TAMIL: Surviving  trials and tribulations
             by Dr.G.Johnson

          Tamil is now a classical language, meaning it has a rich literary heritage and antiquity.Tamil is unique because it has survived the trials and tribulations under the different rulers of India.The four ancient Tamil Empires Chera, Chozha, Pandiya and Pallavas were of ancient origin. Together they ruled Tamil Nadu with an unique culture and cultivated the growth of the oldest literature in the world.
          They had well organised trade with the Roman Empire.But these four dynasties were in constant conflict with one another which paved the way for the invasion by the Kalabra during the 3rd century.
          They were overthrown by the Pandiyas  and Pallavas and the traditional kingdoms were restored.
          The Chozhas re-emerged in the 9th centurydefeating the Pallavas and Pandiyas, and extended their empire over the entire Southern Penninsula. the Chozha navy controlled the Sri Vijaya Kingdom in South East Asia.
          The incursion of the Muslim armies from the northwest of India had an impact on the history of Tamil Nadu.
          Malik Kafur, a general of the Delhi Sultan Alauddin Khilji, sacked Madurai in 1311.
          The 14th century saw the retalitation from the Hindus against the invading Delhi Sultan.Tamil Nadu fell under the rule of the Vijayanagara Empire from Karnataka.
          After its defeat by the Deccan Sultan, local Nayaks ruled differrent parts of Tamil Nadu. Then Tamil Nadu was conquered by Sivaji, the great Maratha ruler from Maharastra. European settlements appeared in Tamuil Nadu during the Vijayanagara Empire in 1605.
          With the death of the Mughal Emperor  Aurangzeb in 1707, his empire dissolved. Tamil Nadu was fragmented into hundreds of Palayams consisting of a few villages. They were ruled by Poligars or Palaiyakarars. They often fought among themselves for territory.
          The prevailing chaos enabled the European traders to exploit the situation to their own advantage.
          In 1858,the British Crown assumed total control of India and ruled till 1947.
          Hence this is a short background of the dark period in which Tamil had to survive. Literary contribution was at its lowest ebb during this period.
          The Tamil works by Tholkaapiyar, Tiruvalluvar and the Sangam poets written more than 2000 years ago somehow survived the foreign invasions, as they were kept hidden in temples. If not they would have been totally destroyed.
          The beauty of Tamil Literature is that it remains the same without much alteration in the written language. Hence what was read 2000 years ago could be read today without any difficulty. Tamil remains the same then and now. This has been possible mainly through the poets who cherished their language and were careful in not allowing the influence of other languages especially Sanskrit and Urdu. Hence Tamil is glorified as KanniThamizh meaning virgin Tamil.
          Tamil is a sweet language.
          " Yaam arinta mozhigalil Thamizh mozhipol inithavathengum kanom" is a famous quote from Barathi, the great Tamil poet. Literally it means " Of all the languages known to me, none is as sweet as Tamil. " Barathi knew Tamil, Hindi, Sanscrit, English and French. So there is an element of truth in this quote.
          What is so sweet about Tamil? Could it be merely an exaggeration? Is it biased? The sweetness of Tamil could be tasted in the Sangam Literature.
          But before we proceed to the beauty of Tamil Literature, we should know more about the Sangam Period. It is the oldest period of the Tamils when literature flourished in ancient Tamil Nadu. The poets formed a " sangam " meaning a gathering of of poets resembling an academy. Their works were scrutinised, selected and compiled into accepted literature of that period. It was done in a very systematic manner.
          The sangam period lasted from BC 500 to AD 100. Ettu Thagai, Pathuppaattu, Thirukural, Silappathikaaram and Maninegalai are now considered as Sangam literature. By learning Sangam literature, we can have a glimpse of the landscape, the people, their ways of life including art, culture,farming and trading. Even in war and peace, in prosperity and famine, Tamils lived upholding good virtues. This exemplary way of the Tamils are depicted in the pages of Sangam literature without exaggeration.
          It has now become a fashion for the scholars to do research on them. Though we cannot be well-versed in the Sangam literature, as Tamilians we should at least know they existed the test of time and are still available in the printed form.
          When I say the test of time, it implies how they were preserved in their original palmyra leaves through centuries, not being destroyed by termites, and the foreign powers which ruled Tamil Nadu.
          It was during the British period that Tamizh Thaatha U.V. Swaminatha Iyer took great pains in collecting these palmyra writings ( olai chuvadi ) from the temples. It was the work of the Christian missionaries who showed further interest in translating these manuscripts and also printing them in book form, after the first printing press was installed in Tranquebar by Bartholomeus Ziegenbalg, the first Protestant missionary to India.
          Before we go into the details of Tamil literature, we should be familiar with " agam " and " puram ". Our ancient poets confined their writings into these categories. Hence their writings were broadly classified under these two headings. Agam means inside, dwelling, household, heart and love. Puram means outside, external,country, government and war.
          But most of the agam writings were on love and puram on kings, government and war. Hence Tamils were known for love and courage ( kathalum veeramum ).
          ( This article appeared under HERITAGE in NESAN4U, an English supplementary of TAMIL NESAN, MALAYSIA , on November 10, 2012 )

