My Great Grand Father Shri Pandit Natesa Sastri Avargal

My Great Grand Father Natesa Sastri Avargal (1859 – 1906)

My great grand father Natesa Sastri was known as Pandit Natesa Sastri. He was born in the year 1859, to Shri Mahalinga Iyer and Smt Akilandeshwari, in village Sankendhi, near Mankal, Trichi District, Tamil Nadu. He had his early education in Kumbakonam and later in Madras (now renamed as Chennai) University and received his B.A.Degree. In the year 1881 he was employed in Department of Art and Sculpture, Indian Government, under British Officer Shri Robert Sivel. His salary was Rs.30/- per month. Shri Sivel was so much impressed by his Sanskrit knowledge that revised his salary to Rs.75/- per month and honored him with title “Pandit”.

2. Shri Natesa Sastri Avargal served in Department of Art and Sculpture Archeology, Mysore Government, for about two years. In the year 1888 he served as the supervisor of Udagamandalam prisons. In the year 1900 he was transferred to the Department of Documents registration and served for a few years in Tiruvallur and in Arcot and then he was posted as Manager in the office of Inspector General of Documents Registration, Madras.

3. Shri Sastri knew 18 languages. He had absolute command in Tamil, Sanskrit and English. Had he lived he would have been as famous as Rt. Hon. Srinivasa Sastri, who was known for his command in English language. He was known for his fearlessness, high integrity, devotion to work, innovative and research capabilities. He was a philanthropist and large hearted man. Many were benefited from his financial support. He had done deep study of Vedas, Upanishads, and evolution of religion, festival and culture in South India. Along with Government job he could find time to write number of books in Tamil, Sanskrit and English.

4. We are aware of a few books written by him:

• Tamil: Valmiki Ramayanam in detail, Dinadayalu, Dikktra Iru Kuzandaigal, Thakkanathu Poorva Kadaigal, Thakkanathu Madya Kadaigal, Drivida Natu Kadaigal, Madiketta Manaivi, Talayanai Madiram, Mami Goluvirukkai, E Sam Kadaigal, Thooku Thooki (made into a popular motion picture)
• Sanskrit: Kundala Natka vimarisanam, Raghuvamsam, Harsha Charitra Vimarisanam.
• English: Hindu Fasts & Feasts, South Indian Plays, Dravida Night Folk Stories, King and his Four Ministers, Sun Stories, Tenaliraman stories.

5. April 11, 1906 was a bad day for the great man. In the early night of that day he had been to the Parthasarathi Temple, Triplicane, Madras, to enjoy the ongoing temple festival. The deity was being brought in procession. In those days during festival time fire works were a common feature. A horse dressed up for the procession was terrified by the sudden burst of crackers (known as “aavut” in those days) and started running amuck. Shri Sastri moved away from the path of the frightened horse. Unfortunately the horse changed direction and came straight at him and he fell down and a stone hit his back skull. The same day around mid night he died at his house of brain hemorrhage.

6. It was a sad day indeed. A great scholar and a philanthropist died so young at 47 years of age. My grandfather Shri Chandrasekhara Iyer was then just 7 years old. He had very difficult time after his father died but by Gods grace, and because of his father’s good deeds, my grandfather could complete his MA in Botany in Madras University studying with Government scholarship through out. Shri. Panchanadeeswaran, (fondly known as Ponnu), my Grandfather’s elder brother, took the responsibility of bringing up the family and my grandfather was ever great full to him

7. I feel proud and happy to be born in this lineage. At the same time I feel ashamed that I have not achieved even 1 % of what my Great Grandfather did. In those days, in such adverse conditions, he had done so much. What have I done with tremendous facilities that I have now?