Vedanayagam Sastriar

The Venerable

Vedanayagam

Sastriar
The Venerable; Vedanayagam; Sastriar
Native name	வேதநாயகம் சாஸ்திரியார்
Church	Catholic Church (1774-85); Lutheranism (1785-1864)
Personal details
Born	Vedapodagam; 7 September 1774; Tirunelveli, Carnatic Sultanate (now in Tamil Nadu, India)
Died	24 January 1864 (aged 89); Tanjore, Madras Presidency, British India; (now Thanjavur, Tamil Nadu, India)
Buried	CSI St. Peter's Church, Thanjavur
Parents	Gnanapoo (mother); Devesagayam (father)
Spouse	Vyagammal (m. 1795; death 1796); Muthamma (m. 1801; death 1829); Varodayammal (m. 1829);
Children	Gnanadeepam; (adopted daughter); Gnanasigamani (son); Noah Gnanadickam (son); Elia Devasigamani (son); Manonmani (daughter);
Occupation	Tamil poet, dramatist, scholar, theologian, hymnwriter
Alma mater	Tranquebar Mission

Vedanayagam Sastriar (7 September 1774 - 24 January 1864) was a Tamil poet, dramatist, scholar, theologian and hymnwriter from the Lutheran tradition. He composed a total of 133 books, including plays such as Bethlehem Kuravanji (1800) and theological texts such as Aranathintham (1837). He also composed more than 400 hymns, may of which are still used in Tamil Christian keerthanai tradition.

Vedanayagam preached Christianity at many places including Madras and Jaffna. He had knowledge in various fields like theology, astronomy, mathematics, physiology and sociology. He was conferred with several titles including Gnanadeepa Kavirayar (king among poets of the Divine Light). During 1829-32, he served as court poet of Serfoji II, the penultimate Maratha King of Thanjavur.

His descendants continue to carry his theological legacy.