         

தமிழரின் அவல நிலை

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நன்றாக யோசித்துப் பார்த்தால் தமிழர்களின் நிலை பரிதாபமாகவே உள்ளது. வரலாற்று காலமுதல் இந்நாள் வரை நாம் அடுத்தவருக்கு அடிமைப்பட்ட நிலையிலேயே வாழ்ந்துள்ளது தெரிகிறது. சங்கப் பாடல்கள் நாம் காதலையும் வீரத்தையும் போற்றி என்று கூறி பாடல்கள் எழுதிவைத்துள்ளனர். ஆனால் அதன்பின் வந்த காலங்களில் தமிழரின் வீரம் எங்கு போனது என்று தெரியவில்லை. சோழர் காலத்தில் நாம் வடக்கே இமயம் வரையும் கடல்தாண்டி தென் கிழக்கு ஆசியா வரை படை எடுத்து வென்றதாக அறிகிறோம். ஆணால் அதன்பின்பு அடிமை இனமாகவே வாழ்ந்துள்ளோம்.

எனது அகப்பக்கத்தில் தமிழ்...

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இதை நான் மிகுந்த மகிழ்ச்சியுடன் எழுதுகிறேன்.

இத்தனை காலமாக தமிழில் எழுதுவது முடியாமல் இருந்தது. பலரிடம் கேட்டும் பலன் இல்லாமல் போனது.

திடீரென்று சென்ற வாரம் அது நிறைவேறியது. நடந்த இடம் குளுவாங் புனித லூயிஸ் ஆலயம் என்பது குறிப்பிடத்தக்கது.

இதற்கு உதவியவர் என் நண்பர் ஆ.வி. டேவிட். இவர் அந்த ஆலயத்தின் முக்கிய உறுப்பினர். சில வாரங்களுக்குமுன் அவருக்கு திண்ணையில் பின்னூட்டம் எழுத சொல்லித்தந்தேன். அப்போது அவருடைய புது மடிக்கணினியில் தமிழ் இல்லை. எனக்கும் அவ்வாறே நிலைதான். நான் அவருக்கு ஆங்கிலத்தில்தான் எழுத சொல்லித்தந்தேன். அவர் தமிழை ஆங்கிலத்தில் எழுதி திண்ணைக்கு அனுப்பிகொண்டிருந்தார்.

நான்கூட இவ்வாறு ஆங்கிலத்திலேயே திண்ணையில் பின்னூட்டங்கள் எழுதியதால் பல பிரச்னைகள் எழுந்தன. ஒரு சிலர் அதை ஆட்சேபித்தனர். நான் திண்ணை நிர்வாகத்தினருக்கு என் நிலைமையை விளக்கி அனுமதி பெற்றேன்.

நான் நண்பரிடம் நாம் தமிழில் எழுத யாராவது உதவுவார்களா எனக் கேட்டேன். அவர் அது சுலபம் என்றார். நான் எப்படி என்றேன். அவரின் நண்பர் ஒருவர் உள்ளதாகக் கூறினார்.

சென்ற ஞாயிறு மாலை புனித லூயிஸ் ஆலயத்தில் அவரின் நண்பரை சந்தித்தோம். அவரின் பெயர் ராபர்ட். அவர் ஒரு சில நிமிடங்களில் அதை சொல்லி தந்து விட்டார். எனக்கு அளவற்ற மகிழ்ச்சி! எனது நீண்டநாள் அசை அன்று நிறைவேறியது. இனிமேல் நானும் இங்கே தமிழில் எழுதி மகிழ்வேன்.

இது நடந்தது ஆலயம் என்பதால் உடன் ஜெபம் செய்து கடவுளுக்கு நன்றி சொன்னேன்.

வீட்டில் தமிழ் படிக்க கூடிய பலர் ராசி பலனையும் நான்கு நம்பர் முடிவுகளையும் விரும்பி பார்ப்பதுண்டு. சிலர் நடுப்பக்க சினிமா நடிகைகளின் பெரிய வண்ண படங்கள் பார்த்து ரசிப்பதுண்டு.

