“True icons are larger than life unforgettable with an elegance that’s mesmerizingly timeless.” That quote echoes in my mind as we stand before the Ukkirapandi Muthuramalinga Thevar Statue. This statue commemorates a man who left an indelible mark on Tamil Nadu’s history. Let’s delve into the story of Ukkirapandi Muthuramalinga Thevar.
Ukkirapandi Muthuramalinga Thevar was born on October 30 1908. He was born in Pasumpon village in the Ramnad District. Thevar was a politician and an independence activist. He was also a freedom fighter. Thevar was a patriarch of the Thevar community. He was elected three times to the national Parliamentary Constituency.
Thevar’s early life was marked by loss. His mother died before his first birthday. His stepmother passed away the following year. Thevar was then raised by his maternal grandmother Parvathiammal.
Thevar’s education included elementary school run by American missionaries in Kamuthi. He attended Pasumalai High School and Union Christian High School in Madurai. He could not complete his high school education.
Thevar’s political career began with his opposition to the Criminal Tribes Act. This act restricted the activities of certain castes and Muslims. Thevar protested against its implementation in southern districts. Despite his efforts the Justice Party did not repeal the act.
In 1936 Thevar contested in the Ramnad District Board Election. He defeated the candidate of the ruling Justice Party. In 1937 he campaigned against the Justice Party. He supported the Indian National Congress. Thevar himself contested in the Madras Provincial Elections. He defeated the Justice Party’s candidate.
Subash Chandra Bose was the President of the Indian National Congress in 1938. In 1939 Muthuramalinga Thevar supported Bose in the Congress Presidential Election. He mobilised votes from South India. Bose was re-elected.
Later Bose launched the Forward Bloc in 1939. Dissatisfied with the Congress Thevar joined the Forward Bloc. He was the Deputy Chairman of the All India Forward Bloc from 1952. He also became a leader of AIFB Tamil Nadu.
Ukkirapandi Muthuramalinga Thevar died on his birthday October 30 1963. He was 55 years old. His birth and death anniversary is observed as Thevar Guru Puja. It is observed throughout Tamil Nadu by the Mukkulathor community.
The government of Tamil Nadu founded Pasumpon Muthuramalinga Thevar College in 1968. His biography was included in Tamil Nadu high school textbooks. His cemetery in Pasumpon was converted into a memorial in 1971. A life-size portrait was installed in the Tamil Nadu Legislative Assembly Hall in 1980. A new district was formed in his name in 1984. The Indian Postal Department published a stamp in 1995 to commemorate him.
Here in Chennai two important roads were renamed Pasumpon Muthuramalinga Thevar Roads. The statue before us stands at the intersection of Anna Salai and Pasumpon Muthuramalinga Thevar Road. Every year on his birth and death anniversary thousands gather here. They pay homage to Ukkirapandi Muthuramalinga Thevar. This statue serves as a reminder of his enduring legacy. It is a symbol of his contributions to Tamil Nadu and India.