Thanjavur: With the passing away of G Rangaswamy Moopanar, 86, brother of the late Congress leader G K Moopanar, the family of Moopanars has lost a decision maker and a wise head of their family. He was also president of Sri Thyagabrahma Mahotsava Sabha, which organises the annual ‘Aradhana’ of saint-composer Sri Thyagaraja at Thiruvaiyaru every year.
G.R. Moopanar, affectionately called as “Chinna Aiyya” by his supporters and party workers, was like Lakshmana to Rama vis-à-vis the late G Karupaiah Moopanar. In fact Moopanars were four brothers like Rama, Lakshmana, Bharatha and Shatrugana.
The family trait is that they followed their elder brother Karupaiah Moopanar who strode like a colossus in politics at the all India level for several years. But among the four-Karuppaiah Moopanar, Rangaswamy Moopanar, Sampath Moopanar and Chandru Moopanar,- Rangaswamy Moopanar had the privilege of taking important decisions which on many occasions was accepted by Karuppaiah Moopanar himself.
Thus GRM was the selector of candidates at the time of elections both for Congress party and later for Tamil Maanila Congress (TMC) at district and state-level. While GKM was doing politics sitting in Delhi and Chennai, GRM managed things sitting at Sundaraperumal Kovil, 15-km from Kumbakonam where Moopanar’s house is located.
After the demise of GKM, who was president of Thyagabrahma Mahotsava Sabha for several years, GRM became the president and conducted the ‘Aradhana’. A connoisseur of arts, GRM was also president of Natyanjali trust of Kumbakonam which organised Natyanjali, during Mahasivarathiri, every year at Adhikumbeswaraswamy temple.
Among the four brothers only Chandru Moopanar is alive now while the other three-Karuppaiah, Rangaswamy and Sampath- have passed away. The body of GRM, who passed away at Chennai on Tuesday, will be brought to Sundaraperumal Kovil tonight and cremation will take place on Wednesday, family sources said. Cremation will take place on Wednesday evening. Rangaswamy Moopanar has one daughter who is married to his own sister’s son Suresh Moopanar.