கதை கட்டுரைகள் கவிதைகள் படிப்பதற்கு ஆர்வமும் பொறுமையும் வேண்டும். இந்த பண்பு எல்லாருக்கும் எளிதில் வராது.ஆகவே நமது படைப்பாளர்களின் படைப்புகளை ஆர்வத்துடன் படிப்போர் எண்ணிக்கை மிகவும் குறைவே.

படைப்பாளர்களும் இதற்கு விதிவிலக்கு அல்ல. இவர்களில் பெரும்பாலோர் எல்லா தமிழ் பத்திரிகையையும் வாங்குவது இல்லை. சிலர் தங்களின் படைப்பு வந்தால்தான் பத்திரிகை வாங்குகின்றனர்.இவர்கள் அடுத்த படைப்பாளரின் படைப்புகளை விரும்பி படிப்பதில்லை.

நமது கல்வி நிலை காரணமாக பல பெற்றோர்கள் தங்களின் பிள்ளைகளை மலாய் பள்ளிகளில் சேர்த்து விட்டதால் அவர்களுக்கு தமிழ் மீது ஆர்வம் இல்லாமல் போய்விட்டது. இந்த பரிதாபத்தை நான் பல இளைஞரிடமும், இளம் பெண்களிடமும் பார்த்து வருகிறேன். இவர்களை இனிமேல் நாம் இனிமேல் ஏதும் செய்ய இயலாது.

. ஆகவே நமது வாசகர் வட்டம் என்பது மிகவும் சிறியது என்பதே மறுக்க முடியாத உண்மை!

The Unwanted Godess

          It was a fine Sunday morning. Selvan wanted to see a temple.I drove to the nearest Muneeswaran Temple at Plentong. It was five minutes drive away.
          At the entrance is a coffe shop where delicious thosai, chuttney ,iddly and sambar are available. After night work it is my usual place for breakfast. Though I go there daily I have not entered the temple premises once.
          I made use of my friend's request and decided to visit the temple on that day.He is a devotee of Lord Siva though he is a Catholic by birth. I am a staunch Lutheran Christian of three generations.
          We had our breakfast. I followed him into the temple. It was a temple of moderate size. There were different places of worship the deities. He was praying at all the idols of Gods that were placed there. There was a large portarit of the dancing Siva on the wall of a large hall at the temple entrance. It was a nice piece of art. " Appane! " Selvan retorted and prayed with both hands clasped. ( Appane means my Father )
          There was nothing much to see in that temple except for the worship of the deity at the main shrine.
          " You can wait for me at the coffee shop if it is boring. I will be back after some time. " Selvan said.
          On my way back I noticed a platform erected around a tree. There were framed pictures of gods placed on the platform. I thought that they were there for sale.
          I took another tea and browsed at the Sunday papers,
          Selvan retunred holding a framed picture. He placed it on the table and asked for coffee.
          I looked at the picture. It was a godess in a dancing posture. There was terror on her face. She had four hands. There was a sword in one hand, a slain head in another hand.It was frightening. She remined Kali.
          " Do you know who is this? " he asked.
          " Is this Kali? " I replied still gazing at that picture.
          " No. This is Durga. " he replied.
          " Did you buy this? " I asked.
          " No. I took it from the tree. It was lying there. Some idiot had thrown it there."
          " But why? " I was confused.
          " Hindus have a belief. They should not throw away pictures of gods in dustbins. Instead they should be thrown in rivers.'
          " But why should they throw away pictures of gods/"  
          " Maybe there was trouble in the family after putting the picture in the house. So they want to get rid of it."
          " What sort of trouble? "
          " Like quarrels, fights, financiacial problems and so on. "
          " If that is so, why did you bring this picture? " I asked innocently.
          " Why? Are you afraid? " his face suddenly turned red.
          I sensed trouble and replied with caution, " Afraid of what? After all, as far as I am concerned this is only a picture. Why should I be afraid? "
          No! you are afraid to take it back in your car to your house! You are scared you will face problems also! " I was dumbfounded!
          " You need not be afraid of this! And I am not returning to your house. Just drop me at the bus stand if you don't mind! I am going back to Singapore. " he said in haste.
          " Hei! cool down. Why this anger for nothing? I told you that I am not afraid of this picture. You can keep it with me if you want. You came to stay with me for a few days. And now you are losing your temper for nothing."
          " No! You call youself a writer and a rationalist! But you too are superstitious! That's why you are scared of this picture!You are scared this picture will bring bad luck to you! "
          " Whether it has brought bad luck or not or whether I am superstitious or not, it has already brought trouble! "
          We remained silent on our way to the bus stand.
( Selvan is my childhood friend. After this incident we did not meet for a year or two. )
          "

