Sandilyan
Encyclopedia
Sandilyan or Chandilyan is the Pen name of Bhashyam Iyengar, a noted Tamil
Tamil people
Tamil people , also called Tamils or Tamilians, are an ethnic group native to Tamil Nadu, India and the north-eastern region of Sri Lanka. Historic and post 15th century emigrant communities are also found across the world, notably Malaysia, Singapore, Mauritius, South Africa, Australia, Canada,...

 writer of Historical fiction
Historical fiction
Historical fiction tells a story that is set in the past. That setting is usually real and drawn from history, and often contains actual historical persons, but the principal characters tend to be fictional...

. He is known for his historical romance and adventure novels, often set in the times of the Chola and Pandya empires.

Early life

Sandilyan was born in Thirukovilur in Tamil Nadu
Tamil Nadu
Tamil Nadu is one of the 28 states of India. Its capital and largest city is Chennai. Tamil Nadu lies in the southernmost part of the Indian Peninsula and is bordered by the union territory of Pondicherry, and the states of Kerala, Karnataka, and Andhra Pradesh...

 on November 10, 1910 to Ramanujam Iyengar and Poongovilvalli. His family was from Thiruindalur village near Mayiladuthurai
Mayiladuthurai
Mayiladuthurai , formerly known by its Sanskrit names Māyavaram and Mayūram is a town in the Nagapattinam District of the Indian state of Tamil Nadu. It is the headquarters of the Mayiladuthurai taluk of Nagapattinam district and is the second-largest town in the district...

. He did his schooling in Chennai
Chennai
Chennai , formerly known as Madras or Madarasapatinam , is the capital city of the Indian state of Tamil Nadu, located on the Coromandel Coast off the Bay of Bengal. Chennai is the fourth most populous metropolitan area and the sixth most populous city in India...

 Pachaiyappa's School and Saidapet
Saidapet
Saidapet is an important neighbourhood in Chennai , India. The Saidapet Court, the only other court of judicature in Chennai city apart from the Madras High Court and the Saidapet bus depot are located here...

 Model School. His college education came from Tiruchirappalli St. Joseph's College. While in college, he was influenced by the visit of C. Rajagopalachari
C. Rajagopalachari
Chakravarti Rajagopalachari , informally called Rajaji or C.R., was an Indian lawyer, independence activist, politician, writer and statesman. Rajagopalachari was the last Governor-General of India...

 and joined the Indian independence movement
Indian independence movement
The term Indian independence movement encompasses a wide area of political organisations, philosophies, and movements which had the common aim of ending first British East India Company rule, and then British imperial authority, in parts of South Asia...

. He became a member of the Indian National Congress
Indian National Congress
The Indian National Congress is one of the two major political parties in India, the other being the Bharatiya Janata Party. It is the largest and one of the oldest democratic political parties in the world. The party's modern liberal platform is largely considered center-left in the Indian...

. He married Ranganayaki in 1929.

Early career

After finishing college he moved to T. Nagar
T. Nagar
Theagaraya Nagar , popularly known by its abbreviated form T. Nagar, is a neighbourhood in the city of Chennai, India. Though originally conceived as a residential locality, it is presently one of the principal shopping districts of the city....

 in the 1930s. He became friends with his neighbors V.Swaminatha Sharma who was working in Thiru. Vi. Ka's
V. Kalyanasundaram
Thiruvarur Viruttacala Kalyanasundaram, , better known by his Tamil initials Thiru Vi Ka , was a Tamil scholar, essayist and activist. He is esteemed for the strong humanism of his essays, the analytical depth of his commentaries on classical Tamil literature and philosophy, and the clear, fluid...

 weekly magazine Navasakthi and the noted Tamil writer Kalki Krishnamurthy
Kalki Krishnamurthy
Kalki was the pen name of R. Krishnamurthy , a noted Tamil writer, film & music critic, Indian independence activist and journalist from Tamil Nadu, India.- Biography:...

