The 129th wedding anniversary celebration of the poet Mahakavi Bharathiyar and his wife Chellamma was grandly celebrated over three days, from 26 Jun to 28 Jun 2026 in Kadayam, Tenkasi district, organised by Chennai-based charitable organisation Sevalaya.
Mahakavi Bharathiyar lived in Kadayam, the birthplace of his wife Chellamma, for a few years. Since 2019, Sevalaya has been commemorating their wedding anniversary annually. As part of its efforts to preserve their legacy, Sevalaya has renovated the Kadayam Branch Library, installed a statue of the Chellamma-Bharathi couple, established a Learning Centre in their name, and transformed the Keezhakkadayam railway station with murals depicting the life and contributions of the couple.
Day 1 of the Celebration (26 Jun):
On the inaugural day, Chief Guests – teacher Anitha Shifa Lilly and Professor Dr Kavitha paid their respects by garlanding the statue of the Bharathi-Chellamma couple. Meenakshi Sundaram, Librarian – Kadayam Branch Library and Sethuramalingam, Head – Bharathi Readers’ Circle delivered special addresses. Mahakavi Bharathi’s great-grandson, Arjun Bharathi, along with Sundar (son of Chellamma’s younger brother) and his wife Vijayalakshmi, also participated in the event.In their speeches, the special guests praised Chellamma as a remarkable woman who stood behind Bharathi’s success, endured hardships and humiliations, and preserved Bharathi’s works to pass it on to us. They also elaborated Bharathi’s compassion for all living beings and his meeting with Sister Nivedita that influenced his views on liberation of women. They expressed their joy and gratitude for the rare opportunity to participate in the Chellamm-Bharathi wedding celebrations alongside Bharathi’s descendants. Students from Kadayam Sevalaya Kala Nilayam and the yoga class presented cultural performances.
Day 2 of the Celebration (27 Jun):
On the morning of the second day, a procession featuring a decorated palanquin bearing the portraits of the couple, Chellamma and Bharathi, took place. The procession was flagged off by Arjun Bharathi (Bharati’s great-grandson) and Sundar (son of Chellamma’s brother). Senior executives from BNY – Arvind Guruprasad and Vidya Durai, along with students from Chathiram School and members of the general public, participated in large numbers as the procession made its way through the streets of Kadayam. Tenkasi District Library Officer P Mary and writer R Harihara Gopal from Salem participated as Chief Guests during the evening session. In her address, Mary remarked, “We are celebrating not just the wedding anniversary of Bharathi and Chellamma, but also their remarkable life, lived in mutual harmony, love, sacrifice and a shared commitment to social progress.” Writer Harihara Gopal spoke movingly about the life of sacrifice led by Chellamma, who lived with Bharathi – a man who, even amidst poverty, shared the rice at home with sparrows. The event concluded with a dance performance by students from Tirunelveli Sivalaya Natya School.
Day 3 of the Celebration (28 Jun):
Chief Guests at the concluding ceremony included Arjun Bharathi, Sundar and N Kanakasabapathy, Advocate and President, Tenkasi Thiruvalluvar Kazhagam. Sheikh Muhammad Khan, Secretary – Kadayam Merchants’ Association and Meenakshi Sundaram,
Librarian – Kadayam Branch Library also addressed the gathering. Speaking at the event, Arjun Bharathi described Chellamma as an embodiment of Parasakthi who took equal part in the joys and sorrows of Bharathi. In his address, Sundar said he was
overcome with emotion to walk the soil of Kadayam, where his ancestors had lived. Kanakasabapathy in his speech highlighted Bharathiyar’s multifaceted nature and commended Sevalaya for serving thousands of underprivileged people, following Bharathiyar’s path. To mark this occasion, state-level competitions in speech, essay writing and drawing were conducted, drawing participation from approximately 3,000 school and college students across 11 districts in Tamil Nadu and Andhra Pradesh. Trophies and certificates were awarded to the 140 winners. The winning students showcased their talents. Cultural performances by students of Sevalaya Kalanilayam also took place. V Muralidharan, Founder and Managing Trustee, Sevalaya, delivered the welcome address at the events held over the three days. He detailed Sevalaya’s initiatives to provide free education to destitute girl children – an effort that translates Bharathi’s views on women’s liberation into action. K S Kalyani Sivagaminathan, a Sevalaya supporter and retired headmaster, delivered the Vote of Thanks. The events were graced by the participation of the President – Kadayam Merchants’ Association, prominent local figures such as Somasundaram and Gopal, members of the public, admirers of Bharathi and students.
