Ottakoothar
இந்தப் பக்கத்தை தமிழில் வாசிக்க: ஒட்டக்கூத்தர்
Ottakoothar was a Tamil poet of 11th -12th century C.E. Ottakoothar served as a minister in the court and poet to the three Chola kings, Vikrama Chola, Kulothunga Chola – II and Rajaraja Chola – II.
Birth
Ottakoothar was born at Malari (present day Thiruverumbur) in Trichy district of Tamil Nadu. Ottakoothar belonged to the Sengunthar Kaikolar Mudaliyar community. His birth name was Koothar Mudaliyar. He was known as Ottakoothar because he was good at singing for bets (ottam).
Biography
Pugazhendhi Pulavar who composed the Nalavenpa lived during his time. Kambar is considered to have live ahead of his time as Ottakoothar sang commemorating the birth and death anniversaries of Kambar. Ottakoothar was patronized by Kangeyan who was the ruler from Kanchipuram at that time. It is said that Ottakoothar built the Saraswathi temple at Poonthottam town and hence Poonthottam was named as Koothanur after him. Ottakoothar worshipped and received the blessings of Goddess Ambal at the Saraswathi Temple in Koothanur.
Court Poet
Ottakoothar was a court poet in the court of Vikrama Chola (1120 - 1136 C.E). Ottakoothar was the chief court poet in the court of Vikrama Chola's son Kulothunga Chola – II (1136- 1150 C.E) and continued this role until his son Rajaraja Chola II's (1150-1163 C.E) period.
Literary Life
Ottakoothar poems in the praise of battle of Kulothunga are in the Thanippadal (solo poem) collections. Kulothunga Cholan Pillaitamil, a Saiva minor literary book written by Ottakoothar, was the first Pillaitamil book in Tamil. Kalingattuparani written by Ottakoothar was about Vikrama Chola's conquest of the south Kalinga king Veeman. This book is not found.
The books such as Kalingattuparani, Arumbai Thollairam, Kangeyan Nalayirak Kovai and Ethir nool are considered lost. It is also said that Ottakoothar composed Kandan Kovai, Kandan Alankaram, Thillai Ulaa, Eetti Elubathu and Ezhupezhubathu. However there is not enough evidence to suggest that these books were composed by Ottakoothar.
Literary Significance
- Ottakoothar was the first to give a literary form to the Pillaitamil literary genre.
- "The poems composed by Ottakoothar contain lot of rare historical information and Ottakoothar is seen as a historiography poet in the history of Tamil literature" says Sadasiva Pandarathar in his book Pirkaala Cholar Sarithiram (The History of the Later Cholas).
Titles
- Kavichakaravarthi (Emperor among poets)
- Kaviratchathan (Giant among poets)
- Chakaravarthi (Emperor)
- Kaalakkavi (poet of the times)
- Kaudappulavar (Kaudam - a form of poetry considered difficult)
- Saruvanjnana Kavi
- Uzhukuk Koothan
Demise
The Jeeva Samadhi (tomb) of Ottakoothar is at Dharasuram in Thanjavur district.
Books
- Kangeyan Nalayirak Kovai
- Moovar ulaa
- Kulothunga Cholan Pillaitamil
- Eetti Elubathu
- Arumbai Thollairam
- Thakayagap parani
- Ezhupezhubathu
- Naalaayirak kovai
- Uthirakaandam in Kambaramayanam
- Kalingattuparani
- Ethir nool
- Kandan Kovai
- Thillai Ulaa
- Sengunthar pirapanthath thirattu
Books about Ottakoothar
- Ottakootharin Eetiyezhupathu by Poet P. Velu - 1981
- Pulavar Perarasar Ottakoothar by Poet P. M. Somasundaram - 1987
- Naan Kanda Ottakoothar by Srinivasa Rangaswamy - 2004.
Reference
- Tamil Poet List by S. A. Ramasamipulavar
- Kavi Chakkiravarti Ottakoothar - Chapters 1 to 10 of Lectures of C. Balasubramainan
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