Maraimalai Adigal - Works in Tamil Literature

Works in Tamil Literature

Apart from being a good orator he composed several Tamil poems too. He authored more than 100 books. Other than essays and novels he wrote books dealing with literary criticism, philosophy and religion, history, psychology and politics. His collections of poems to Hindu god Murugan, which he composed during the times of illness were published as Thiruvotri Muruhar Mummanikkovai in 1900. He also wrote poems in memory of his teacher Somasundara Naiker in 1901 as Somasundarak Kaanjiaakkam. This has been considered as one of his best works. He also released his research work on Tamil literature Mullaip Pattu Aaraichi for students of Tamil literature. He translated Kalidasa's Sakuntalai into Tamil.

Some of his prominent works include:

• Pattinapalaai Aaraaichi-yurai (1906)
• Tamizhthaai (1933)
• Sinthanaikatturaikal (1908)
• Arivuraikkothu (1921)
• Chiruvarkaana Senthamizh (1934)
• Ilainarkaana Inramizh (1957 - posthumous publication)
• Arivuraikkovai (1971 - posthumous publication)
• Maraimalaiyatikal paamanaikkovai (1977 - posthumous publication)

In 1911, he published his first novel, Kumuthavalli allathu Naahanaattarasi, an adaptation of English novel Leela by G. W. M. Reynolds.

• • Maraimalai Adigalar was the first and foremost author of self-improvement/self-help/personality development books in India. His works can be compared with those of Emerson,M.R.Kopmeyer,Dale Carnegie etc. He wrote the following books in the 1890s and they are still available at the leading publishers at Chennai,India :-

1. Maranathin pin Manithar Nilai (Human Life stage After Death) 2. Mesmerism and Hypnotism 3. Tholaivil unarthal (Telepathy)