Jaya seeks to popularise Tamil language globally

Chief Minister J Jayalalithaa on Monday announced a slew of measures for Tamil development and to propagate the message of Thirukkural and Tamil grammar treatise Tholkappiyam across the globe.

Chief Minister J Jayalalithaa on Monday announced a slew of measures for Tamil development and to propagate the message of Thirukkural and Tamil grammar treatise Tholkappiyam across the globe.

An official release here said that making a pictorial representation of the message of Thirukkural was a must so that the noble preaching of Saint Tiruvalluvar could reach people easily. With this objective, the Chief Minister ordered the setting up of a painting exhibition with all infrastructure facilities at the International Institute of Tamil Studies (IITS) in Taramani at an expenditure of Rs 10 lakh. 

Display of paintings explaining the message of Thirukkural and books on Thirukkural with illustrations, screening of documentaries and animated films, paintings on the virtues spelt out in Thirukkural couplets by the students of Tamil Nadu Fine Arts College, display of books on Thirukkural published in various languages, display of Thirukkural couplets in vattezhuthu and kallezhuthu will be undertaken under this project, the release said.

The Chief Minister directed the officials to set up a World Tamil Cultural Reception and Information Centre at the IITS. The centre, to be established at a cost of Rs 10 lakh, will be helpful in integrating the Tamils living across the globe and to assist them in getting information whenever they undertake a literary tour.

Many scholars have written commentaries on Tholkappiyam, the ancient and most important treatise on Tamil grammar.

The Chief Minister directed that a chair be created in IITS for collecting all these commentaries on Tholkappiyam and the English translations on this great work and encouraging students to engage in the study of Tholkappiyam, which expounds the greatness of Tamils and their way of life. For this purpose, she allocated `50 lakh. 

Through this chair, a two-day national symposium will be conducted once in six months and an international conference held once a year. Every year an orientation course will be conducted for 10 days for students on the grammar lessons in Tolkappiyam.

The Chief Minister granted Rs 75 lakh for setting up a permanent exhibition at Madurai on Sangam Tamil literature where painting on Tamils’ lifestyle during Sangam period and the glories of the Tamil race will be displayed. The exhibition will come up in front of the Government Museum. 

A committee headed by the Secretary, Tamil Development and Information Department will be constituted to finalise the literary paintings, photographs and relief sculptures to be displayed in the exhibition.

Related Stories

No stories found.
The New Indian Express
www.newindianexpress.com