Arumuka Navalar
இந்தப் பக்கத்தை தமிழில் வாசிக்க: ஆறுமுக நாவலர்
Arumuka Navalar(December 18, 1822 - December 5, 1879) was a Tamil scholar, Shaivam scholar, a teacher in Tamil and English, Translator, Publisher, Commentator and Orator. He published a lot of ancient Tamil texts including Thirukkural Parimelazhagar Urai and Nannool Kandigai. Arumuka Navalar is remembered for his discourses on Shaivam religion and அச்சுப்பணி. He is one of the primary figures in nineteenth-sentury Shaivam Revival Movement.
Birth and Education
Arumuka Navalar was born as a last son to Kandapillai and Sivagami on December 18, 1822 in Nallur, Jaffna Srilanka. Navalar's birth name was Arumugampillai. He started learning from five. He learned Moothurai, dictionary from Subramaniya Upadhyaya at porch school. He completed higher education from Saravanamuthu Pulavar and Senathirasa Mudaliyar. Arumuka Navalar shown erudition in Tamil and Sanskrit. He studied English at Wesleyan Methodist Central College, Jaffna.
Work as a Teacher
Arumuka Navalar worked as a teacher for sometime at Wesleyan Methodist Central College, where he studied . He taught many students at his porch. Arumuga Thambiran was his student.
Bible Translation
AN was close to pastor Peter Percival, and worked as an editor on the team that translated the Bible. AN worked along with Vaddukoddai Gurumadam. When the Bible translation work was going on in Jaffna, AN Peter Percival went to Chennai, after hearing that the Christian church in Chennai heard was doing the same, to establish which translation was the best. Mazavai Vidwan Mahalinga Iyer acted as arbitrator and ruled that the translation of the AN was the best. It is said that it was accepted.
Work on Shaivam
In Sri Lanka, the American Mission established the Vaddukoddai Gurumadam and Tellippalai College and actively propagated religion(மதப்பரப்பு). The elites of Jaffna was converting to Christianity for the sake of English education. AN taught it would destroy Shaivam and became a propagator of Shaivism. He began his work on Shaivam by publishing pamphlets as a denial of pamphlets from Christians denouncing Shaivam. He published small books and pamphlets. He wrote commentary on Shaivam psalms.
AN wrote small books. He continued to work in an effort to restore antiquity and tradition. He started a Shaivam school called 'Shaiva Prakasa Vidyasalai' on November 11, 1864 in Chidambaram. AN attempted to rebuild the ancient Shiva temple of Naguleswaram in Jaffna, which was destroyed by the Portuguese. He performed sermons on Shaivism.
AN along with Nallur Sadasivam pillai went to Chennai in Tamil month Aadi, 1849 to buy a printer to print textbooks on Shaivam. There he gave a lecture on Shaivam at Thiruvaduthurai Adheenam and expressed his erudition and received the title 'Navalar' from Thiruvaduthurai Adheena. He stayed in Chennai for a while; published Soodamani Nigandu and Saundarya Lahari and returned tp Jaffna with a printer.
AN established a printing house 'Vidhyanubalana Atchiyantharasalai' at his house and published books like Baalapadam, Aathichoodi, commentary on Kondraivendhan, Sivalayatharisanavidhi, Saivasamayasaaram, Kolaimaruthal, Nanool Viruthiyurai, Thirichendinirottaka Yamagavanthathiyurai and commentary on Tirumurukatruppadai. He wrote Thiruthondar 'Periya Puranam' in a dialogue form. Also he published texts like Gyanakummi, Yesumathaparigaram and Vachirathandam.
AN returned to Chennai, published Thiruvasagam and Thirukkovaiyar on the Tamil month Vaikasi, 1859. He established 'Vidhyanubalana Atchiyantharasalai' in Thangasalai, Chennai and published various Shaivam texts. After staying in Chennai, Thiruvaduthurai and Thirunagaikoranam and giving Shaivam sermons, he returned to Jaffna in 1862.
On the Tamil month Margazhi, 18963 AN came to Tamilnadu again. He addressed in Ramanathapuram. From there , he went to Madurai and spoke at Meenakshi Amman Sannidhanam. He addressed in Kundrakudi Adheenam, Tirupperunturai, Thirupullirukkuvelur and Sirkali. He went to Chidambaram and established Chidambaram Saivaprakasa Vidhyasalai in the Tamil month Aippasi, 1864. Returning to Chennai in the Tamil month Margazhi 1866, AN became involved in preaching Shaivam and printing and publishing books.
AN started a Shaivam school at Copay on 1870 and ran it at his own expense. In 1871, Shaivam students were expelled by John Kilner for wearing holy ash at the Wesleyan English School, Vannarpannai. Considering the benefit of the children, AN established and ran a Shaivam school at Vannarpanai in 1872. This school ran only for four years owing to lack of funds.
In the Tamil month of Aippasi in 1872 AN compiled the facts he had learned from his experience up to that time and named it the 'Yazhpana Samaya Nilai'. Between 1875 and 1878, AN was involved in writing books such as Nanool Viruthiyurai, Naidathavurai, Thiruvilaiyadal Puranam, Nanoor Kaandigaivurai, Sivapoosa Vidhi, Moondram Anutaana Vidhi, Guru Sishya Kiramam, Poosaikku Idampannum Vidhi, Siraatha Vidhi, Tharupana Vidhi, Bosana Vidhi, Tamil Agarathi, Tamil-Samaskrutha Agarathi, Tamil-Aangila Agarathi and involved in sermons on Shaivam.
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