piece Ananda Sagara Stavam into Tamil as Inbamaakadal.
“Ku. Natesa Gounder’s command over both Tamil and Sanskrit was a great surprise to us. I can still say the lines he quoted while comparing the poetic beauty in a verse from Elango Adigal’s Silapathikaram with a scene from Kalidasa’s play Abihjnanasakuntalam”
Thus Kuppusamy, the late Gandhian, veteran lawyer, and author would often recall the memories of his teacher Natesa Gounder. Kuppusamy was one of his students at the City Municipal High School in the late 1940s.
Natesa Gounder, who later became the principal of Perur Santhalinga Adigalar Tamil College, passed away in 1972.
Kovai Thamizh Sangam and Meykandar Kazhagam, the two literary organizations, jointly awarded the title Kaviarasu to the legendary Tamil scholar Ku. Natesa Gounder, lauding his valuable contributions to classical Tamil literature.
Kaviarasu Ku Natesa Gounder, who was born in 1901, could not pursue schooling after class VII due to his father’s demise and had to work at his maternal uncle’s tailoring shop. His job was sewing buttonholes. However, he developed an interest in poetry, as he met some literary enthusiasts at the tailoring shop, where they often discussed literature.
Though Natesa Gounder discontinued schooling after class VII, he was adept in interpreting the subtle nuances in classical Tamil poetry even while he was a boy. Surprised at his literary skills, Tamil scholars Azhukku Swamigal and Pallapalayam Vayyapuri Pillai taught him the deep literary areas in Tamil.
Later, when Natesa Gounder worked as a clerk for certain lawyers in Coimbatore, he got the opportunity to learn English from them. He also wrote the examinations for Tamil Pulavar conducted by Madurai Tamil Sangam and University of Madras respectively. Bagging first class in the examinations, he joined as a Tamil teacher in the City Municipal High School.
Natesa Gounder wrote Tamil poetry in the genres like Pillaithamizh, Thalattu, Palli Ezhuchi, Vazhthukanni and Keerthanai on his teacher Kandasamy Swamigal of Kaumara Madalayam in Coimbatore. His books of poems also include Pazhani Andavar Mayilvidu Thoothu, Saadhuguru Navamani Maalai, Mangayarkarasi Pillaithamizh, Thiruperur Kalampagam, Ettikudi Murugan Pillaithamizh, Thiruveragam Saminathan Pillaithamizh, Koopidu Vinayagar Pathigam, Thirunilai Nayagi Pillaithamizh and so on. He also penned prose works like Nyayakalanjiyam and Appar Varalatru Araichiyum Thevara Thiranayvum. With his mastery over Sanskrit literature, Natesa Gounder translated Neelakanda Dikshidar’s master piece Ananda Sagara Stavam into Tamil as Inbamaakadal.
“Ku. Natesa Gounder’s command over both Tamil and Sanskrit was a great surprise to us. I can still say the lines he quoted while comparing the poetic beauty in a verse from Elango Adigal’s Silapathikaram with a scene from Kalidasa’s play Abihjnanasakuntalam”
Thus Kuppusamy, the late Gandhian, veteran lawyer, and author would often recall the memories of his teacher Natesa Gounder. Kuppusamy was one of his students at the City Municipal High School in the late 1940s.
Natesa Gounder, who later became the principal of Perur Santhalinga Adigalar Tamil College, passed away in 1972.