D. Vedanayagam vedanayaga Sasthriyar

https://www.scribd.com/document/323235006/Vedanayaga-Sastriar

Great Tamil poet, born in Tirunelveli. As a teenager he was taken to Tanjore by the German Lutheran Missionary Rev. Frederich Christian Schwartz, who had come down to Palayamkottai from Tanjore to dedicate a small church built by Clarinda, a Brahmin lady of the Mahratta royal line, who had embraced Christianity, some years before. In Tanjore, Rev. Schwartz mentored both him and Prince Sarabhoji ( the English mispronounced the name as 'Serfoji'), who was the adopted son of Tuloji (alias Tuljaji; fondly called 'Thulasi Maharajah' by his Tamil subjects), the Mahratta ruler of Tanjore. When Young Serfoji became King Serfoji II, he made Vedanayagam Sastriar the Court Poet, (Avai Pulavar or Aasthana Kavinjar). Vedanayagam Sastriar wrote many Tamil hymns and lyrics which are sung in Christian churches even today. His descendents are called Sastriars. The current Sastriar's two children, Daughter Sarah Martin and son Clement are carrying on the family tradition now (2014) His famous works include "Bethlehem Kuravanji" ,"Jeba Malai". www.sastriars.org