Umaru Pulavar Memorial, Ettayapuram
The
memorial, an imposing two-storied building, was inaugurated with much fanfare
in October 2007. The then DMK government under M Karunanidhi promised that the
memorial would be turned into a research centre and houses a public library
with a collection of 5,000 books, including the works of the great poet. Five
years later, the place is deserted, the huge hall empty. Residents on Umaru
Pulavar Street, where the memorial is located, don’t know if a library is
planned here. According to them it is the dargah of Umaru Pulavar and they are
not aware that a library will be set up inside.
The
memorial built at a cost of Rs 22.5 lakh is maintained by the information and
public relations department of the state government. The first floor of the
building, where the library was supposed to come up, has gathered dust over the
years and not even a single book has been collected so far. Apart from the
well-maintained grave, the building doesn’t have any furniture or facilities
for the visitors. “Till date no funds has been allotted for the library and not
a single book has been collected by the government.
Interestingly,
the building is just two streets away from the house of Subramania Bharati, who
hails from the same place. The house where the great modern Tamil poet lived
has been turned into a museum with rare photographs and manuscripts. It was
after a huge public demand to honour Umaru Pulavar that the then chief minister
MGR laid the foundation stone for a memorial in 1981.
While
the poet faces neglect at his birth place, in faraway Singapore, fans of the
poet have set up a world-class library as a tribute to his contribution to the
Tamil literature. The memorial was inaugurated on 29th Oct 2007 by the
Honorable speaker Thiru R Avudaiappan, Government of Tamilnadu Legislative
Assembly. Memorial is maintained by the Information and Public Relations
Department under the direct supervision of the District Public Relation
Officer.
Umaru Pulavar:
Umaru
Pulavar was a Tamil
Muslim poet from Tamilnadu, India. Umaru Pulavar was born in 1642 in the town of Ettayapuram in district. He is celebrated as one of the
greatest Islamic Poets of India. The forefathers of the poet came to Tamil Nadu
to sell perfumes and settled in Nagalapuram, before moving to Ettayapuram where
the poet was born. Umaru Pulavar’s literary talents flourished under Kadikai
Muthu Pulavar that is only in Tamil language, court poet of the Ettayapuram Zamin. At the age of 16, Umaru Pulavar stole the
national limelight by winning a literary debate with Vallai Varundhi, a
renowned poet from North India. Umaru Pulavar was then made the court poet of
the Ettayapuram Zamin. But he was not able to learn Arabic grammar. While
learning the Arabic language his master went for his essential work for earning
money.
Seerapuranam considered
to be one of the best works by him, depicts the history related to Nabi
Mohammed, and it contains 5,027
poems in three ‘Kandams’ (parts), which are Vilathathu Kandam, Noobuvathu
Kandam and Hijurathu Kandam. Each of the ‘Kandams’ narrates various stages of
the life of Nabi. Muthu Mozhil Malai and Sethakathi wedding
poems are among his other literary works.
His
memorial at Ettayapuram in Tuticorin district was renovated by the government
of Tamil Nadu and was declared open by the then Speaker of legislative assembly
and the then ministers. The Umaru pulavar Tamil language center in Singapore named after the scholar strives for providing
quality education in Tamil language in Singapore. A social welfare trust by
name "Omar - Bharathi Educational Trust" is constituted at Thirupuvanam Pudur in the regard of both the poets from Ettayapuram.
The trust has also opened branches in Ariyalur
district and in Theni
district. The Islamiya
ilakkiya Kazhagam gives award every year to eminent Tamil scholars in the name
of Umaru Pulavar.