Jump to content

V. O. Chidambaram Pillai

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

V. O. Chidambaram Pillai
Chidambaram in 1919
Born
Vallinayagam Olaganathan Chidambaram Pillai

5 September 1872
Died18 November 1936(1936-11-18)(aged 64)
Thoothukudi,British India
NationalityIndian
Other namesKappal Ottiya Tamilzhan, Chekkilutta Chemmal
OrganizationSwadeshi Steam Navigation Company
Political partyIndian National Congress
MovementIndian Independence Movement
SpouseMeenakshi
Children4 sons, 4 daughters

Vallinayagam Olaganathan Chidambaram Pillai(5 September 1872 - 18 November 1936) was anIndian freedom fighter,lawyer, businessman and politician. He founded theSwadeshi Steam Navigation Companyin 1906 to compete against the monopoly of theBritish India Steam Navigation Company(BISNC).[1][2][3]He launched the first indigenous Indian shipping service between Tuticorin in British India and Colombo in Ceylon. Once a member of theIndian National Congress,he was later charged with sedition by the British government and sentenced tolife imprisonment,and hisbarristerlicense was revoked. He is known by the epithetKappalottiya Tamizhan( "Tamil helmsman" ).Tuticorin Port Trust,one of India's thirteen major ports, is named after him.

Early life[edit]

V. O. Chidambaram Pillai was born inOttapidaram,Tirunelveli Districtto Olaganathan Pillai and Paramayee Ammal.[4]When Chidambaram was six years old, he learned Tamil from teacher Veeraperumal Annavi. He heard stories aboutShivafrom his grandmother and stories from theRamayanafrom his grandfather. He heard stories fromMahabharathatold by Allikulam Subramanya Pillai etc. In his childhood, he learned horse riding,silambattam,archery, sword fighting and playedkabaddi,swimming,stilt walking,wrestling and chess.

He learned English from a Taluk officer named Krishnan Iyyengar in the evenings. When Iyyengar was transferred, Chidambaram Pillai's father built a school for him and appointed Aramvalarthanatha Pillai fromEttayapuramas the English teacher. The school was run by a priest at Pudhiamuthur. At fourteen, Chidambaram Pillai went to Thoothukudi to continue his studies. He studied at CEOA High School and Caldwell High School and inThoothukudiat the Hindu College High School,Tirunelveli.

Chidambaram Pillai worked as Taluk office clerk for some time before his father sent him toTiruchirappallito study law. He passed his pleadership exam in 1894, returning to Ottapidaram to become a pleader in 1895.

In Madras, Chidambaram Pillai met SwamiRamakrishnananda,a saint who belonged toSwami VivekanandaAshram (monastery), who advised him to serve the nation. Here[where?]he met the Tamil poetBharathiyaarwho shared his political ideology. The two men became close friends.[5]

Political life[edit]

Background[edit]

In the 1890s and 1900s India's independence movement and theSwadeshi movement,which confirms the politic parcel initiated byBal Gangadhar TilakandLala Lajpat Raiof the Indian National Congress (INC), were at their peak. From 1892 Chidambaram Pillai was influenced by Tilak Maharaj and became his disciple.[6][7]Along withSubramanya SivaandSubramanya Bharathi,he became a prominent spokesperson for the cause in theMadras Presidency.Following thepartition of Bengalin 1905, Chidambaram entered politics, joining theIndian National Congressand taking a hardliner stance. He also presided at theSalem DistrictCongress session.

Companies and institutions[edit]

Chidambaram Pillai established many institutions like Yuvanesh Prachar Sabha, Dharmasanga Nesavu Salai, National Godown, Madras Agro-Industrial Society ltd and Desabimana Sangam. In response to theBritish India Steam Navigation Company's trade monopoly, Chidambaram started an Indian-owned shipping company. He registered the Swadeshi Steam Navigation Company in October 1906.[8][9]The capital of the company was ten lakh rupees. The number of shares was 40,000 and the face value of each share was Rs. 25/-.[9]Any Asian could become a shareholder. The director of the company wasPandi Thurai Thevar,Zamindar ofPalavanathamand the founder of "Madurai Tamil Sangam".Haji Pakkir Mohammed Rowther Sait paid200,000 and purchased 8000 shares of the company, becoming its secretary.[10]

