It was All Souls’ Day on November 2. People made a beeline for the cemetery at Mayiladuthurai (once Mayuram) with candles, garlands, and flowers to pay homage to their loved ones resting in peace. Standing at the entrance of the cemetery is the statue of Mayuram Samuel Vedanayagam Pillai, the former district munsif, who was the first Tamil novelist, a composer of many ‘keerthanas’ set to Carnatic ragas, and a prose writer. Behind the statue lies his memorial, beside that of his mother Arokya Mariammal.
Vedanayagam Pillai (1826-1889) was a contemporary and friend of Tamil scholar U.V. Swaminatha Iyer. His ancestors had converted to Christianity. He was well-versed in Tamil literature. He also made remarkable achievements as a munsif through his knowledge of English. Like Swaminatha Iyer, he was a student of legendary Tamil scholar Thirisirapuram Meenakshisundaram Pillai.
