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Published online by Cambridge University Press: 15 March 2011
The aim of this article is to present a complete bibliography of the works of Cuvāmi Vētācalam (popularly known as Maṟaimalai Aṭikaḷ, 1876–1950) which are available at the British Museum (Department of Oriental Printed Books and Manuscripts), the India Office Library, and the Library of the School of Oriental and African Studies, University of London. This may be of some help to students of Tamil language and literature and also to persons dealing with the history of the Madras Presidency in the first half of this century. Also included at the end is a list of works of Aṭikaḷ that are not available in London.
1 In the Author Index of the three libraries his works are listed under the name Vētācalam Piḷḷai, R. S. He was also known as Pandit Vētācalam and Nākai Vētācalam Piḷḷai.
2 Aṭikaḷ usually wrote a lengthy English preface to each of his works wherein he gave the gist of the book to enable non-Tamils to have an idea of it. The translation of Kāḷidāsa's Śākuntala in Tamil bears testimony to Aṭikaḷ's knowledge of Sanskrit. Śri Śaṅkarācārya of Kāñcipuram Mutt has endowed an annual prize to college students in the name of Aṭikaḷ for the best essay in Tamil on Śākuntalam.
3 His major work is Māṇikkavācakar varalāṟum kālamum: St. Māṇickavāchakar—His life and times. In the works listed here there are a few pamphlets varying from 4 to 32 pages.
4 A complete biography of Aṭikaḷ in Tamil, Maṟaimalai Aṭikaḷ varalāṟu (Madras, 1959), by his son Maṛai. Tirunāvukkaracu, is available at SOAS. Raghavan's, T. S.Makers of modern Tamil (Madras, 1965)Google Scholar gives a short biography of Aṭikaḷ and two other Tamil scholars: K. Subramania Pillai and Tiru. Vi. Kaliyanasundaranar. This book is available in the three libraries.
5 V. G. Sūriyanārāyaṇa Śāstri (otherwise Paritimāṛkalaiñar) was then the Professor and Head of the Department of Tamil. K. S. Kōpālācāriyār and W. Mahātēva Mutaliyār were among others in the department.
6 It was the period when most of the Caṅkam works were brought to light. Aṭikaḷ took care to compare the palm-leaf versions of these two works and publish a correct version of them.
7 Another of Aṭikaḷ's poetic works is Tiruvoṟṟi Murukar Mummaṇikkōvai.
8 Students of Aṭikaḷ and many philanthropists provided the capital for many of Aṭikaḷ's works. Aṭikaḷ always acknowledged their help in the Preface. Paper scarcity during the two World Wars also delayed many of his publications.
9 Aṭikaḷ even had plans to run a Tamil college but there was not enough response for it to be feasible.
10 Books which were written by Aṭikaḷ prior to 1916 contained many Sanskrit words. Whenever revised editions of them were issued, Aṭikaḷ took care to eliminate the Sanskrit words and substitute pure Tamil words. This he mentions in the prefaces that he wrote for them subsequently.
11 Arunachalam, P., Maṟaimalai Aṭikaḷ (1876–1950)—A critical evaluation of his contribution to Tamil culture, Thesis submitted for the Degree of M.Litt., Annamalai University, 06 1960, 320.Google Scholar
12 Arivuraik-kottu, 5th ed., 148–9.