The late Chief Minister M. Karunanidhi built a kottam for Ayyan Valluvar in the capital Chennai and a 133-foot tall statue at the end of the Kumari hill. Following in his footsteps, the current Chief Minister M.K. Stalin is also working to promote and spread the ideas of Thirukkural.
The current Tamil Nadu government has declared the last week of December as 'Kural Week'. The government is conducting competitions to introduce Kural among the youth and students. The government is conducting the Thirukkural Student Conference. It is in continuation of this that Chief Minister M.K. Stalin has now launched the initiative of 'Making Thirukkural a National Book'.
Speaking at the launch of the book 'Valluvar Marai - Vairamuthu Urai' written by poet Vairamuthu, he called for intensifying the efforts to make Thirukkural a national book. Chief Minister M.K. Stalin also emphasized the need for an organization to take this forward.
"Although the language in which Thirukkural was written is Tamil, the ideas written are common to the world. No one can deny that such a commonality is not found in any other language book. He spoke of only three things as justice: virtue, materialism, and pleasure. These three are not just for us, but are common justice for the entire world."
G.U. Pope praised Valluvar as 'a singer of universal man'. Albert Schweitzer said 'a collection of worldly thought'. Leo Tolstoy quoted the authority 'Inna Seyyamai' in his letters. Bernad Shaw has written in admiration of Valluvar's poem of denial.
'Valluvar has expressed thoughts that are applicable to the entire human race, regardless of caste, religion, or ethnic differences,' said French scholar M. Ariel in 1848. Ingersoll praised the importance given to knowledge. 'The Thirukkural is the beacon light for the whole world,' said Veerama Munivar.
○Veerama Munivar first translated the Thirukkural into Latin in 1730. The book Thirukkural was published in French in 1747. Therefore, the Thirukkural was known to the world 300 years ago. It is on this basis that Chief Minister M.K. Stalin's demand has gained strength.
"Prime Minister Narendra Modi quotes Thirukkural wherever he goes in the world," his party and organizations boast. If this is true, Thirukkural should be declared a national book.
Will Prime Minister Narendra Modi do it?