. With their encouragment he wrote his first short story titled Shantha Seelan. Impressed with his work, Kalki published his short stories like Kannammavin Kadhal, Adhirshtam in Ananda Vikatan
Ananda Vikatan
Ananda Vikatan ஆனந்த விகடன் is the leading Tamil language weekly magazine published from Chennai, India. It is part of the Vikatan group which also publishes Junior Vikatan , Chutti Vikatan , Aval Vikatan , Naanayam Vikatan , Sakthi Vikatan , Motor Vikatan and Pasumai Vikatan Ananda Vikatan ஆனந்த...

. Encouraged by this success Sandilyan started learning the Tamil language formally from a Tamil Pandit named Thirukannapuram Srinivachariar. He started writing Tamil short stories in the Tamil Weekly Sudesamithran and also worked as a reporter in Sudesamithran from 1935 to 1942. Later he became a sub-editor at the English daily newspaper Hindustan Times
Hindustan Times
Hindustan Times is an Indian English-language daily newspaper founded in 1924 with roots in the Indian independence movement of the period ....

.

Work in Films

During his time at the Hindustan Times
Hindustan Times
Hindustan Times is an Indian English-language daily newspaper founded in 1924 with roots in the Indian independence movement of the period ....

 he became friends with B N Reddy of Vijaya Studios and Chittor V. Nagaiah
Chittor V. Nagaiah
Chitturu Nagayya or Chittor V. Nagaiah birth name - Vuppaladadiyam Nagayya was an Indian actor, composer, director, producer, writer and playback singer of Telugu film industry, Andhra Pradesh, India. Indian film journalist and the editor of Film India, Baburao Patel, described Nagiah as ‘The...

. This bought him into the world of films. He co-wrote the screenplays of films like Swarga Seema
Swarga Seema
Swarga Seema is a 1945 Telugu Drama film directed by B. N. Reddi and starring Chittor V. Nagaiah, B. Jayamma and Bhanumathi Ramakrishna.It is the first Telugu film to be screened in International Film Festival, Vietnam.-The plot:...

 (1945) and En Veedu (1953). He later wrote about his film world experiences in his book Cinema Valarndha Kadhai (1985). Later he also produced a documentary titled "Birth of a Newspaper".

Novels

After his stint at the Hindustan Times
Hindustan Times
Hindustan Times is an Indian English-language daily newspaper founded in 1924 with roots in the Indian independence movement of the period ....

 he returned to work at Sudesamithran and started writing full length novels. One of his first works was a self published political novel called Balathkaaram. He also started publishing in other magazines like Amudhasurabi. Paalaivanathu pushpam and Sandha deepam were his earliest historical novels. Sandilyan's most famous novels were serialized in Kumudam
Kumudam
Kumudam is a Tamil language weekly magazines published in Chennai, India. The group also publishes other Tamil magazines including Kumudam Reporter, Kumudam Snehidi, Kumudam Bhakti, Kumudam Jothidam, Kumudam Theeranadhi. At the sametime kumudam group started a telugu spiritual magazine called...

, a weekly Tamil magazine and was instrumental in increasing the circulation to a greater extent. He was one of the very few Tamil writers to get a monthly salary from Kumudam for his novels. After leaving Kumudam, he unsuccessfully ran a weekly magazine called Kamalam. His historical novels were published in book form by Vanadhi Padhippagam and became best sellers. As of 2009, many of them still remain in print, four decades after being first published. Kamil Zvelebil
Kamil Zvelebil
Kamil Václav Zvelebil was a distinguished Czech scholar in Indian literature and linguistics, notably Tamil, Sanskrit, Dravidian linguistics and literature and philology.- Biography :...

 once called him as the "fourth most popular Tamil Writer".

Nationalization Controversy

In 2009, The Tamil Nadu
Tamil Nadu
Tamil Nadu is one of the 28 states of India. Its capital and largest city is Chennai. Tamil Nadu lies in the southernmost part of the Indian Peninsula and is bordered by the union territory of Pondicherry, and the states of Kerala, Karnataka, and Andhra Pradesh...

 Government announced its intention to nationalize Sandilyan's works (along with those of 28 other authors) and provide compensation to his legal heirs. This caused criticism from the legal heirs of Sundara Ramasami
Sundara Ramasami
Sundara Ramasamy , fondly known as "Su.Ra" in literary circles, is one of the giants of Tamil modern literature. He edited and published a notable literary magazine called Kalachuvadu. He wrote poetry under the penname "Pasuvayya". His poetry collection Nadunisi Naaykal created waves in Tamil...

 and Kannadasan
Kannadasan
Kannadasan was a Tamil poet and lyricist, heralded as one of the greatest and most important writer in the Tamil language...

