Trinco remembers Tamil scholar Akilesapillai

[TamilNet, Friday, 10 March 2006, 17:39 GMT]
The 153rd birthday of Tamil scholar Poet and writer V.Akilesapillai was observed in Trincomalee town where he was born on 7th March 1853. He wrote a book in the year 1889 on the history of historic Koneswaram temple in Trincomalee under the title 'Thirukonasala Vaipavam' which is still considered a valuable document among intellectuals and historians who research on the Koneswaram history and history of Tamils in the east port district, sources said.

Pulavar Akilesapillai passed away on 1.1.1910. His brother Mr.V.Alahakone, first printed 'Thirukonasala Vaipavam' in the year 1952 after several original statues including of Lord Konesar, his consort Mathumai Ambal surfaced in the year 1950 when workers of the urban council dug a public well in a suburb of the town along sea beach. Hindu priests buried these statues when they fled from the original Koneswaram temple while being destroyed by the Portuguese on the Tamil New Year day in the year 1624.

The second edition of 'Thirukonasala Vaipavam' was released in 2000.

On the 153rd birthday of Pulavar Akilesapillai a group of Tamil activists gathered in front of late Tamil scholar's mausoleum, which is located in the Hindu cemetery and offered flowers remembering his services to Tamil language, its literature and for the book Thirukonasala Vaipavam.

Mr. Sithy Amarasingham, Head of the Eelathu Ilakiacholai Publishing House released a book on life and times of Pulavar Akilesapillai at the event.

Mr.Akilesapillai became a trained teacher and served for some time as a headmaster of a school. He was fluent in English language.

He relinquished his teaching career to for the development of tamil language and Hinduism in Trincomalee.