Aarumuga Naavalar

Origin

Arumugam Navalar was born in a town called Nallur in Jaffna on 18 December 1822 (in the Cittirapanu year on the 5 th day of the month of Markali, a Puthankilamai (Wednesday) in the astrological star of avitta as the last son to the parents Kanthappillai and Sivakami. The birth name of Navalar was Arumugapillai. His father P. Kanthapillai, grandson Paramananthar and great grandson Ilankaikavala Mudaliyar were all Tamil scholars. They worked as government employees. Navalar had four elder brothers and three elder sisters. His four brothers were government employees. One of his elder sisters was the mother of Vithuvasironmani Ponnampala Pillai.

Education

Naavalar, who started his career at the age of five, learned jurisprudence and Tamil from Nallur Subramania Upadhyaya . He lost his father at the age of nine. He was sent by the elder brother to Saravanamuthu Pulavar and later to his guru Senathirasa Mudaliar for higher studies . He learned Tamil and Sanskrit at the age of twelve .

He studied at Wesleyan English School (now Jaffna Central College ), the leading English school in Jaffna at the time, and became proficient in English . At the age of 19 (1841) he became a teacher at the school, and worked for the school’s founder and principal, Percival , to help translate the Christian Bible into Tamil. Percival went to Chennai with the priest and returned to Jaffna to print.

Religious work

Naavalar started working for the purposes of Hindu Tamil related education, the development of Hinduism (Shaivism) and Tamil in harmony with the Tamil Hindu culture. He decided to preach in order to promote the Hindu religion and culture. His first sermon was held at the Vannarpannai Vaitheeswaran Temple on December 31 1847. Following this he continued to preach every Friday. These sermons resulted in great religious awareness among the public.

He started a school for Hinduism (Shaivism) in Vannarpannai called Saivaprakasha Vidyasalai. Determined to devote his full time to religious development, he resigned from his teachers role at Central College in September 1848 which had provided a monthly salary of three pounds.

Printing work

In August 1949 he travelled with Nallur Sathasivampillai to Chennai to purchase a printing press to print textbooks for young pupils of Hinduism (Shaivism). Whilst there he preached on Hinduism (Shaivism) at the Thiruvadurai Aatheenam and received the title of Navalar. After staying in Chennai for a period of time to print Sudamani Nikandurai (dictionary) and Soundariyalangari text following which he returned to Jaffna with a printing press.

They established a printing press at their home called vittiyanupalanayantirasalai where they printed several books such as palapatam (for children), Athisudi , Konraiventhan text, Sivalayatarisanavithi, Saivasamayasaram, murder, denial, nannool viruthiyurai, tiruccentinirottaka yamakavantatiyurai and tirumurukarruppataiyurai. He wrote and printed the great epic Thiruthondar in verse style. He published the books Gnanakummi, Yesumathaparikaram and Vachirathandam.

Tamil work

His work spread not only in Sri Lanka but also in Tamil Nadu. In Chennai, 1859 May month released, yikes, thirukkovaiyar threads. He bought a large printing press and set up a printing press called Vidyanupalana Machinery on Thangasalai Street, Chennai and printed many books. He stayed in Chennai, Thiruvaduthurai and Thirunagaikoranam and returned to Jaffna in 1862 after preaching Saivam.

In 1863 he moved back to Tamil Nadu. There he preached in the Ramanathapuram principality. From there he went to Madurai and preached at the Meenakshi Sannidan and was blessed with the garland and garland worn for Meenakshi.

His sermon at Thiruvannamai Aadeenam in Kunrakkudi was widely accepted and he was bestowed many gifts and carried in a palanquin, while Thampirans, chanters and band instruments played entered the town. From there he visited and worshipped at Thiruperundurai, Tiruppallirukkuvelur and Sirkazhi before travelling to Chidambaram. There he established the Saivaprakasa Vidyalaya in October 1864. Returning to Chennai in December 1866, Naavalar became involved in preaching Hinduism (Shaivism) and printing and publishing books.