Manonmaniam Sundaram Pillai

He was born in the area of Alleppey in Travancore, to Perumal and Madathi Ammal (Māṭatti'am'māḷ மாடத்தி அம்மாள்). Sundaranar studied religious literature such as Tevaram, Thiruvasagam during his childhood. Nagapattinam Narayana Samy was his Tamil language teacher. He completed his B.A. in 1876 and in the following year, he married Sivagami Ammal (Civakāmi am'māḷ சிவகாமி அம்மாள்).

His career as an educator began in 1877. He became the Principal at a bilingual English-Tamil school in Tirunelveli, playing a key role in the school's development. Sundaranar later taught philosophy at H. H. The Maharaja's University College, Thiruvananthapuram, and he completed his M.A. in 1880. During that period he became acquainted with Robert Harvey.

Sundaram showed his respect for Harvey, a Scottish Professor of Philosophy and English at The Maharaja's College, by dedicating his drama Manonmaniyam to him, and naming his farmhouse after him.[2] Together they wrote the book, Some Early Sovereigns of Travancore.

The MDT Hindu College, Tirunelveli, of which he was the first Principal, describes his works as follows:[3]

He established Saiva Prakasha Sabha at Trivandram in 1885. He taught Swami Vivekananda about the Saiva Sidhantham. In 1885, he published Chathira Saugiragam, commonly known as Nootrogai Villakkam. He wrote and published his masterpiece Manonmaniam in 1891. In the same year, he became a member Fellow of Madras University (FMU). In 1897, Some Early Sovereigns of Travancore was published and he became a Member of Royal Asiatic Society (MRAS).

He published Some Milestones in the History of Tamil Literature in 1895.

Rao Bahadur Sundaranar was one of the earliest proponents of Neo Saivism in the late 19th century. He extolled in his works a tamil identity devoid of any foreign influence. When he was the principal of the MDT Hindu School he learnt Saiva Siddantha from Kodakanallur Sundara Swamigal and held a long discussion with Swami Vivekananda during his visit to Kerala.

Sundaranar became a Member of Fellow of Royal Historical Society (FRHS). To honor his accomplishments South Indian historical research, the Madras Government gave him the title of Rao Bahadur in 1896.

He was awarded an honorary doctorate by a German university.

He died of diabetes on 26 April 1897, at age 42. He was survived by his only child, PS Nataraja Pillai who was later a finance minister for Travancore-Cochin State and served as a member of the constituent assembly.

The song "Niraarum Kadal Udutha" from Manonmaniam was adapted as "Invocation to Goddess Tamil" and approved by the Government of Tamil Nadu as the official Tamil anthem in June 1970.

Manonmaniam Sundaranar University in Tirunelveli is a TamilNadu Govt University.

The 1942 cinema adaptation Manonmani, is considered a classic film.[1]

His son PS Nataraja Pillai served as Minister of Finance for Cochin-Travancore State from 1954-56 and also was a member of Constituent Assembly of India. He was elected to state legislative assembly of Kerala and to the Indian Parliament as a Lok Sabha Member.He was politically associated with the Indian National Congress and Praja Socialist Party of India.[4]

• Nūṟṟokai viḷakkam (நூற்றொகை விளக்கம்) (Tamil,1888)
• Maṉōṉmaṇīyam (மனோன்மணீயம்) (Drama, 1891)
• Some early sovereigns of Travancore (திருவிதாங்கூர் பண்டை மன்னர் கால ஆராய்ச்சி. P.S. Natarajan. 1894.
• Some Milestones in the History of Tamil Literature: Found in an Enquiry Into the Age of Tiru Gnana Sambandha. Addison & Company. 1895.
• Tamiḻttāy vāḻttu (தமிழ்த்தாய் வாழ்த்து)

• Tamil Thai

• Dr. Kanam Sankara Pillai, Prof. Manonmaneeyam Sundaram Pillai MA (1855-1897)
• Manonmaniyam (Project Madurai)