CHENNAI: It’s been over a week since Union Home Minister Amit Shah stirred up a controversy stating that, as Hindi is the official language, it should be the medium for correspondence and discussions between states. This suggestion received heavy pushback from the southern states, particularly Tamil Nadu, which has always opposed the imposition of Hindi. Amid this, music director AR Rahman too played his part by tweeting a post that highlighted the significance of Tamil and what the language means to Tamilians.
Perhaps, it’s a wake-up call to step up for one of the oldest surviving classical languages in the world, and what better occasion than Varusha Pirappu or the Tamil New Year, to nurture our connection with the roots and stay true to the soil. This year, besides reading the panchangam, relishing the pattimandram, and devouring ilai sapadu — manga pachadi, aviyal, vadai, and payasam — there seems to be a need to keep the celebration meaningful by resolving to preserve, promote and take pride in the state language.
Semmozhi sentiments
Sollil Uyarvu Tamizh Solley Adhai Thozudhu Padithidadi Paapa (My child, when you read Tamil, bow down in reverence, as it possesses the noblest of words. It’s a godly language). These verses from Mahakavi Subramania Bharathiyar’s popular song Odi Vilayadu Papa, strike a chord with Tamilians, even after 100 years of the poet’s passing. But, how much of this sentiment translates into actions is a harsh reality for us to see in the current socio-economic climate.
Thankfully, to reassure us that there’s still hope, we’ve got Niranjan Bharathi — the great-great-grandson of Bharathiyar — to count on. “It’s a blessing to be his descendant. The minute people come to know that I’m from his bloodline, they fall at my feet saying ‘We haven’t seen him, we will think of you like him and offer our respect.’ Such words make you realise the impact of his work and inspire you to take it to the masses,” he says.
Determined to create a legacy of his own, Niranjan, along with a team of Tamil lovers, launched MyTamilGuru last Tamil New Year. The Tamil teaching portal through its customisable online courses — Aanaa Aavannaa (beginners), Karka Kasadara (intermediate), and Thenmadhura Tamizhosai (advanced) — promises to take the language to a global audience. Their fourth batch is expected to commence in May. “We have students who are as young as 10 and as old as 60. A large number of takers are from Bahrain, the US, Singapore, Sri Lanka, India, and even Tamil Nadu. Tamil is treated on par with any other foreign language,” he details. And, as a tribute to his great-great-grandfather, he has plans to resume ‘Mahakaviyin Kathai’ on his YouTube channel.
The Tamil Nadu government, parents, and education system share a collective responsibility towards taking Tamil to youngsters. “Parents must set an example for their children by familiarising them with their mother tongue in their formative years. Even psycho-linguistic studies reveal that reading academic subjects in one’s native language will stay longer with kids. Children also tend to have free-flowing thoughts in their mother language. Likewise, teachers have the capacity to make a dull subject interesting. They need to kindle the interest of kids by initiating them into reading and storytelling in Tamil. The syllabus must also be updated to the latest standards,” he notes.
After schooling, youngsters must be encouraged to pursue Tamil for higher studies by explaining to them the job opportunities and scope in the field, he highlights. “The academic and career prospects have increased multifold. You can now work at media organisations, teach at institutions, author your own book, become a content creator, RJ, or even translate books (if you are well-versed in Tamil and English). With good subject knowledge, you will develop the ability to present a topic without grammatical flaws. Reading Tamil literature is an added advantage,” he offers.
A classic comeback
Niranjan is all praise for the consistent work by the Tamil Nadu government’s Tamil Mozhi Valarchi Thurai towards the growth of its state language. “The Tamil department, as part of its Sentamizh Sorpirapiyil Agaramuthali Thitta Iyakkam, runs a website called Sorkuvai — a word corpus project — that’s a repository of all Tamil words used in various fields and compiled by experts. For the last two years, the department has also been giving the Thooya Thamizh Patralar Virudhu (an award) to the person who speaks Tamil without mixing in any other language. They also have a toll-free number that you can reach out to for the Tamil meaning of any English word. Their free e-magazine Solvayal is equally informative,” he informs.
While modern efforts have contributed to positive developments in Tamil, one cannot dismiss the increasing importance that the Thirukkural has been garnering in a generation that takes to Twitter and Instagram to keep the Tamil pride alive. Besides this, there are other prized works that deserve prominence. “We need to throw light on Aathichudi and Naalatiyar, as they speak about morals, values, and virtues. We can have rangoli competitions asking participants to depict a scene from Silapathikaram or have fun games. In fact, there’s a Tamil version of Wordle. This is the best way to keep the learning process entertaining,” he elaborates.
Even as all this sounds overwhelming, there’s always an easy place to start. “Nobody can suddenly speak Thooya Tamil or Sentamizh. The goal must be to incorporate as many Tamil words as possible while speaking in a day. You’d be surprised to know the number of other language words including Persian, Urdu, Telugu, Sanskrit, and more that you use daily. For instance – Jannal (window) is Portuguese, Saaman (things) is Urdu, Golusu (anklet) is Telugu. On the government portal, you will find Tamil equivalents for even words like samosa, jeans, baker, and more. Tamil is a rich language. With a little bit of interest, we can reach places. But, unfortunately, we still have a long way to go even with getting the basics right,” he concludes.
Tamil trivia
E-pass: min isaivuchettu
Pilot: valavan
Baker: adumanaiyaalar
Ladoo: innurundai
Ice-cream: panikkoozh
(Source: Sorkuvai)