Kaviraja Pandithar

Jagavira Pandiyanar (10 March 1886–17 June 1967), commonly known as Kaviraja Pandithar (Tamil: கவிராச பண்டிதர் செகவீர பாண்டியனார்), was a 20th-century Indian scholar of the Tamil language, who is known for his commentary on the Tirukkural.

Kaviraja Pandithar
Born	Jagavira Pandiyan (1886-03-10)10 March 1886 Ottanattham, Tirunalveli district, Madras Presidency (present-day Thoothukudi, Tamil Nadu), India
Died	17 June 1967(1967-06-17) (aged 81) Madurai, Tamil Nadu, India
Nationality	Indian
Occupation	Tamil scholar
Known for	Commentary on the Tirukkural
Parents	Perumalswamy (father) Aavudaiyammal (mother)

Early life

Kaviraja Pandithar was born on 10 March 1886 in the small town of Ottanattham in the present-day Thoothukudi district of the state of Tamil Nadu. He was a descendant of the Indian freedom fighter Veerapandiya Kattabomman. He studied Tamil under Muthukavirayar. He was well known for his discourses of the Puranas. His works ranged from poetry to prose and translations.^[1] He lived in Melamasi Street of Madurai.

Kaviraja Pandithar's commentary on the Kural text is considered a classic by modern scholars, besides that of U. V. Swaminatha Iyer.^[2]

Works

Kaviraja Pandithar's works were nationalized in 2010–2011 by the Tamil Nadu government and offered an amount of ₹ 600,000.

The works of Kaviraja Pandithar include the following:

S. No.	Year	Name of the work	Publisher	Notes
01	1927	Tirukkural Kumaresa Venba[3]		8 volumes
02		Kamban Kavinilai Urainadai (Prose)		15 volumes
03		Agatthiya Munivar[1]
04		Veerapandiyam		An epic compilation of oral accounts about Panchalankurichi's polygar Veerapandiya Kattabomman
05		Panchalankurichi Veeracharithiram		A history of Veerapandiya Kattabomman (two volumes)
06	1945	Thmilar Veeram[4]
07		Maasilamani Maalai[1]
08		Ani Arubadhu[1]
09		Dharma Deepikai[1]		7 volumes
10		Indhiya Thaainilai[1]
11		Veerakaaviyam[1]
12		Kavigalin Kaathchi Volume-1[1]
13		Kalvi Nilai[1]

See also

• India portal
• Tamils portal
• Literature portal
• Poetry portal

• Commentaries in Tamil literary tradition

Citations

1. Dinamani Semmolikkovai (தினமணி செம்மொழிக்கோவை): International Tamil Semmoli Conference 2010 Special edition, p. 285
2. Kovaimani and Nagarajan, 2013, p. 115.
3. Na. Si. Kandhaiya Pillai; Dictionary of Tamil Literature [தமிழ் இலக்கிய அகராதி] : Literature alpha order; Asiriyar Nurpathippu Kalhagam, Chennai; 1952; p. 77
4. Na. Si. Kandhaiya Pillai; Dictionary of Tamil Literature [தமிழ் இலக்கிய அகராதி] : Literature alpha order; Asiriyar Nurpathippu Kalhagam, Chennai; 1952; p. 70

References

• M. G. Kovaimani and P. V. Nagarajan (2013). திருக்குறள் ஆய்வுமாலை [Tirukkural Research Papers] (in Tamil) (1 ed.). Tanjavur: Tamil University. ISBN 978-8170904359.