Henry Alfred Krishna Pillai
இந்தப் பக்கத்தை தமிழில் வாசிக்க: எச்.ஏ. கிருஷ்ண பிள்ளை
Henry Alfred Krishna Pillai (H. A. Krishna Pillai) (Born on April 23, 1827 – Died on February 3, 1900) was a Tamil scholar. He was the author of the epic Christian book Ratchanya Yathrigam. He was the forerunner of many Christian songwriters in Tamil.
Birth, Youth
Krishna Pillai was born on April 23, 1827, in a small town called Karaiiruppu near Rettiarpatti in the Tirunelveli district to a Vaishnavite family of Vellalar clan. His father was Sankara Narayana Pillai and mother, Deivanayakiyamma. Father of Krishna Pillai was highly talented in reciting Kambaramayanam as a series of discourses. Krishna Pillai traditionally learned Ramayanam, Mahabharata, Naalayira Divyaprabandham, Ashta Prabandham, Tiruvaimozhi, Sadagopar Anthadi from his father at an early age. Thiruparkadalnathan Kavirayar, who was a great Tamil poet, taught Nannool to Krishna Pillai.
Krishna's father died when he was sixteen. Thenceforth, he came to Palayamkottai and learned Tamil palm manuscripts from Vallal Venku Mudaliar, staying at his abode.
Personal Life
During that period, many Christian societies were engaged in religious charities in Tirunelveli area. Robert Caldwell carried out religious works for the Biblical Society. Many schools were established in towns with the support of Christian associations. In Sawyerpuram, G.U. Pope started a college. Caldwell was in lookout for a Tamil teacher for the college when Pope went to England for rest. Twenty-five-year-old Krishna Pillai, one of the three applicants for the post, was hired by Caldwell as a Tamil teacher at Sawyerpuram College as he was proficient in Tamil literature and grammar.
Krishna Pillai became involved in Christianity while he was working as a teacher. Already, a few of Krishna Pillai's relatives had converted to Christianity. Krishna Pillai began to study Christian scriptures. At the age of thirty, he was baptized at the Mayilai St. Thomas Church ,Chennai and became a Christian by the name of Henry Alfred Krishna Pillai.
He also worked as an assistant editor of the daily Dinavarthamaani in Chennai and as a Tamil Teacher of State Higher Secondary School.[1]Later, He worked as professor of Tamil in the Palayamkottai C. M. S. college. He also worked as a Professor of Tamil at the Maharaja's College, Thiruvananthapuram. Manonmaniyam Sundaram Pillai, who worked in the Department of Philosophy at the same college, became a friend of Krishna Pillai.
He also served as the editor of the Christian Literary Society.
Literary Contribution
During his time of reading Christian texts, Krishna Pillai became very interested in 'The Pilgrim's Progress', a book written by John Bunyan (1628-1688). He felt that the book exemplifies his life and experience. Based on that two-part book, he composed the Ratchanya Yathrigam. Without translating the original text as it is, he wrote it as an important piece of work of the Tamil Christian tradition, incorporating elements of Tamil culture.
Ratchanya Yathrigam was partially published in the magazine Narpodhakam from Palayamkottai. This book contains 3800 verses. It contains 21 verses containing literary ornaments such as Yamakam, Thiribu, Siledai, Madippu, which were considered as a testimony to the skill of the poets at the period. It is formed into five Paruvams and 47 Padalams. Paruvam is the major division, while the Padalam is the subdivision within the Paruvam. In this book, Krishna Pillai had composed 144 songs based on the Saivite Thevaram songs. He treated his songs with Thevaram's form and style, and had set the songs under the title Thevaram from time to time. Speaking of the intention of writing the book, he says, "It is a rare medicine that offers soul-recovery to human society".
He authored a book, Ratchanya Manoharam, which contains hymns to praise the Lord, and wrote a collection of hymns entitled Thiru Akaval and Ratchania Saritham. He wrote a grammar book called Ilakkana Soodamani and a biographical book on how he became a Christian—Naan Christhuvai Kanda Varalaru. Likewise, he has also authored a literary collection, Kaviya Dharma Sangiraham.
Furthermore, he has published the books Vedaporul Ammanai and Bharatha Kanda Purathanam.
Ratchanya Kural and Ratchaniya Bala Bodanai are books that are no longer available.
Amy Carmichael, a student and critic of Krishna Pillai, describes her poetry over her devotional establishment as follows:
"சிந்தனைகளைத் தொடர்ந்து சிந்தனைகளும் சொற்களைத் தொடர்ந்து சொற்களும், இதுவரை சொல்லாத செய்திகளைச் சொல்ல ஆர்வம் கொண்டு ஓடி வருவது போல வந்தன… சூரியனைப் போல ஒளிவிடும் எண்ணற்ற விண்மீன்களைக் கொண்ட வானம் திடீரென்று அவருக்கு மேல் திறப்பது போன்று அவை வந்தன."
Death
Henry Alfred Krishna Pillai passed away on February 3, 1900, at the age of 73.
Works
Books by Krishna Pillai: [2]
Poems
- Pottri Thirukal Akaval
- Ratchanya Yathrigam
- Ratchanya Manoharam
Prose texts
- Ilakkana Soodamani
- Naan Christhuvai Kanda Varalaru
- Ratchanya Samaya Nirnayam
Book Collection
- Kaviya Dharma Sangiraham
- Ratchanya Kural
- Ratchanya Bala Bodanai
Reference
Links
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