Pattinathar (1936 film)
(தமிழ்: பட்டினத்தார்) is a 1936 Indian Tamil film written and directed by T. C. Vadivelu Nayakar and produced by M. T. Rajan. Music by Gopal Sharma is an added asset to the film. The film stars M. M. Dandapani Desikar (his acting debut) playing the titled role with other actors like V. N. Sundaram, D. R. Muthulakshmi, T. K. Rukmini, M. S. Radhabai and P. G. Venkatesan portraying supporting roles. The film was a major success, and ran for 25 weeks and established Desikar as an excellent singer - actor on the ladder of success. Pattinathar is about saint who lived in Kaveripoompattinam, his devotion to Lord Shiva and the miracles the saint performed. Pattinathar was a subject made thrice in Tamil Cinema. The first version was made in 1935 by Lotus Pictures with C. S. Sundaramoorthy Odhuvaar as the saint, the Second was made in 1936 by Vel Pictures with M. M. Dandapani Desikar (this film) and it was made again in 1962 with T. M. Soundararajan as the saint. In those days, only actors trained in theatre were given roles in films, but occasionally, good musicians were also given opportunities when the film demanded good singing from actors. M. M. Dandapani Desikar, a musician well versed in Thevaram recitals, was picked to play the eponymous hero. Plot The film is about Pattinatthar, the saint who lived during 10th Century in Kaveripoompattinam in Tamil Nadu. Lord Shiva, on the report of Dharmavathi about the atrocities committed by men in the world, sends Kubera from Kailas to be born as Thiruvengadar at Kaveripoompattinam. At the age of 20, Thiruvengadar, marries Sivakalai and leads a happy, successful and pious life with her, with the only sorrow that they are childless. Siva Sarama, a poor Brahmin of Thiruvidaimarudur, finds a child under a Bilva tree and presents the child named Marudhavaanan to Thiruvengadar, who offers gold equal to the child's weight to the temple and brings him up as his son. When Marudhavaanan is 16 years old, he goes on a pleasure trip on a boat and encounters a big fish. By his touch, Marudhavaanan ends the curse of the Gandharva (cursed to be the giant fish). Marudhavaanan goes on business voyage with merchandise and returns with only a small box and two bags of sand. Opening the box, his father Thiruvengadar finds only three cow dung cakes, which he throws away in disgust. To his astonishment, precious stones gleam through the broken cakes and the sand bags hold gold dust. He rushes in to see his son Marudhavaanan (who is Lord Shiva himself), who has disappeared mysteriously, leaving only a small box with his mother Sivakalai. Thiruvengadar finds a Palm-leaf manuscript and a needle without an eyelet. On the script were the following words (in English for understanding): "Not even an eyeless needle will accompany you in the final journey of life." On reading the scroll, realisation of eternal truth and teaching of life dawn on him and he renounces all