The Last Supper

          27.8.2011 was the election day for a new President of Singapore.
          After casting the vote Jaya drove me to Little India for lunch. It was an Indian restaurant and the food was delicious. Chicken curry with white rice and a glass of Anchor Beer were appetizing.
         On our way back to the car park we casually entered a handicraft store. There were wooden and bronze statues of Hindu deities. Wooden carvings ansd portrays were exhibited along with a few attractive colourful paintings of Raja Ravi Varma.
          But I was searching for something else. Actually I wanted a portrait of the Last Supper embossed on wood. As mostly statues of Siva, Vinayagar and some Hindu Goddesses were seen in plenty, I had no hope of finding what I wanted.
          " Hey! What are you looking for? ", Jaya asked.
          " The Last Supper ", I replied still searching.
          " Look there! ", he exclaimed.
          To my astonishment there was the Last Supper hanging high on the wall!
          But to my dismay, the portrait was too large. It would be expensive. I wanted a smaller portrait, affordable and easy to carry to Malaysia. I have to return by the Sinapore Johore Express bus. I was a bit disappointed.
          " Yes! It is there. But not this big. I want a smaller one." I replied looking around.
          " Hey! You want the Last Supper? I will give it to you. I have a nice one from China! I have kept it with me for two years. Now I feel that it is meant for you." Jaya blurted!
          What a strange coincidence! I was shocked!
          " You know how happy I am to give it to you? I adore it so much that I did not give it to anyone. But today you were searching for it with me. You are the right person to own it. Come let us return home! " he hurried me.
          Our car crawled through the heavy Saturday afternoon jam along Upper Serangoon Road to reach Florence Road.
          At last we reached his two-storied bungalow house.
          Within minutes he was back carrying a large bundle packed in a cadrboard box.
          It was a three dimension portrait of the Last Supper! I was baffled at the  magnifificient piece of art and craftmanship! I kept on gazing! Jesus and his twelve disciples were carved in solid form and they were seated in the most natural form. The upper room looked real with space behind them.
          " You like this " Jaya asked.
          " Of course! Thank you very much ! " I exclaimed.
          " God is blessing you ", he said.
          " This is wonderful ", I replied.
          He drove me back to the Queen Street express bus stand.
          I had some difficulty in placing my package between the seats.
          Carrying it at the Singapore and Johore immigration was a task as it was heavy.
          After the clearance at the Johore immigration it was a long walk to the City Square where I have to take the taxi.
          I changed hands to carry it to manage the back pain. It weighed about five kilos.
          While enduring the pain I thought of Jesus carrying the heavy cross on the way to cavalry. I felt there is a message for me from this episode. Strangely when I alighted the cab the pain was no more there!
          My wife was surprised to see me entering the hall with a huge parcel.
          " What is it?, she asked.
          " The Last Supper ", I replied.
          " You bought it? "
          " No. Jaya gave it. "
          I opened the wrappers and removed the portrait from the cardboard box and placed it on the table.
          " Is'nt it nice? This is from China. He has kept it for two years. "
           I related the strange situation of our visit to the handicraft centre where I searched for the Last Supper.
          The Last Supper is now an attraction on the wall!
          ( Antony Jaya is my childhood friend for more than half a century. He is now a very succesful businessman. )
         
         
         
        

The controversy of the Tamil New Year

          Changing the Tamil New Year from Chitirai to Thai was done in good faith.
          Anna too would have done if he were alive.
          It is a shame for a party using Anna's name indulging in an act contrary to his ideals!
          Chitirai New Year is more on the religious background. It may be called Hindu New Year.
          Not all Tamils are Hindus.
          Thai 1st day namely Pongal is being celebrated as Tamils Festival by all Tamils irrespective of their religious background.Hence it has been an unifying force for all Tamils throught the world.
          This was the original idea of Periyar and Anna. This has also been endorsed by 500 prominent Tamil scholars under the leadership of Maraimalai Adigal in the year 1921.
          It should be kept in mind that Tamils comprise of Hindus, Muslims, Christians, Buddhists and even Atheists.
          Celebrating a new year on Hindu ceremonial ways amounts to calling the non-Hindu Tamils as not Tamils. This is absurd!
          In Malaysia and Singapore Thai 1st is being celebrated as Tamils Festival. The late Thamizhavel Ko. Sarangapani was responsible for propagating this change. People here rejoiced when that day was declared as the Tamil New Year by the former Chief Minister Kalaignar. But alas! The joy was short-lived with the new announcement by the present CM.
          Let us not forget one thing. Tamil is older than any religion! Tamils have lived before the origin of any religion! This is the fact!
          Hence the Tamil New Year should have no religious tags attached to it. Hence it is only proper to celebrate the Tamil New Year on Thai 1st.
          ( My letter in Deccan Chronicle on 25.8.2011 )