- Sandilyan
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Sandilyan 200 px Born November 10, 1910
Thirukovilur, Tamil nadu, IndiaDied September 11, 1987 Occupation Novelist, Essayist Nationality 
IndianEducation college - St. Joseph's College, Tiruchirappalli Period 1930-present Notable work(s) Kadal Pura, Yavana Rani, Mannan Magal Spouse(s) Ranganayaki
InfluencesSandilyan or Chandilyan (Tamil: சாண்டில்யன்) is the Pen name of Bhashyam Iyengar, a noted Tamil writer of Historical fiction. He is known for his historical romance and adventure novels, often set in the times of the Chola and Pandya empires.
Contents
Early life
Sandilyan was born in Thirukovilur in Tamil Nadu on November 10, 1910[1] to Ramanujam Iyengar and Poongovilvalli. His family was from Thiruindalur village near Mayiladuthurai. He did his schooling in Chennai Pachaiyappa's School and Saidapet Model School. His college education came from Tiruchirappalli St. Joseph's College. While in college, he was influenced by the visit of C. Rajagopalachari and joined the Indian independence movement. He became a member of the Indian National Congress. He married Ranganayaki in 1929.
Early career
After finishing college he moved to T. Nagar in the 1930s. He became friends with his neighbors V.Swaminatha Sharma who was working in Thiru. Vi. Ka's weekly magazine Navasakthi and the noted Tamil writer Kalki Krishnamurthy. With their encouragment he wrote his first short story titled Shantha Seelan. Impressed with his work, Kalki published his short stories like Kannammavin Kadhal, Adhirshtam in Ananda Vikatan. Encouraged by this success Sandilyan started learning the Tamil language formally from a Tamil Pandit named Thirukannapuram Srinivachariar. He started writing Tamil short stories in the Tamil Weekly Sudesamithran and also worked as a reporter in Sudesamithran from 1935 to 1942. Later he became a sub-editor at the English daily newspaper Hindustan Times.
Work in Films
During his time at the Hindustan Times he became friends with B N Reddy of Vijaya Studios and Chittor V. Nagaiah.[2] This bought him into the world of films. He co-wrote the screenplays of films like Swarga Seema (1945) and En Veedu (1953). He later wrote about his film world experiences in his book Cinema Valarndha Kadhai (1985). Later he also produced a documentary titled "Birth of a Newspaper".
Novels
After his stint at the Hindustan Times he returned to work at Sudesamithran and started writing full length novels. One of his first works was a self published political novel called Balathkaaram. He also started publishing in other magazines like Amudhasurabi. Paalaivanathu pushpam and Sandha deepam were his earliest historical novels. Sandilyan's most famous novels were serialized in Kumudam, a weekly Tamil magazine and was instrumental in increasing the circulation to a greater extent. He was one of the very few Tamil writers to get a monthly salary from Kumudam for his novels. After leaving Kumudam, he unsuccessfully ran a weekly magazine called Kamalam. His historical novels were published in book form by Vanadhi Padhippagam and became best sellers. As of 2009, many of them still remain in print, four decades after being first published. Kamil Zvelebil once called him as the "fourth most popular Tamil Writer".[1]
Nationalization Controversy
In 2009, The Tamil Nadu Government announced its intention to nationalize Sandilyan's works (along with those of 28 other authors) and provide compensation to his legal heirs.[3] This caused criticism from the legal heirs of Sundara Ramasami and Kannadasan.[4] The Government soon retracted its position saying that the offer was optional and that it would force those who did not want to lose royalty.[5] Sandilyan's legal heirs declined the Government's offer to nationalize and provide solatium.[6]
Partial bibliography
Autobiography
- Porattangal - போராட்டங்கள் (1978)
Biography
- Sri Ramanujar - ஸ்ரீ ராமானுஜர்
Short Story Collection
- Raniyin kanavu - ராணியின் கனவு (1963)
Non Fiction
- Cinema Valarndha kadhai - சினிமா வளர்ந்த கதை (1987)
- Kamban Kanda Pengal - கம்பன் கண்ட பெண்கள் (1979)
Non-Historical Fiction
- Balathkaaram (Puratchi Pen) (1958)
- Shenbaga Thottam
- Manamoham
- Nangooram
- Madhumalar
Historical Fiction
- Kadal Pura (கடல் புறா) - III parts (1967)
- Yavana Rani (யவன ராணி) - II parts (Vanathi Pathippagam)
- Raja Perigai(ராஜ பேரிகை) (Vanathi Pathippagam)
- Mannan Magal (மன்னன் மகள்) (Vanathi Pathippagam)
- Kannimadam (கன்னி மாடம்)
- Rajamuthirai (ராஜமுத்திரை)
- Alai Arasi (அலை அரசி)
- Avani Sundari (அவனி சுந்தரி)
- chandarmathi (சந்திரமதி)
- chithranjanai (சித்ரஞ்சனை)
- ilaya rani (இளைய ராணி)
- indira kumari (இந்திர குமரி)
- jala deepam (ஜல தீபம்) - III parts (1973)
- jala mohini (ஜல மோகினி)
- jeeva boomi (ஜீவ பூமி)
- kadal rani (கடல் ராணி)
- kadal vendhan (கடல் வேந்தன்)
- madhahaviyin manam (மதஹவியின் மனம்)
- malai arasi (மலை அரசி)
- malai vasal (மலை வாசல்)
- mangaladevi (மங்களதேவி)
- manjal aaru (மஞ்சள் ஆறு)
- manmalar (மன்மலர்)
- mohana chilai (மோகன சிலை)
- mohini vanam (மோகினி வனம்)
- moongil kottai (மூங்கில் கோட்டை)
- naaga deepam (நாக தீபம்)
- naaga devi (நாக தேவி)
- neel vizhi (நீள்விழி)
- neela mangai (நீலமங்கை)
- neela rathi (நீலரதி)
- neelavalli (நீலவல்லி)
- pallava peedam (பல்லவ பீடம்)
- pallava thilagam (பல்லவ திலகம்)
- pandiyan bhavani (பாண்டியன் பவனி)
- raaniyin kanavu (ராணியின் கனவு)
- raja thilagam (ராஜதிலகம்)
- raja yogam (ராஜயோகம்)
- rajyasree (ராஜ்யஸ்ரீ)
- rana hammer (ராணா ஹமீர்)
- seran chelvi (சேரன் செல்வி)
- udhayabanu (உதயபானு)
- vasantha kaalam (வசந்தகாலம்)
- vijaya mahadevi (விஜய மகாதேவி) - III parts
- vilai raani (விலை ராணி)
Notes
References
- Sandilyan (1978), Porattangal, Chennai: Vanadhi Padhippagam
- Datta, Amaresh (2006), The Encyclopaedia Of Indian Literature (Volume One (A To Devo), Volume 1, New Delhi: Sahitya Akademi, ISBN 81-260-1803-8, http://books.google.com/books?id=ObFCT5_taSgC
External links
Categories:- 1910 births
- 1987 deaths
- Tamil-language writers
- Indian novelists
- Indian people
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