In the Tamil milieu, the Dravidian ideals would always remain the central theme even if one differs with them or contradicts them, said DMK MP Kanimozhi on Monday.
Addressing a function organised to release her poetry collection “Sigarangalil Urangugirathu Kaalam,” Ms.Kanimozhi said all the writings, irrespective of the leanings, would bear the impact of the Dravidian ideals.
Pointing out attempts to create a homogenous culture in the country, wiping out individual identities, she said the writers of the Dravidian movement had consistently fought such attempts and torn the face of the homogenous culture.
She said that her writings will continue to fight to preserve the Tamil identity and culture.
She also thanked her parents for allowing her to develop an independent outlook.
Finance Minister K.Anbazhagan who released the book said Ms.Kanimozhi would “fill the gap” of the literary vacuum in the Dravidian movement [after Chief Minister M. Karunanidhi].
Writer Jayakanthan, a critic of the Dravidian movement, said his friends in the Dravidian movement had lived up to the essence of Tirukkural that the best way to humble one’s enemy was to do good to him.
He said Tamil prose with a razor sharp edge had manifested in Ms.Kanimozhi’s poetry.
Malayalam writer Zakaria, who received the first copy, said Kanimozhi’s voice was both passionate and rebellious. “For me as a writer, the poems possess one of the values I most cherish in writing: the aesthetics of being simple and direct.”
Thanjavur Tamil University Vice-Chancellor M. Rajendran, Dancer Alarmel Valli and poet Ilayabharathi participated. Kanimozhi’s poems were enacted with music. It was directed by Prasanna Ramaswami.
