Somalay is a well known name to the Tamil community.  A pioneer in Tamil travelogues, Somalay was born on February 11, 1921 in Nerkuppai (in the then Ramanathapuram district and present day Sivagangai District) in Tamil Nadu.  He coined the pen name Somalay from his father’s name (Somasundaram)  and his given name, Lakshmanan.   As a freelance writer, Somalay was a prolific author and wrote about 75 books in Tamil and 20 books in English.  His expertise on Tamils and Tamil Nadu, command of English and global perspective made him a much sought after Tamil scholar by many from around the world.    Ananda Vikatan, a leading Tamil weekly, in 1965 referred to his popularity by quoting another veteran Journalist of that era, “Dinamani Kadhir” Savi, “சோமலெ என்றால் தெரியலெ என்றும் யாரும் சொல்ல மாட்டார்கள்.”

Somalay graduated with a B.A. from Presidency College in Madras in 1941 and received a diploma in Journalism from Horniman College of Journalism in Bombay in 1947.  He went on a family business trip to Burma in 1947-48 and during that trip he acquired the taste of travel.  On his return, he was inspired by A.K. Chettiar’s travel books and then during 1948-49 he embarked on a 40,000 mile tour of Europe, Australia, U.S. and the Far East.  Although family business was the primary reason for his global tour, Somalay was more interested in learning about different countries, people and culture.  Upon his return to India, he recollected the impact of the global travel on him and said, “I went as a businessman and returned as a travel writer.”

Thanks to Somalay, who arrived in the U.S. on November 8, 1948 by the then famous ship ‘Queen Elizabeth’, thousands of Tamils saw America through his now famous book   ‘அமெரிக்காவைப் பார்’ (See America).  It is one of Somalay’s most popular books (seven editions) to the extent that eminent Tamil author M.S. Udhayamoorthy recalls that it was Somalay’s book that inspired him to visit the U.S.   Somalay has written books on almost every country in the world and is known as ‘உலகம் சுற்றிய தமிழர்’(A world-traveled Tamilian).  Somalay’s ‘ஆஸ்திரேலியாவில் ஒரு மாதம்’(One Month in Australia) won the Tamil Academy Award.  He wrote a book on  each and every district of Tamil Nadu and this is considered a monumental work of an individual that should have been undertaken by the Government.  ‘ராமநாதபுர மாவட்டம்’(Ramanathapura Mavattam), a book in the Tamil Nadu districts series, received the Government of Tamil Nadu’s Best Book Award.

Somalay’s “Folklore of Tamil Nadu” has been translated by the National Book Trust into several Indian languages.  His books have been recommended as textbooks at universities in India, Soviet Union and the U.S.A. His contributions on the states of India to the popular weekly ‘Dinamani Kadhir’ were later published as   ‘இமயம் முதல் குமரி வரை’(Himalayas to Kanyakumari) and this continues to be a popular book even 25 years after his death.  Somalay’s 716 page research volume ‘கணியன் பூங்குன்றன் காலம் முதல் கண்ணதாசன் காலம் வரை செட்டிநாடும் செந்தமிழும்’(Chettinad and Tamil) continues to be the most referred work on the contribution of Nagarathars (chettiars) to Tamil and Tamil Nadu.

  Somalay’s contributions transcend  beyond his trailblazing work in travel literature to other fields such as folklore, tourism, journalism, biographical literature, and religion.   Among his literary works,  ‘வளரும் தமிழ்’(Valarum Tamil, Developing Tamil) is a pioneering study of the development of Tamil prose in the 19^th and 20^th centuries.  Somalay compiled  about 20 large volumes on major temples in India ranging from Kasi (Varanasi)  to Rameswaram.  His thorough work and attention to documentation made him the most sought after editor to compile Kumbabishekam (temple consecration) souvenirs.

Somalay wrote the biography of Sardar Vedaratnam, architect of the Salt Satyagraha in Vedaraniam.  The book was published after Somalay’s death and his involvement with Sardar Vedarathnam’s Gurukulam (home for underprivileged girls) motivated his U.S. born and brought up granddaughter, Lakshmi Somasundaram, to volunteer at the Gurukulam in 2007 and raise funds through donors in the U.S. to build a science center and provide scholarships for destitute girls.

 Somalay held many positions such as  Public Relations Officer of Annamalai University (1955-58), Correspondent of Annamalai Polytechnic in Chettinad (1958-60), Senate Member of Madras University (1955-61), Senate Member of Madurai University (1965-71), President of Tamil Writers’ Association (1965), Section Head of World Tamil Conference (1968), and Senior Fellow at Tamil University in Tanjore (1983).  However, except for a short stint with Annamalai University and Annamalai Polytechnic, Somalay did not work for any one and chose to be a freelance writer, not bound by any employer.  His status as an author, scholar, and independent thinker gained him considerable influence to freely express his views.

On November 4, 1986, Somalay succumbed to a massive cardiac arrest at the Madras Mount Road (Anna Salai) Post Office  while mailing a letter  to his son.  His son, Somalay Somasundaram, has built a library in Somalay’s memory at his native place, Nerkuppai, and donated it to the Government of Tamil Nadu.  Honorable Thangam Thennarasu, Minister for Libraries and School Education inaugurated the Somalay Memorial Library and unveiled  a bust of Somalay on August 20, 2007.  The Library’s mission is to become one of the best rural libraries in India and it  is beginning to focus on rural education and village development..

While those who did not personally know Somalay remember him for his monumental literary contributions, his scholarly friends continue to remember him as a man of principles who did not compromise his values for personal gains.  Somalay was a mentor for many young writers and community activists and championed for several social causes.  The Somalay Award (‘சோமலெ விருது’) has been instituted by his family to cherish the values that were near and dear to Somalay’s heart: simplicity, not seeking publicity, and societal consciousness.  Past recipients include elder Tamil Scholar Professor Thamizhannal, ‘Dinamani’ Editor RM. T. Sambandam, ‘Illakiya Veedhi’ founder Iniayavan  and Journalists  ‘Aachi Vanthachu’ L. Sundaram and ‘Nagarathar Malar’ Elangovan. 

Photos

Somalay Speaking at Vilupuram

 

Somalay At Illakiya Veedhi

Somalay, extreme right, sitting next to Lena Tamilvanan at Cochin Tamil Sangam function.  One of the last pictures of Somalay taken on October 26, 1986 just 8 days before he succumbed to a massive cardiac arrest on November 4, 1986.