Visvanatha Sastriyar
Encyclopedia
Visvanatha Sastriyar (1756–1845) was a Tamil poet and astronomer of Sri Lankan Tamil ancestry. Sir Emerson tennent called him "the most celebrated astronomer in Ceylon".
region near Jaffna
to Narayana Sastri in a Tamil Brahmin
family in the year 1756.
or panchangam till his death. This almanac was known for its accuracy. Visvanathan was praised for his work and was awarded the sole privilege of being considered "Almanac Maker for His Majesty, George IV". Sir Emerson Tennent, in his book "Christianity in Ceylon", wrote of Visvanatha Sastriyar thus:
However, his predictions have also proved to be wrong on certain occasions. His prediction of a lunar eclipse on March 21, 1828 was wrong by fifteen minutes. His prediction of the character of the eclipse also proved to be wrong as the eclipse was only a three-eighths eclipse and not five-eighths as he had predicted.
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Early life
Visvanatha Sastriyar was born in Araly in the VaddukoddaiVaddukoddai
Vaddukoddai is small but important town in the minority Sri Lankan Tamil dominated Jaffna peninsula of Sri Lanka...
region near 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...
to Narayana Sastri in a 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...
family in the year 1756.
As astronomer
Visvanathan published an yearly almanacAlmanac
An almanac is an annual publication that includes information such as weather forecasts, farmers' planting dates, and tide tables, containing tabular information in a particular field or fields often arranged according to the calendar etc...
or panchangam till his death. This almanac was known for its accuracy. Visvanathan was praised for his work and was awarded the sole privilege of being considered "Almanac Maker for His Majesty, George IV". Sir Emerson Tennent, in his book "Christianity in Ceylon", wrote of Visvanatha Sastriyar thus:
However, his predictions have also proved to be wrong on certain occasions. His prediction of a lunar eclipse on March 21, 1828 was wrong by fifteen minutes. His prediction of the character of the eclipse also proved to be wrong as the eclipse was only a three-eighths eclipse and not five-eighths as he had predicted.
As poet
Visvanathan also composed a number of poetical works. Notable among them were a Chola-era mythological Mavaikuruvanji and Kurunathar Killividudutu a panegyric on the Hindu god SkandaSkanda
Skanda is the name of deities popular amongst Hindus and Buddhists.* Skanda, a Hindu deity also known as Kartikeya and Murugan and Subhramanya* Skanda , a popular Deva and/or Bodhisattva popular in Chinese Buddhism...
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