Sivakavimani C.K.Subramania Mudaliar (CKS) was a popular personality. He was a freedom fighter, advocate and a good soul known for helping people establish charitable endowments. His house ' Sekkilar Nilayam ' on Vysial Street continues to incubate good activities and thoughts. CKS had rendered a treatise on ' Periya Puranam ' aka ' Thiruthondar Puranam ' those days. This treatise is extremely popular even today. His grandson Sivasubramaniam continues to make the books of CKS available to the faithful. CKS was a staunch believer in Saiva Siddhantham and this strain of our ancient philosophy originates from the Tamil speaking parts of our country. His interest in Saiva Siddhantham and philanthropy backed by his legal knowledge helped in the establishment of a number of charitable endowments on behalf of the faithful.
Sivakavimani C.K.Subramania Mudaliar (CKS) was a popular personality. He was a freedom fighter, advocate and a good soul known for helping people establish charitable endowments. His house ' Sekkilar Nilayam ' on Vysial Street continues to incubate good activities and thoughts. CKS had rendered a treatise on ' Periya Puranam ' aka ' Thiruthondar Puranam ' those days. This treatise is extremely popular even today. His grandson Sivasubramaniam continues to make the books of CKS available to the faithful. CKS was a staunch believer in Saiva Siddhantham and this strain of our ancient philosophy originates from the Tamil speaking parts of our country. His interest in Saiva Siddhantham and philanthropy backed by his legal knowledge helped in the establishment of a number of charitable endowments on behalf of the faithful.
The charities of the good hearted Bhagyarathinammal were facilitated by CKS long ago. One Periyathai who was known as Ammaniammal and also Bhagyarathinammal lived in our region. She was a learned lady and had read the texts connected with Lord Shiva. She had picked up her knowledge through a Tamil Pandit and was known for her pious character. The good lady did not have children of her own. She had a niece through her sister but she had kept her away. The niece had come in the way of her charitable actions. Bhagyarathinammal had three acres of wet lands and she used to get 47 Salagais (an old measure) of paddy every year from her lands. A Salagai was equal to 600 pakka (another old measure) and it was equal to Rs.1000 in terms of value then.
Bhagyarathinammal lived in Perur and was leading the life of a person who had renounced the world. She used to offer her resources for the devotees of Lord Shiva. The Perur Panguni Uthiram festival was a time when CKS used to sponsor the visits of Odhuvars (singers who would sing Tamil psalms on God in a traditional metre). They used to render Thevaram verses year on year. The rendition used to take place for 10 days (twice each day) at the time when the deities used to be taken out in a procession. These Odhuvars would be given sunda kaichina paal (nice and hot condensed milk) which would have been prepared after heating it for considerable time. The milk used to be wrapped with saffron and cardamom, then served to the singers who were known as Odhuvars. Bhagyarathinammal used to take care of the cost and the availability on every occasion.
CKS had helped Bhagyarathinammal to create an endowment. The purpose of the endowment was to bear the cost of performing Abhishekam (ritual bath with a number of ingredients like milk, fruits, ghee, curds, honey, sandal wood paste etc.,) at the time of Vinayaka Chaturthi and Sankatahara Chaturthi to Patti Vinayagar at Perur, Annabishekham once each year at the time of Karthikai Somavaram to Lord Patteeswarar at Perur, Abhishekam to Lord Shanmugha during Skanda Sashti and serving hot condensed milk mixed with saffron and cardamom to the Odhuvars at the time of Panguni Uthiram at Perur. The value of the assets endowed for this purpose was worth Rs.15,000. Bhagyarathinammal had appointed a committee to manage these activities and she appointed C.K.Subramania Mudaliar as a member of the same. This endowment carried out its task for many years. However the niece of the noble minded lady tried to scuttle the activities after her time. Timely actions of CKS sorted things out. One Gandhimathi, the daughter of her younger brother litigated the property and managed to get a decree. She took over the property and captured the income. However CKS had been carrying out the same activities with the undisturbed part of the endowment.
Those were times when people created endowments for the purpose of carrying out their wishes connected with good acts. They understood that life was ephemeral and noble acts gave them a permanent place in the world of the good. Charity was divine and was offered in the name of the Lord Almighty. Kings used to ensure that the charitable endowments created by their rival rulers who were vanquished in war were protected and the noble deeds were carried out as per the original design. Inscriptions found on the walls of temples, palm leaf manuscripts and copper plates carrying such noble stories act as time machines which help us relive those wonderful moments. Charity was the right of everyone and was also not forced. Noble souls who were part of the civic society used to assist by ensuring that the endowments fulfilled their purpose. Leaders like C.K.Subramania Mudaliar helped many individuals to draft the guiding principles for a number of charitable endowments.
K.Mangayarkarasi, the foster daughter of Sivakavimani C.K.Subramania Mudaliar (1878 - 1961) remembers the love and affection of Bhagyarathinammal. The noble lady used to visit the family residence of CKS every Amavasya (new moon day) every month. She used to bring three sticks from a Pasangkalli plant. The tips of the sticks used to be wrapped in a white piece of cloth made wet after dipping it in oil. On reaching the house on Vysial Street, Bhagyarathinammal used to light the three twigs made wet with oil and show it in front of CKS and his family members. She used to do three rounds in front of them in order to remove drishti (bad eye) that may have fallen on them. Later she used to insert the twigs in an arathi plate and put off the flame on the twigs. She would never enter the home and do the drishti removal ritual in the courtyard which was located at the entrance. CKS used to object to this drishti taking each time, but Bhagyarathinammal would somehow insist and get it done month after month. The affection of Bhagyarathinammal would win the day. Such were the times when well wishers would undertake regular missions in order to cast away the evil eye on their near and dear.
The charities of the good hearted Bhagyarathinammal and her interest in the well being of C.K.Subramania Mudaliar, his spouse Meenakshi Ammal and family are very examples of our ancient culture and tradition. Stories like this are bound to guide the society for eternity.