In the beginning, the Company owned no ships, instead leasing them from Shawline Steamers Company. The B.I.S.N.C. pressured Shawline Steamers to cancel the lease; in response, Chidambaram Pillai leased a single large freighter from Sri Lanka. Realizing the need for the Swadeshi Steam Navigation Company to own its own vessels, Chidambaram Pillai travelled around India selling shares in the company to raise capital. He vowed, "I will come back with ships. Otherwise I will perish in the sea". He managed to secure sufficient funds to purchase the company's first ship, theS.S.Gallia;[11]shortly afterwards, they were able to acquire the S.S.Lavofrom France. In response to the new competition, the B.I.S.N.C. reduced the fare per trip to Re.1 (16 annas) per head. The S.S.N.C responded by offering a fare of Re.0.5 (8 Annas). The British company went further by offering a free trip to the passengers with a free umbrella; however, nationalist sentiment meant that the free service was underused. The B.I.S.N.C. attempted to buy out Chidambaram, but he refused the deal. The ships commenced regular service betweenTuticorinandColombo(Sri Lanka) against opposition from British traders and theImperial Government.

Coral Mill strike[edit]

On 23 February 1908 Chidambaram Pillai gave a speech atThoothukudi,encouraging the workers at Coral Mill (now part of Madura Coats) to protest against their low wages and harsh working conditions. Four days later, the workers of the Coral Mill went on strike led by Subramanya Siva and Chidambaram himself. Their demands included incremental earnings, weekly holidays and other leave facilities.

Chidambaram ensured the strike was widely publicised, and it quickly gained popular support. On 6 March the head clerk Subramanya Pillai met Chidambaram and said that the management was ready to concede their demands. Chidambaram went with 50 workers and met the managers, who agreed to increase the wages, to reduce the working hours and to give leave on Sundays. The workers went back after a nine-day strike. The outcome of the strike encouraged the workers of other European companies, who also gained increased wages and better treatment.Sri Aurobindoappreciated Chidambaram and Siva for the unequalled skill and courage with which the fight was conducted in his Vande Mataram daily on 13 March 1908.

Arrest and imprisonment[edit]

V. O. C. yoked oil press kept now atGandhi MandapamGuindy

By 1908, Chidambaram's political involvement drew the attention of the British. Hearing of his intention to speak at a rally celebrating the release of Bengali leaderBipin Chandra Pal,Winch, a British official invited Chidambaram to meet him inThirunelveliwith his political comradeSubramanya Siva.At the meeting, Winch expressed concern about Chidambaram's activities and asked him to give assurances that he would not participate in any political revolt. Chidambaram refused to accept his conditions, so he and Siva were arrested on 12 March 1908. The arrest was followed by widespread protest. In Thirunelveli shops, schools and colleges were closed in protest, and rioting broke out. The Thirunelveli municipal office, post offices, police stations and municipal courts were attacked. A general strike was declared in Thoothukudi, which was the first political strike in India.[citation needed]Public meetings and processions were held, and four people were killed by the police.

Although his supporters were able to raise sufficient funds for bail, Chidambaram refused to leave the jail without the release of Siva and his other comrades.Subramanya BharathiandSubramanya Sivaalso appeared in the court for questioning for the case instituted against Chidambaram. He was charged under sections 123-A and 153-A of theIndian Penal Codefor speaking against the British and giving shelter to Siva. Chidambaram refused to take part in the proceedings. He was charged with sedition, and a sentence of two life imprisonments (in effect forty years) was imposed. He was confined in theCentral Prison, Coimbatorefrom 9 July 1908 to 1 December 1910. The judgement was widely condemned in the popular press, with even the BritishStatesmenmagazine claiming that it was unjust. Chidambaram appealed the sentence inHigh Court,gaining a reduced punishment of four years imprisonment and six years in exile. An appeal to the Privy Council led to a further reduction in sentence.

Chidambaram was interned in Coimbatore and Kannanoor jail. He was not treated as a political prisoner, nor was the sentencede factoof simple imprisonment; rather, he was treated as a convict sentenced to life imprisonment and required to do hard labour, which caused his health to suffer.[12]Historian and Tamil scholar R. A. Padmanabhan later noted in his works that Chidambaram was "yoked (in place of bulls) to the oil press like an animal and made to work it in the cruel hot sun....".[4]From prison Chidambaram continued correspondence, maintaining a steady stream of legal petitions. He was finally released on 12 December 1912. To his dismay, theSwadeshi Steam Navigation Companyhad already been liquidated in 1911, and the ships were auctioned to their competitors. The company's first ship, theSS Gallia,was sold to the British Shipping Company.

