V. Kanakasabhai
Encyclopedia
Visvanatha Kanakasabhai Pillai (1855–1906) was an Indian lawyer, historian and Dravidologist of Sri Lankan Tamil descent. He was the first person to attempt a chronology of ancient Tamil Nadu. He was also one of the first person to deduce the references to a long-submerged continent Kumari Kandam in texts as Silappadhikkaram.
in 1855. His ancestors hailed from Jaffna
in Ceylon. Kanakasabhai's father Visvanatha Pillai was one of the first person of Ceylonese origin to graduate from the University of Madras
. To keep alive his connections with Ceylon, Viswanatha Pillai married a woman from Jaffna.
from Presidency College, Madras and joined the Indian Postal Service. Like his father, he married a Tamilian of Sri Lankan origin.
Kanakasabhai developed a keen history in Tamil history and after practising for a few years, he left the profession and became a full-time historian.
Three years later, in an editorial in the Siddhanta Deepika, Nallaswami Pillai hinted that Lemuria was the long lost land of Kumari Kandam.
, The Tamils Eighteen Hundred Years Ago. Dedicated to Sir S. Subramania Iyer, the book was made up of sixteen chapters, each of which examined the life, culture, geography, trade, religion and philosophy of the ancient Tamil country based on the descriptions in two ancient Sangam epics, the Silappatikaram and the Manimekalai
. The book is considered to be a classic and as one of the first notable efforts to research the history of Sangam period Tamil Nadu
.
Kanakasabhai postulated entirely new pathbreaking theories in his book. He was the first person to suggest the existence of a Kumari Kandam
based on his reading of the Silappatikaram. He also claimed that the Tamils were originally settlers from Bengal and that the word "Tamil" itself was derived from the ancient port of Tamralipta
. He postulated a new theory that the Dravidian upper classes originally hailed from Mongolia.
Kanakasabhai was the first historian to attempt a systematic chronology of Tamil history. Kanakasabhai believed that the Sangam age might have flourished even in the 2nd century AD. He based these claims on the Gajabahu synchronism
proposed by Seshagiri Sastriyar.The Tamils Eighteen Hundred Years Ago also had anti-Brahminical overtones. Kanakasabhai accused Tamil Brahmin
s of a conscious attempt to "foist their system on the Tamils".
Ancestry
Kanakasabhai was born in Madras PresidencyMadras Presidency
The Madras Presidency , officially the Presidency of Fort St. George and also known as Madras Province, was an administrative subdivision of British India...
in 1855. His ancestors hailed from Jaffna
Jaffna
Jaffna is the capital city of the Northern Province, Sri Lanka. It is the administrative headquarters of the Jaffna district located on a peninsula of the same name. Jaffna is approximately six miles away from Kandarodai which served as a famous emporium in the Jaffna peninsula from classical...
in Ceylon. Kanakasabhai's father Visvanatha Pillai was one of the first person of Ceylonese origin to graduate from the University of Madras
University of Madras
The University of Madras is a public research university in Chennai, Tamil Nadu, India. It is one of the three oldest universities in India...
. To keep alive his connections with Ceylon, Viswanatha Pillai married a woman from Jaffna.
Early life and education
Kanakasabhai graduated in artsARts
aRts, which stands for analog Real time synthesizer, is an audio framework that is no longer under development. It is best known for previously being used in KDE to simulate an analog synthesizer....
from Presidency College, Madras and joined the Indian Postal Service. Like his father, he married a Tamilian of Sri Lankan origin.
Kanakasabhai developed a keen history in Tamil history and after practising for a few years, he left the profession and became a full-time historian.
Kumari Kandam
From 1895 onwards, Kanakasabhai published a series of articles in the Madras Review about a long submerged land that lay to the south of Cape Comorin. These theories of his were based on ancient Tamil and Buddhist sources. These papers were subsequently published in his book The Tamils Eighteen Hundred Years Ago.Three years later, in an editorial in the Siddhanta Deepika, Nallaswami Pillai hinted that Lemuria was the long lost land of Kumari Kandam.
The Tamils Eighteen Hundred Years ago
In 1904, Kanakasabhai published his magnum opusMasterpiece
Masterpiece in modern usage refers to a creation that has been given much critical praise, especially one that is considered the greatest work of a person's career or to a work of outstanding creativity, skill or workmanship....
, The Tamils Eighteen Hundred Years Ago. Dedicated to Sir S. Subramania Iyer, the book was made up of sixteen chapters, each of which examined the life, culture, geography, trade, religion and philosophy of the ancient Tamil country based on the descriptions in two ancient Sangam epics, the Silappatikaram and the Manimekalai
Manimekalai
Manimekalai or Maṇimekalai , written by the Tamil Buddhist poet Seethalai Saathanar is one of the masterpieces of Tamil literature. It is considered to be one of the five great epics of Tamil literature. Manimekalai is a poem in 30 cantos...
. The book is considered to be a classic and as one of the first notable efforts to research the history of Sangam period 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...
.
Kanakasabhai postulated entirely new pathbreaking theories in his book. He was the first person to suggest the existence of a Kumari Kandam
Kumari Kandam
Kumari Kandam is the name of a supposed sunken landmass referred to in existing ancient Tamil literature...
based on his reading of the Silappatikaram. He also claimed that the Tamils were originally settlers from Bengal and that the word "Tamil" itself was derived from the ancient port of Tamralipta
Tamralipta
Tamralipta or Tamralipti was the name of an ancient city on the Bay of Bengal believed by scholars to be on the site of Tamluk in modern-day India.-References:...
. He postulated a new theory that the Dravidian upper classes originally hailed from Mongolia.
Kanakasabhai was the first historian to attempt a systematic chronology of Tamil history. Kanakasabhai believed that the Sangam age might have flourished even in the 2nd century AD. He based these claims on the Gajabahu synchronism
Gajabahu synchronism
Gajabahu synchronism is the chronological device used by historians to help date early Tamil history. The synchronism, first propounded by Kanakasabhai Pillai in 1904 in his "The Tamils Eighteen Hundred Years ago" was adopted by some scholars of the time to date Tamil literature...
proposed by Seshagiri Sastriyar.The Tamils Eighteen Hundred Years Ago also had anti-Brahminical overtones. Kanakasabhai accused Tamil Brahmin
Tamil Brahmin
Tamil Brahmins are Tamil-speaking Brahmins from Tamil Nadu who have settled in other South Indian states like Kerala, Andhra Pradesh, and Karnataka...
s of a conscious attempt to "foist their system on the Tamils".