Researching for Aalavai (Madurai)

The Tamil Heritage Group

is proud to present a talk on
“Researching for Aalavai”
by
Thiru KRA Narasiah

on 4th July (Saturday) 2009 at 05.00 pm
at Thakkar Bapa Vidyalaya Campus,
58 Venkatanarayana Road,
T.Nagar, Chennai 600 017

About the talk
While researching for writing the book Aalavai, many important points were further studied in addition to actually inspecting the areas of study. In the process some new facts were unearthed along with checking the facts in cases of already known facts.
The studies involved in actually getting to know about early inscription by the author going with Sri Iravatham Mahadevan and learning in situ the basics of Tamil Brahmi script. For this Mamandur a place near Chennai was selected. The next targeted place was Mangulam having oldest and a very important inscription, but due to health conditions of Sri Iravatham this had to be dropped. The help of Archaeologist Santhalingam was taken and Thirupparankunram, Azhagar Koil and Aanaimalai were seen. Days were spent along with the Archaeologist, in Madurai temple, Mahal, Thiruvadavur, Thirumohur and  Ovamalai.
The research proved very fruitful and studies were undertaken in Fort Museum where old documents were pursued. The libraries that assisted in the work were Roja Muthiah Research Libraray, Dr. U Ve Swaminathier Library, Madras Institute of Development Studies and district libraries. Rare books could be studied especially in RMRL. Similarly, Ma. Ve. Pasupathi of U Ve S libraray provided exciting information.
Author's effort to get to Philadelphia Museum of Art did not fructify, though he had traveled to the US: however he could get some information on Madanagopalaswami temple from the museum's site. Author's friends from Singapore and the US did help him to a great extent.
From good friends in Coimbatore and some in Chennai the author could get certain points clarified in Tamil Sangam literature. The bibliography in the book shows the vast number of secondary sources that were used for references.
In the lecture the author shall be dealing with the studies and shall also expect participation of the audience.

Profile of Thiru Narasiah
  • Profession: Retired Chief Mechanical Engineer of Vizag Port.
  • Former Consultant to the World Bank for the Emergency rehabilitation Programme of Kingdom of Cambodia.
  • Former ADB consultant, Visiting Faculty AMET University for MBA Programme. (Terminal Management and IMO related subjects)
  • Education: Marine engineering. I. N. S. Shivaji Naval Engineering College Lonavla
  • Writing: over 100 short stories in Tamil (9 as Muthirai kathai in Vikatan.)
  • 3 collections of short stories published, first one for 6 years as non-detailed study for UGs in Madura College. Second won 2 awards. Third won TN State award.
  • Non fiction. Kadal Vazhi Vanikam a treatise on sea trade from 3rd century BC –won TN State award.
  • Madrasapattinam the story of Chennai from 1630 to 1947. Won TN State award and Chidambaram Meyyapan award
  • Sadharana Manithan Biography of Chitti Sundararajan.
  • Madras (Tracing the history of Madras from 1369) in ENGLISH
  • Overcoming Challenges the story of 125 years of the Port of Chennai with S Muthiah (English)
  • Author of the book on the history of Madurai (Aalavai)
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RSVP:
A. Annamalai: Gandhi Study Centre - gandhicentre@gmail.com; 94441-83198
Badri Seshadri: Kizhakku-p-padippakam - badri@nhm.in; 98840-66566
TK Tamachandran, IAS : TN Slum Clearance Board - tkramachandranias@hotmail.com; 99406-41144
S. Kannan: Bank of Baroda - 2498 5836)
S. Swaminathan: Marg Constructions - sswami99@gmail.com; 2461 1501