mahakavi barathi died on September 11, 1921, not yet forty years of age. there were only around fifteen people to attend his funeral. but his poetry made him immortal. tamil word would have been a lot different but for him
yes Venkatesh! Bharati Memorial day, we organise every year as national integration day here.
Bharati's grand daughter Ms.Vijaya Bharati's Husband Thiru PK Sundarrajan has recently expired (heart attack) in Canada. It is sad that September month gave one more memorial for Bharathi's family.
Some months back in a meeting at Chennaiwhere our SPS and Chandra attended PKS was also there.
Salutations to the Mahakavi!! Just fyi for those who don't know, Bharathi was killed by a mad elephant in Parthasarathy Temple. He was a great animal lover, one who used to throw his hard earned rice to sparrows and delight in their eating. Despite repeated warnings he approached the elephant as always to feed it and it threw him down and trampled him - he suffered multiple injuries and died a few days later. Perhaps God decided that he was truly beyond the corrupt erratic world he was born in and took him early.
Just fyi for those who don't know, Bharathi was killed by a mad elephant in Parthasarathy Temple. H Despite repeated warnings he approached the elephant as always to feed it and it threw him down and trampled him - he suffered multiple injuries and died a few days later.
mlathi are you sure?
he was pushed down by the elphant 4 months before his death. he died in bed of other complications. venketesh
VEnkat, the story i know - he did have several other complications from prolonged living in jail. The elephant injury resulted in his being bed ridden with multiple injuries, he recovered briefly and died quickly later.I don't know if it was any other reason he died - if you do know please do enlighten me!! . Thank you!!
"Whenever Bharatiyar visited Parthasarathy temple, he used to carry coconut and fruits, not for the God, but to give to the temple elephant. He wanted to befriend the elephant and establish a close relationship; when the association grew, he started getting closer to the elephant and even stroke its trunk. Bharatiyar thought that comradeship was getting matured; one day, when he, as his usual practice, called the elepahnt ' my brother' and extended his hands with fruits in them, he was pulled in by the elephant inside its shelter. Everybody outside dreaded that the elephant may trample Bharathi, but no such thing happened. Bharathi was lying on the floor. Kuvalaikannan, who was somewhere else and when heard it from someone, rushed inside the shelter, lifted Bharathi and handed him over the fence to those waiting outside. He did not pause to think even for a second about the danger to his life, as the elephant was in 'madam'. ******** Bharati, who wanted to establish a brotherly relationship with the elephant did not live long after this event. Due to the 'cheshtai' (action) of the elephant, he suffered extensive inner wounds (oomai kayam) and excruciating pain. He was cured of the injuries and pain; but he died within three months of this occurence." Ref: Mahakavi Bharatiyar: vaazhkkai varalaaru by va. ra. (V. Ramaswamy Iyengar), Vardaman Pathippagam
He was not trampled by the elephant; whether the violent pulling in was also 'bear hug' and not intention to kill, is worth thinking about. Sampath
Bharati did not die due to elephant. elephant injury was just an accident some weeks before his death. There were several people who wrote about this. Also who said he was in in prolonged jail sentence? Bharati was not prisoned. There was an arrest warrent on him along with vvs iyer and another four members who planned murder attack through Vanchinathan. When warrented by Madras Police, he went to Pudhucheri. Later the case was withdrawn on Bharathi. He was 'karana piravi'. What for he came, that purpose was over. Here age or prolongivity does not concern. Dhivakar
What a treasure Venkat!! Thank you!! It seems like there are so many rumors versus facts on the last days of the great poet, is there an authorised bio or something we can refer to for facts?
"Gods have given him plenty of suffering, as they give to every mortal on earth. Perhaps, the Gods decree more suffering to men who wish to help human evolution than to others." How true of dear Bharathi himself!!
My salutaions to Bharathiyar, whose poetry inspired many ordinary Tamils to do great things and also to become poets themselves. When I read some of his poems they still give me goosebumps. His passion for Tamil and the mother land did not make him forget the Supreme, unlike some dry poets nowadays.
I also admire the actor who portrayed Bharathi in the movie, 'Bharathi'. It gives me heart ache when I come to know that not many people recognised him in his day.