We get to see a number of great scholars and teachers as well. However, a great teacher cum scholar is quite a rare find. Ku.Natesa Gounder was one such person. Senniappanar, Ramaswamy iyer and C.S.Kannayiram were among his best students. The approach of this scholar was so great that his house would resemble a Tamil school on Sundays. Natesa Gounder was known for a number of compositions - Yaare Azhagukku Azhaghu Seivar, Maragatha Maalai, Velum Mayilum among many others.
We get to see a number of great scholars and teachers as well. However, a great teacher cum scholar is quite a rare find. Ku.Natesa Gounder was one such person. Senniappanar, Ramaswamy iyer and C.S.Kannayiram were among his best students. The approach of this scholar was so great that his house would resemble a Tamil school on Sundays. Natesa Gounder was known for a number of compositions - Yaare Azhagukku Azhaghu Seivar, Maragatha Maalai, Velum Mayilum among many others.
The song Yaare Azhagukku Azhaghu Seivar is a special one. It shows us a perspective of common life with a mythological approach. Goddess Uma gets married to Lord Eshwara after much effort. The couple love each other.One day, the consort of Shiva visits her mother Mena. The mother is overjoyed and also disappointed. For her pretty daughter Uma is dressed in a simple manner. The mother states that even the poor householder would borrow money to deck his wife but their son in law Lord Shiva had not bothered to do so. Uma tells her mother that her husband felt that she was pretty even without ornamentation. However the mother gets the best make up people and jewels in order to decorate her daughter. After getting it done Mena understands that her daughter was prettier even without all the fuss. She becomes overjoyed thereafter. The composition by Ku. Natesan Gounder on this subject is relevant more so in today’s consumer oriented glamorous world. This author has successfully driven home the point that inner beauty excels everything else by miles.
The poem with divine intonation meant for the common man makes it all the more important for the world of today. The author cum poet shines along with his wise armour in the form of poetry. Let us learn more about him.
This great Tamil scholar and Saiva Siddhanti was born to Kumaraswamy Gounder and Angammal. He studied at the London Mission School and unfortunately lost his father quite young. His uncle, the famous tailor Vellingiri Gounder took him under his wings and the youngster began making eyelets ( kaja ) in the tailoring outlet. A number of people used to visit the outlet and they used to discuss on a number of subjects. Natesa Gounder used to give inputs during these discussions and at one time his opinions were taken to be an act of impertinence. However Tamil scholar Vaiyapuri Pillai felt that he was made for great things.
Vaiyapuri Pillai agreed to teach Tamil to the youngster and Natesa Gounder used to visit Pallapalayam in order to learn more of good Tamil. In fact Natesa Gounder had offered tributes to Vaiyapuri Pillai in his compositions. Azhukkuswami was also his teacher and mentor. Ku.Natesa Gounder was known for his print like handwriting. Later he was put as writer under Bar at Law Jesudasan by Vaiyapuri Pillai. Natesa Gounder worked with advocates Mandalam Venkataramana Iyer and Thandavan Chettiar. This made him absorb English quite well. It is well known fact that both the above mentioned advocates were successful in their own right. Quite naturally they had the best talent nurtured under their wings.
Ku.Natesa Gounder did two things at the same time, he did the Madurai Tamil Sangam Pulavar Exam and the Madras University Vidwan Exam while working with the advocates. Thereafter, he spent 2 years at the Government Arts College and several years at the City Municipal High School. He joined the Tamil Kalluri in Perur and served as Professor and Principal for some time. Kaumara Madam Kandaswamy Swamigal was his Vidya Guru and Ku.Natesa Gounder has offered his tributes to him in his work - Palani Andavar Mayilvidu Thoodhu.
The wonderful Tamil scholar got introduced to the Perur Thavathiru Santhalinga Adigalar through the good offices of Vaiyapuri Pillai. The Pallapalayam Manavar Sangam had been founded by Vaiyapuri Pillai and he was close to Kandaswamy Pillai of Perur. Eventually Ku.Natesa Gounder was introduced to Sadvidyasanmarga Sangam. Kaviyarasu Ku.Natesa Gounder has acknowledged all the elders who were associated with this organisation through his compositions. It was through this association that Ku.Natesa Gounder got a lot more interested Tamil and Sanskrit. All the speakers of this body were good in Tamil and in Sanskrit. It was the Perur Madam which introduced him to the Kaumara Madam. Both there monasteries have added to the wealth of Spirituality to our region.
Perur Adigalar ( Pontiff ) went to Kasi in the sixties of the last century and he got Natesa Gounder a copy of Shivapuranam. It was around the same time that Ku.Natesa Gounder got to exchange a lot of knowledge with Thondaimandala Adheenam Gnana Prakasa Desika Mahaswamigal. The scholar had also known Sivakavimani C.K.Subramania Mudaliar and also Kovai Kizhar C.M. Ramachandra Chettiar. Ku.Natesa Gounder loved music and used to listen to Mysore Vasudevachariar. This was due to his knowledge of Thevaram. He has composed over 100 songs on Perur, Marudamalai, Avinashi, Sivanmalai and a number of other temples. The signature terms ' Sivadasan ' and ' Natesan ' were used by him in his compositions. He has composed on Chidambaram, Thiruchendur and Palani. Ku.Natesa Gounder was recognized by people on a number of occasions. He was given the titles ‘Kaviyarasu ‘ by Coimbatore Tamil Sangam and Coimbatore Meikandar Sangam, ‘ Senthamil Kavimani ‘by Madurai Thirugnanasambandhar Adheenam and ’ Siddhanta Selvan ‘ by Thondaimandala Adhhenam.
The happy Tamil scholar Muthukumarswamy happens to be his son. Ku.Natesa Gounder and his compositions continue to be popular. His composition Yaare Azhagukku Azhaghu Seivar can be made into a dance drama. Several of his other compositions are much appreciated. Scholars like Ku.Natesa Gounder are among the literary gems of Coimbatore.Our region has been blessed in this regard.