How Subbiah Became Bharathi
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His father's love for modern education of mathematics and mechanics did not appeal to young Subbiah. Listening to discussions on thamizh poetry fascinated him more. He was eager to be part of those sessions and spent hours listening to them.The jamindars encouraged the boy and were delighted to hear his impromptu poetry. Bharathi went to an eminent old scholar to study kamba rAmayanam with him, and his father was not aware of this.
Somasundara Bharathi, his childhood friend says:
We used to read thamizh literature, hiding in the vAhanAs of the gods in the temple (carriers which take the idols out in processions on festive days--in the shape of their mounts like Nandi and so forth).
We both had such resistance at home for our love of thamizh. thamizh paDithuk keTTup pOgAdE! (Don't ruin yourselves by learning thamizh)!--we were admonished!
Subbiah's maternal grandfather on the other hand, encouraged him to study thamizh. After having a taste of vaLLuvan and kamban, his dream was to attain fame by writing poetry like them. In a few years, Subbiah could recite many lines from their verses and amaze the poets at Ettayapuram. He was also quick in adding a finishing line to their poems when they challenged him to do so.
Subbiah earned his title of Bharathi when he was eleven at an assembly of poets who were gathered to test his poetic ability. He came up with line after finishing line, for every poem they threw at him. They were thrilled and bestowed on him the title Bharathi (Sarasvathi).
Not all the poets were pleased. To snub him, they would often give tough lines to finish, and before they even finished reciting, Bharathi came up with his lines. Once, when the poets concurred that it was impossible to write a kAvaDich chindu like Annamalai Reddiar, Bharathi instantly composed a song which began with the words 'pachchaith thiru mayil vIran'.
Bharathi went to The Anglo Vernacular School in Ettayapuram and then was sent to Tirunelveli to study at The Hindu College School. He studied up to fifth form there.
He had many arguments with Sivarama Pillai, the thamizh pundit. Once, he was sitting in the gallery (bench row high up in the class room). The teacher bellowed at him: you are praised for your raining verses like a dark cloud (reference to poet kALa mEgap pulavar too, here)! You are also sitting high up there. Why don't you rain some answers to my questions the same way?
Bharathi answered: the respected pundit does not seem to be aware of the nature of a rain cloud. It rains only when it pleases, to do so. It does not obey orders from a pundit, I'm afraid!
When a stuck up senior, Kanthimathinatha Pillai asked him to compose a veNbA with the last words--bhArathi chinnap payal (Bharathi is a little fellow), this is what he came up with instantly as the finishing lines: kAradu pOl nenjiruNDa kAnthimathi nAdanaip
pAr adi chinnap payal!
kAnthimathi's husband SivA with a chest darkened by the poison he imbibed, looking like a dark cloud--and the other meaning: look, very (pAr+ ati) little fellow (chinnap payal)--at kAnthimathinathan who has a heart as dark as rain clouds!
Bharathi's chithi (mother's younger sister) who took care of him with motherly love.
Bharathi's maternal uncle and childhood companion R. Sambasiava Iyer who was three years older to him.
Tirunelveli Hindu College school where Bharathi studied for a few years.
His childhood friend Soma Sundara Bharathi who shared Bharathi's love for thamizh.
Thanks to Bharathi and to the advancement that women see in modern times, we don't need to pay too much attention to negative rhymes like that!
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