The 131 birth anniversary of ‘Mahakavi’ Subramania Bharathi was celebrated on December 11.
A fortnight later, the correspondent of a 125-year-old government aided school here has come out with a revelation that the national poet continues to be in its staff list since 1904, as neither did he resign nor did the management terminate him from service.
According to S. Parthasarathy, correspondent of Sethupathi Higher Secondary School at North Veli Street here, Bharathi served as a Tamil Pundit in the school for 11 months before going underground to evade an arrest warrant issued during the British rule. Since then the school continues to consider him as an ‘unauthorised absentee.’
“In fact, a dig into the history of the school for the celebrations of its 125 Annual Day on January 3 and 4, 2014 led us to the fact that Bharathi left during school hours without intimating anyone. Nevertheless, the management did not initiate any kind of disciplinary action against him. Therefore, he continues to be in our rolls till date,” he added.
G. Manivannan, one of the Directors of the Madura College Board, which runs the higher secondary school, said Bharathi had in fact migrated to Madurai following a difference of opinion with the then Maharaja of Ettayapuram, the birth place of the poet in Tirunelveli district. The fiery poet went to the extent of writing a sarcastic poem criticising the Maharaja.
“However, his friends prevented him from publicising the poem and sent him to Madurai. Here, his other friend, Shanmuganar, who was the Tamil Pundit of our school, went on a long leave and recommended the appointment of Bharathiar in the leave vacancy. Pleased with his prowess, the management made him a permanent employee. Within weeks after that, the great poet vanished without intimation,” he concluded.
