Trinco, Batticaloa writers remembered

[TamilNet, Monday, 12 January 2004, 04:57 GMT]
The seventh death anniversary of Trincomalee born versatile Tamil writer, Mr.Tharmu Sivaramoo, and the 28th death anniversary of Batticaloa poet, Mr.Thuraineelavanan, were observed on Sunday with a public meeting held at the Sri Vigneswara Maha Vidiyalayam in Trincomalee.

Late Mr.Tharmu Sivaramoo

Mr.Tharmu Sivaramoo shone in all spheres in Tamil literary circles as a writer, critic, playwright, poet, artist, and sculptor, and Mr.Thuraineelavanan also made a valuable contribution to Tamil literature, said Attorney-at-Law K.Sivapalan, who presided over the meeting.

Mr.Sivapalan said several Tamil writers had rendered immense services to the development of Tamil language and its literature from Trincomalee. Among them late Mr. Sivaramoo had gained a remarkable place in recent times in Sri Lanka and also in Tamilnadu in South India. Mr. Sivaramoo was born in the year 1939 in Trincomalee and died on 6th January 1997 in Tamilnadu. Not only in Tamil but also in English language Mr. Sivaramoo wrote several literary works, Mr.Sivapalan said.

Mr. Tharmalingam Sivaramalingam (Tharmu Sivaramoo) was born in Trincomalee and had his primary and secondary education in Trincomalee Hindu College. In his school days Mr. Sivaramoo showed keen interest in writing. He participated in the production of a handwritten magazine "YARL" (lyre) in 1956 as a student while studying in Trincomalee along with Mr.Siththy Amarasingham who is currently running the "Eelathu Illakiachcholai" Publishing House, which has published several books on various topics.

Mr. Sivaramoo went to Tamilnadu in South India to further his writing skills where he met several Tamil scholars, including Mr. Mouni and Mr. Eluththu Sellapah. He was respected in Tamilnadu as a highly rated critic by leading writers. He wrote a play “ Natchchaitharavasi,” which is still being regarded as a masterpiece in the Tamil literature, Mr. Amarasingham said at the meeting.



Mr.Siththy Amarasingham, Eelathucholai Publishing House head and a classmate of late Mr.Tharmu Sivaramoo, speaking at the death anniversary of Mr. Sivaramoo Monday. Seated ( L-R ) are Ms. Ruby Valentina Francis , Attorney-at-Law Mr.K.Sivapalan, another classmate of Mr.Sivaramoo, Dr.S.P. Ramachchandran.


Ms. Ruby Valentina Francis, Lecturer in the Language Department of the Eastern University, delivered the keynote address at the meeting on the topic "Contribution of Tamil writer Neelavanan to Eelam Literary Sphere.”

Coincidentally, Neelavanan's death anniversary also fell on Sunday. Poet Neelavanan (Mr.K. Sinnathurai) was born on 31.6.1931 at Thuraineelavanai in Batticaloa district and died at the age of 44 on 11th January 1975. He also contributed considerably to the development of Tamil poetry, said Mr.Sivapalan.

Ms. Francis in her speech lamented that the contributions made by Tamil scholars and writers of the eastern province to the development of Tamil language and its literature have not been given due place by those who write the history of Eelam literature.

Mr.Amarasingham proposed the vote of thanks.