. The Government soon retracted its position saying that the offer was optional and that it would force those who did not want to lose royalty. Sandilyan's legal heirs declined the Government's offer to nationalize and provide solatium.

Non Fiction

  • Cinema Valarndha kadhai - சினிமா வளர்ந்த கதை (1987)
  • Kamban Kanda Pengal - கம்பன் கண்ட பெண்கள் (1979)

Non-Historical Fiction

  • Balathkaaram (Puratchi Pen) (1958)
  • Shenbaga Thottam
  • Manamoham
  • Nangooram
  • Madhumalar


Historical Fiction

  • Kadal Pura (கடல் புறா)
    Kadal Pura
    Kadal Pura , meaning Sea Pigeon, is a Tamil language historical novel written by Sandilyan. The story is based on the ancient Tamil Kingdom. It was named after the fictional ship built by the Chola Commander Illayapallavan Karunagara Pallavan, who later became King Thondaiman...

     - III parts (1967)
  • Yavana Rani (யவன ராணி)
    Yavana Rani
    Yavana Rani is a Tamil language historical novel written by Sandilyan. Its title translates to "Greek Queen" in English. The story is based on ancient Tamil poetry. It is a love story set around 2000 years ago, focusing on the Commander-in-chief of the Chola Army...

     - II parts (Vanathi Pathippagam)
  • Raja Perigai(ராஜ பேரிகை) (Vanathi Pathippagam)
  • Mannan Magal (மன்னன் மகள்)
    Mannan Magal
    Mannan Magal , meaning "Princess" or "King's Daughter," is a Tamil language historical novel written by Sandilyan. The story is based on ancient Tamil poetry...

     (Vanathi Pathippagam)
  • Kannimadam (கன்னி மாடம்)
  • Rajamuthirai (ராஜமுத்திரை)
  • Alai Arasi (அலை அரசி)
  • Avani Sundari (அவனி சுந்தரி)
  • chandarmathi (சந்திரமதி)
  • chithranjanai (சித்ரஞ்சனை)
  • ilaya rani (இளைய ராணி)
  • indira kumari (இந்திர குமரி)
  • jala deepam (ஜல தீபம்) - III parts (1973)
  • jala mohini (ஜல மோகினி)
  • jeeva boomi (ஜீவ பூமி)
  • kadal rani (கடல் ராணி)
  • kadal vendhan (கடல் வேந்தன்)
  • madhahaviyin manam (மதஹவியின் மனம்)
  • malai arasi (மலை அரசி)
  • malai vasal (மலை வாசல்)
  • mangaladevi (மங்களதேவி)
  • manjal aaru (மஞ்சள் ஆறு)
  • manmalar (மன்மலர்)
  • mohana chilai (மோகன சிலை)
  • mohini vanam (மோகினி வனம்)
  • moongil kottai (மூங்கில் கோட்டை)
  • naaga deepam (நாக தீபம்)
  • naaga devi (நாக தேவி)
  • neel vizhi (நீள்விழி)
  • neela mangai (நீலமங்கை)
  • neela rathi (நீலரதி)
  • neelavalli (நீலவல்லி)
  • pallava peedam (பல்லவ பீடம்)
  • pallava thilagam (பல்லவ திலகம்)
  • pandiyan bhavani (பாண்டியன் பவனி)
  • raaniyin kanavu (ராணியின் கனவு)
  • raja thilagam (ராஜதிலகம்)
  • raja yogam (ராஜயோகம்)
  • rajyasree (ராஜ்யஸ்ரீ)
  • rana hammer (ராணா ஹமீர்)
  • seran chelvi (சேரன் செல்வி)
  • udhayabanu (உதயபானு)
  • vasantha kaalam (வசந்தகாலம்)
  • vijaya mahadevi (விஜய மகாதேவி)  - III parts
  • vilai raani (விலை ராணி)


External links

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