Later life and death[edit]

Upon Chidambaram's release he was not permitted to return to Tirunelveli district. With his law license stripped from him, he moved toChennaiwith his wife and two young sons. There he ran a provisions store and a kerosene store. Chidambaram had a long correspondence with Gandhi, not yet Mahatma, from 1915 to 1920. In 1915, when Gandhi visitedChennai(Madras then), both had met. Some people in South Africa of Indian origin had collected money to help Chidambaram and transmitted the amount through Gandhi. However, Chidambaram did not receive the money. He had some lengthy correspondence with Gandhi on the subject. In one instance Gandhi wrote a postcard to Chidambaram inTamilwith his own hand. Chidambaram was delighted on seeing the postcard and, for a moment, forgot about the money dispute.[13]However, on 4 February 1916, Chidamabaram wrote to a friend, "Rs. 347-12-0 has come from Sriman Gandhi."[13]

In 1920, Chidambaram quit the Indian National Congress, citing ideological differences withMahatma Gandhi.He focused his efforts on establishinglabor unionsin Madras and on writing. After moving to Coimbatore, Chidambaram worked as a bank manager. Dissatisfied with the income, he petitioned the court, seeking permission to practice law again. Judge E.H. Wallace gave permission to restore Chidambaram's pleadership license; to show his gratitude Chidambaram named his last son Valacewaran. Chidambaram moved toKovilpattiand practiced as a lawyer. He rejoined the Congress Party in 1927 and presided over the third political conference held at Salem. He said that he wanted to join Congress again because he noticed a remarkable change in the policies of Congress and was happy to note that the policies of which he did not approve were withdrawn one by one. However, after the Salem conference Chidambaram again severed his contact with Congress. In 1929 he moved to Thoothukudi, where he spent his time writing and publishing Tamil books. By 1935, he had written commentary on the first book of theTirukkural(Book of Virtue) and was published under a different title. However, it was only in 2008 that the complete work of his commentary on the Kural was published. Chidambaram Pillai spent his final years in poverty. He died on 18 November 1936 at the Tuticorin office of the Indian National Congress.[12][14]

Literary works[edit]

  • Meyyaram1914
  • Meyyarivu1915
  • Anthology1915
  • Autobiography1946
  • Many articles in various magazines
  • Translation works
  • Literary notes (commentary) on theTirukkural
  • Thirukuralwith literary notes of Manakudavar 1917
  • Tolkappiamwith literary notes of Ilampooranar 1928

Legacy and honours[edit]

Chidambaram Pillai on a 1972 stamp of India

Posthumously, Chidambaram is known by the titlesKappalottiya Thamizhan( "the Tamizhan who drove the ship" ) and "Chekkiluththa Chemmal" ( "a great man who pulled the oil press in jail for the sake of his people" ). His ship is situated nearMarina Beach.TheIndian Posts & Telegraphsdepartment of India issued a special postage stamp on 5 September 1972, on the occasion of his birth centenary.[15]

Many statues of Chidambaram have been commissioned; some of the more notable are:

  • At the entrance of the Congress committee office,Royapettah,Chennai(1939).
  • At the arch ofPalayamkottai,Tirunelveli.
  • At Marina beach, Chennai. (unveiled at the World Tamil Conference).
  • At the port, Thoothukudi. (unveiled byIndira Gandhi,the former Prime Minister).
  • At the Entrance of Kattu Paramakudi (V.O.C. Mahal) unveiled at 18 November 2012. By Tamil Nadu V.O.C Peravai, Ramanathapuram District.
  • At Simmakkal, Madurai (unveiled byM. G. Ramachandran,former chief minister of Tamil Nadu).
  • At the commemorative building of V.O.C., Tirunelveli. (unveiled byJ. Jayalalithaa,former chief minister of Tamil Nadu).
  • The Tuticorin Port was rechristened as V.O. Chidambaranar Port Trust byManmohan Singh,former Prime Minister andG.K. Vasan,Union Minister of Shipping. In 2022, it was again renamed asV.O. Chidambaranar Port AuthoritybyGovernment of India.
  • At Theni district (Chinnamanur center place) & Bodi & (Chilamarathupatti-Bus stand) & (Putthipuram-Bus stand) & Vadipatti by the SaivaVellalarCommunity to which V.O Chidambaram Pillai Belongs.

