Kannadasan

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Kannadasan bigraphy, stories - Film

Kannadasan : biography

24 June 1927 – 17 October 1981

Kannadasan (24 June 1927 – 17 October 1981) was a Tamil poet and lyricist, heralded as one of the greatest and most important writers in the Tamil language. Frequently called Kaviarasu (), Kannadasan was most familiar for his song lyrics in Tamil films and contributed around 5000 lyrics besides 6000 poems and 232 books, including novels, epics, plays, essays, his most popular being the 10-part religious essay on Hinduism, captioned Arthamulla Indhumatham (). He won the Sahitya Akademi Award for his novel Cheraman Kadali in the year 1980 and was the first ever to receive the National Film Award for Best Lyrics, given in 1969 for the film Kuzhanthaikkaga.

Kannadasan worked in "Thiraioli" a Cine magazine run by Rama.Thiyagarajan in Rayavaram. Pudukkottai Distt and in Chennai. He also worked for "Thirumagal" magazine in Ramachandrapuram, Pudukkottai Distt.

Poet laureate

Kannadasan was the poet Laureate of the Tamil Nadu Government at the time of his death. He wrote two notable autobiographies, titled Manavasam, a book about his past life whilst he was atheist, with the DMK and a sequel, titled Manavasam a book about his life after he had left DMK

Notable novels

  • neethane en ponvasantham (2013)
Aval oru hindhu pen (1992) 
  • Sivappukal mukkuththi (1992)
  • Raththa pushpangkal (1992)
  • Swarna saraswathi (1992)
  • Nadantha kathai (1992)
  • Mica (1992)
  • Suruthi ceratha rakangkal (1992)
  • Muppadhu nalum pournami (1992)
  • Kadal konda thennadu (1992)
  • Arangamum antharankamum (1992)
  • Ayiram thIvu angkayarkanni (1992)
  • Theivath thirumanangkal natakam (1992)
  • Ayirangaal mandapam (1992)
  • Athaivida rakasiyam (1992)
  • Kathal konda thennadu (1992)
  • Oru kavingnanin kadhai (1978)
  • Singkai partha chennai (1992)
  • Velangkattiyur vizha (1992)
  • Vilakku mattuma sivappu (1992)
  • Vanavasam (1981)
  • Athaivida ragasiyam (1981)
  • Birunthaavanam (1994)

Cheraman Kathali Sandhithen Sindhithean

Autobiographies

  • Enathu Vasantha Kalangal
  • Enathu Suyasaritham
  • Vanavasam
  • Manavasam
  • manvasam 2012

His contribution to Tamil literature

Kannadasan was a prolific writer and his writing covered a variety of forms- poems, novels, lyrics for Tamil films and books on spirituality. His series titled அர்த்தமுள்ள இந்து மதம் Arthamulla indu matham or The meaning of Hinduism is known for its simplicity in explaining the principles of Hinduism.He wrote a number of spiritual works in the later part of his life including இயேசு காவியம் Yesu kaviyam the story of Jesus told in the poetic form.

His film songs were full of vivid imagery and he excelled in conveying the underlying emotions through simple and graphic imagery.While his love songs were most popular among the masses, his philosophical songs captured the imagination of the intelligentsia of the Tamil people. Some of the songs that have stood the test of time are: சிரிப்புப் பாதி அழுகை பாதி சேர்ந்ததல்லவோ மனித ஜாதி இருட்டுப் பாதி வெளிச்சம் பாதி இணைந்ததல்லவோ உலக நீதி The human race is a blend of laughter and tears just as the world is a blend of light and darkness in equal proportions Or this one : ஏழு ஸ்வரங்களுக்குள் எத்தனை பாடல் இதய சுரங்கத்துள் எத்தனை கேள்வி காணும் மனிதருக்குள் எத்தனை சலனம் வெறும் கற்பனை சந்தோஷத்தில் அவரது கவனம் How many songs are born from the seven swaras (of music) and how many questions are there in the mine of heart, see the feelings/agitations in people, how their attention is focused on imagined pleasures…

He wrote and published several volumes of poetry. He was an admirer of Kambar http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kambar_(poet) and wrote a number of poems praising Kambar’s artistry. He also spoke at several of the Kambar festivals. சீதை நடையழகும் ஸ்ரீராமன் தோளழகும் போதை நிறைந்ததெனச் சொல்லி எனைப் போட்டான் மதுக்குடத்தில் அள்ளி "He sang the beauty of Seethai’s gait and the shoulders of Rama; he spoke of beauty intoxicating and dropped me in a vessel of amrut(liquour)" This is one of Kannadasan’s tribute to the poet Kambar.