November 09, 2020 01:43 am | Updated 10:41 am IST - CHENNAI

Veeramamunivar’s Thevaram for Christians

The Jesuit priest was attracted by the Bakthi movement that flourished in Tamil Nadu

SPECIAL CORRESPONDENT

Veeramamunivar, the Jesuit priest, is known in the Tamil literary world for his epic Thembavani.

However, few are aware that the Christian missionary also wrote minor literary works including a Thevaram, on the lines of hymns sung by Saivaite saints.

“A few know about his achievements in other genres of Tamil poetry because they deal with religious and more specifically Christian themes. Moreover, these works are confined to the Christian hymns,” said retired English professor M. Dominic Raj, who had translated Thembavani into English.

Veermamunivar, whose 140 birth anniversary falls on November 8, was attracted by the Bakthi movement that flourished in Tamil Nadu and the singing of the hymns of the Nayanmars and Azhwars and composed a Thevaram.

25 editions

“There are only 12 pathikams (stanzas). They are being preserved till now only because it finds a place as the last hymn of the most used prayerbook of the Catholics, namely, Thirukkutumba Bakhthi Malai,” said Mr. Dominic Raj.

The book is found in the house of almost every Catholic family. It has been sold by Nobili Book Store, Madurai, for nearly a hundred years taking it to 35 editions till 2018, he said.