M.P. Sivagnanam, popularly known asMa. Po. Si.,wrote a biography of Chidambaram titledKappalottiya Tamizhan.Later Chidambaram was remembered as 'Kappalottiya Thamizhan'. Ma. Po. Si. brought the fame of Chidambaram to the limelight. Books written by Ma. Po. Si. on V.O. Chidambaram Pillai areKappalottiya Thamizhan(1944),Kappalottiya Chidambaranar(1972) andThalapathy Chidambaranar(1950). R.A. Padmanabhan, popularly known as Bharathi Aringnyar. He has written an authenticated biography of V.O. Chidambaram Pillai in English printed and published by the National Book Trust in 1977. R A P gives a greater insight into the life of Chidambaram Pillai focussing Chidambaram Pillai's achievement as the pioneer of Swadeshi Shipping company.

In 1961 Kannada film director B.R. Panthalu made a film of Chidambaram's life titledKappalottiya Thamizhan.Chidambaram was portrayed bySivaji Ganesan,Subramanya Siva byT. K. Shanmugamand Subramanya Barathi byS. V. Subbaiah.The story of this movie is based onMa. Po. Si.'s biography 'Kappalottiya Tamizhan'. InRRRfilm, he was featured and honoured in a song named Ettara Jenda (Koelae).[16]

References[edit]

  1. ^Manian, Ilasai (20 October 2012)."Swadeshi ship on the blue waters of Tuticorin".Retrieved17 August2014.
  2. ^J, Arockiaraj (25 December 2011)."VOC's descendants found in dire straits".Madurai. TNN.Retrieved17 August2014.
  3. ^Bharti, Sushant (2023).Sagar Ke Senani(in Hindi) (First ed.). New Delhi: National Book Trust. pp. 38–42.ISBN93-549-1673-2.{{cite book}}:CS1 maint: date and year (link)
  4. ^abS. Dorairaj."Doyen of Swadeshi shipping".The Hindu.Archived fromthe originalon 26 November 2014.Retrieved26 February2017.
  5. ^Venkatachalapathy, A. R. (9 December 2021)."Subramania Bharati: The poet and the patriot".The Hindu.ISSN0971-751X.Retrieved11 December2021.
  6. ^Awakening Indians to India.Chinmaya Mission (2008). p. 68.ISBN978-8175974340
  7. ^Madan Gopal (1990). K.S. Gautam (ed.).India through the ages.Publication Division, Ministry of Information and Broadcasting, Government of India. p.200.
  8. ^Karat's war against USThe Telegraph,Retrieved 2 March 2012
  9. ^abPraveen Paul Joseph (19 February 2011)."Fitting Tribute to V.O.C."The Hindu.Archived fromthe originalon 25 January 2013.Retrieved26 February2017.
  10. ^https://web.archive.org/web/20240213182446/https://www.hindutamil.in/amp/news/opinion/letters/22269-.html
  11. ^M. Soundarapandian;Environment, Degradation And Rural Poverty,Discovery Publishing House 2005, p44
  12. ^ab"Famous Indians: V. O. Chidambaram Pillai".iloveindia.com.Archived fromthe originalon 26 January 2013.Retrieved29 May2012.
  13. ^abA. R. Venkatachalapathy (26 January 2003)."When Gandhi visited Madras".The Hindu.Archived fromthe originalon 27 November 2014.Retrieved26 February2017.
  14. ^"VALLINAYAGAM OLAGANATHAN CHIDAMBARAM PILLAI".INDIAN CULTURE.Retrieved11 December2021.
  15. ^"Postage stamp of V. O. Chidambaram Pillai by India Post".istampgallery.com.
  16. ^"RRR 'கோலே' பாடலில் கப்பலோட்டிய தமிழன். சுதந்திர போராட்ட வீரர்களை சூப்பரா பெருமைப்படுத்திய ராஜமெளலி!".


External links[edit]