Discussion on a book about U Ve Swaminatha Iyer

The video of this discussion is here - thanks to Sri Vijayan for recording and uploading it

This Saturday, April 18, I will participate in a discussion about the book, "Aarohanam of a Bhavya Jeevan: Story of Dr U V Swaminatha Iyer, with the author Dr V R Devika. The venue is the Library at Alliance Francaise, College Road, Nungambakkam, Madras. Dr U V Swaminatha Iyer is a legend of Tamil literature, having retrieved, studied and published, the long forgotten Tamil books of the Sangam era.

Dr Devika has written books on Dr Muthulakshmi Reddy and Rukmini Arundale, the founder of Kalakshetra. Rukmini Arundale, hosted the entire book collection of UVeSa first in the Theosophical Society grounds. The UVeSa library with this collection is now in the campus of Kalakshetra, in Madras.

The author has been a friend via Tamil Heritage Trust for more than fifteen years. She is very well known for a wide range of cultural activities, involving various segments of society.  

UVeSa's autobiography "En Sarithram" and his biography of his Tamil guru, Sri Meenakshi Sundarama Pillai are very well known to aficionados of Tamil literature, but not very well known outside Tamilnadu. This is a wonderful introductory book for those who would like to know about the remarkable achievements of UVeSa, and his various adventures and encounters with amazing people.

About ten years ago, Sri KRA Narasiah first took me to this library and gave me a personal tour of several of UVeSa's memorabilia. He also showed me the poem in Bengali, written by Rabindranath Tagore, lauding the amazing work of UVeSa and calling him a modern Agastya Rishi. 

One of the best surprises of this English book was a poem written in Tamil by a French scholar Julien Vinson, another contemporary of UVeSa. Yes, Vinson wrote the poem in Tamil not French, so that UVeSa and other Tamils could read and enjoy and appreciate it. The book includes the English translation of Vinsons poem. I will include the Tamil poem and its translation, in this blog, next week.

The French Institute in Pondicherry and Biblotheuqe Nationale in France have amazing collections of Tamil literature, mostly in palm leaves. 

All are welcome, Entry is free 

Google Map link to Alliance Francaise, Madras

Tuesday 21April, 2026

Here is Julien Vinson's poem in Tamil praising UVeSa. It was handcopied by Smt Padmini and read out during the book discussion. The English translation is below

The audience just before the program started

This is me with author Devika and Alliance Francaise director Patricia, after the discussion.

Related Links

Rabindaranath Tagore's poem on UVeSa

My blog essays on Literature

Tagore on UVeSa

On November 11, 2013 writer Narasiah, author of Kadalodi and MadrasPattanam, asked me to accompany him to the UVeSaminatha Iyer library in Adayar. I had heard of this library and its collection of palm leaf manuscripts and UVeSa books, but never visited it. It is inside the Kalakshetra campus.

Viceroy's Sanad

The palm leafs are kept in archives, not accessible to the public, except with special permission, but there is an exhibition of important UVeSa memorabilia in a hall. This includes his diaries, turban, writing materials, titles and honours conferred upon him, and photographs of his parents, mentors such as Meenakshi Sundram Pillai and Thiagaraja Chettiyar.

 I had only recently read Subramania Bharati’s poem lauding UVeSa, in the company of Balu sir {writer Nagupoliyan, mathematician, cryptologist, my Samskritam adhyaapakaH}. I am yet to read UVeSa’s autobiography “En Charithram (My History)” or any of his commentaries on the Tamil classics, either of the Sangam period or others. Sanskrit, Mathematics and Subramania Bharati are vast oceans recently revealed to me thanks to Balu sir. I think Mr Narasiah (novelist, historian, litterateur, raconteur,  Engineer on INS Vikrant, India’s first aircraft career, Salt of the Seven oceans) is opening the UVeSa door to me and pushing me to Tamil Literature in a way that I have not engaged with it before.

Dairy Entry: "Received Sanad"

At the Library, Narasiah the eighty year old became Narasiah the five year old in a sweet shop. His energy level jumped. Kapilar, Baranar, TipputoLar and Seethalai Saathanaar and Sempulapeineerar coursed through his veins, and the Tamil Thaatha welcomed this childlike Thaatha. He showed me Doctorate conferred by Madras University and the Sanad of Mahamahopadhyaya bestowed on UVeSa by the then Viceroy. The showcase had a copper plate and the writing materials of UVeSa. There were diaries, with handwritten daily notes by UVeSa – with matters both literary and mundane. I saw one dairy entry that merely stated “சன்னது கிடைத்தது [Received Sanad]’ on the day he received the honor from the Viceroy! 

Diary entry - daily life 

Diary entry - literature references

“Show the Tagore poem,” said Mr Narasiah. This was a stunner. Rabindranath Tagore had written a poem in Bengali, congratulating UVeSa for “For bringing to light the ancient palm leaf treasures from their darkness. For, like Agastya, elevating your mother <Tamil> to the throne. For submitting at her feet the great Epics ManiMekalai, ChintaamaNi and NupuraKatha <Silappathikaaram>. For making the flowers of Sangam poetry blossom in the moonlight.”

Tagore's Bengali poem on UVeSaminatha Aiyar

Tamil Translation of Tagore's Poem

Mr Narasiah has written an article in this month’s – February 2014 - Kaniyaazhi கணையாழி about this poem by Tagore. Please read it – the magazine is only available online by subscription.

February 19 was his birthday, celebrated with a small function at the library, with a song by Kalakshetra students. They sang Bharathi’s song on UVeSa. Sorry I missed the first couple of lines.