A warm evening, well-wishers and beloved friends gathered to celebrate the prominent journalist Nirmala Lakshman’s new book, indeed a stroke of genius. With a breath of fresh air to the genre of history, The Tamils, A Portrait of a Community, is an uncomplicated archival of the bygone days — pages that have preserved multiple layers of the past and that have woven inseparable threads connecting the present.
“A fertile heartland, overlooked by rugged mountain ranges on one side and silhouetted by a long sandy coast and a vast sea on the other, cradles an ancient yet enduring… The terrain bears a remarkable continuity of language, culture, ideas, and beliefs...” The initial passages of the overpowering book echoed in a room full of curious book lovers.
Captivating dialogues between Nirmala, publisher and chairman of The Hindu Group of Publications, and Jayanthi Natarajan, a lawyer-turned-activist and a former Minister of Forests and Environment, was the highlight of the book launch. The conversation shifted to the book as Jayanthi expressed gratitude to the organisers and emphasised the book’s significance. She noted that history is often written with a focus on wars and conquests, missing aspects of how people lived. But in contrast to the old ways of understanding, the book offers a broader view, particularly of south India, a region often overlooked in historical narratives. She commended, “It is a wonderful book. It’s very well-researched. Nirmala has elevated the genre of history by writing with a flow.”
Tamil Nadu’s historical narratives are a beautiful blend of literature, politics, and cultural life, which are integral to understanding its identity. Jayanthi highlighted how historical accounts usually focus on dynasties like the Mauryas, Guptas, and Mughals but neglect south India’s rich past. She mentions how recent discoveries show that advanced civilisations thrived in the region 5,000 years ago.
Nirmala also acknowledged the limited recognition of South Indian history and pointed out that new excavations and research have elevated the essence of Tamil heritage, including inscriptions, temples, and literature. One of the important fragments of Tamil Nadu’s history the book speaks of is that it is deeply connected to its landscapes, cities, and cultural expressions. The book is about human sentiments. As Nirmala said, “The modern Tamil identity is a blend of tradition and contemporary influence.” Tamil landscape, characterised by mountains, rivers, and fertile lands, she said, have a huge role to play in shaping the lives of the people. Stating that this book is about ordinary people and their sentiments, Nirmala said, “From the lens of people who are living in other parts of India and the knowledge of the South has been very frustrated and very limited.”
Ancient literature, Jayanthi emphasised, was another fascinating facet of the book, particularly Silappadikaram, one of the great Sangam-era epics. The conversation interspersed with reading the profound passages, allowed the small congregation to paint colours to the visuals they formed in mind. Nirmala read out excerpts from her book about Sangam literature and the themes it explores. She said warriors, traders, farmers — each had distinct ways of life reflected in literature. She described how these texts were rediscovered and preserved over time, providing valuable insights into Tamil history and culture. This intertwining of poetry with nature and the environment is a beautiful aspect of the literature. The topography of Tamilakam, the categorisations of the land based on flowers indigenous to the region, and the symbolic themes are significant aspects of the Sangam literature.
Citing the example of Kannagi, the legendary female character in Silappadikaram, Jayanthi underlined the proud heritage of women standing up for their rights rather than remaining victims.
On regional beliefs and religious influences, Nirmala said that each region had its deity, and early Tamil culture showcased exceptional tolerance, blending Vedic and Puranic traditions with Jain and other influences.
Jayanthi transitioned to discussing Tamil Nadu’s history of resistance, particularly against colonial rule. She acknowledged the rise of Dravidian identity alongside Gandhi’s nationalist movement. The demand for linguistic states and social justice, she said, played a crucial role in the formation of modern Tamil Nadu. The region, as they said, has evolved through transitions, by lending and borrowing cultures, through many silent and loud transformations. “We have been protected by our geography. Whatever came from the north, the minor invasions — there was a lot of violence and bloodshed, but it was never large-scale, and the acceptance of other cultures came through migration, and movement of people — it was peaceful and not forced in any way. This particularly is the beauty of the history of the state,” Nirmala said.
She signed off by saying, “This (the book) indicates there is much more to India other than the northern side. There are many works in Tamil — scholarly texts which talk about the history, but a very few in English.” Her perspective as a journalist gives a story-like narration to this, she said, in her well meticulously examined and studied piece of work, “This book is largely subjective; it is a portrait rather than an academic study.”