“ Barring Chithirai and Karthigai, no other month had been named after the stars”
DMK president M. Karunanidhi on Saturday joined issue with Chief Minister Jayalalithaa over her government's decision to celebrate the Tamil New Year on the first day of Chithirai instead of first day of Thai, saying it was nothing but one of the many conspiracies to undo the achievements of the DMK Government.
In a statement here, Mr. Karunanidhi disputed Ms. Jayalalithaa's claim that Tamil months had been named after the stars under which the full moon day fell, pointing out that barring Chithirai and Karthigai, no other month had been named after the stars.
“In Masi, the full moon day falls on Magam. The month is not called Magam. In Panguni, it falls on Uthiram, but the month is not called as Uthiram,” Mr. Karunanidhi said.
He said the Sentamizh Sorpirappiyal Peragaramudali (Classical Tamil Etymological Dictionary) prepared during her government in 2004 had clearly said Thai is the first month of Tamil era.
“She has written the foreword for the book. Those who prepared her speech should have shown the reference to her,” he quipped.
Reacting to Ms. Jayalalithaa's stand that the DMK Government changed the New Year Day through legislation even though people had not benefitted from it, Mr. Karunanidhi wondered who Ms. Jayalalitaha had asked before changing it again.
“Can we ask who are being benefited by the change now?”
Mr. Karunanidhi said Ms. Jayalalithaa was not able to stomach the credit given to him for his success in getting classical language status to Tamil and was out to undo the achievement of the DMK Government.
Keywords: Tamil Nadu politics, Tamil New Year Day
For people interested in knowing, Panguni comes from UthraPhalguna which
is the full name of the uthiram star. Maasi comes from the Maagha maasa
of Sanskrit. So do the other months. I mean no disrespect to one of the
greatest poets of the tamil language. I like him more as a poet than as
a leader. But, I would definitely like him better if he can get his
facts right.
What was the need for Mr. Karunanidhi to first be hell bent on changing something as significant as a New Year to a date he fancies and his Dravidian predecessors liked? It is a fact that 90% of Thamizh diaspora did not agree with the idea of Thai 1 to be named the puthaandu. Except DMK and a few Thamizh enthusiasts no body even bothered to celebrate New Year on Thai 1. The Tamils in Sri Lanka, Malaysia, Mauritius, Singapore, Cambodia, Vietnam, Indonesia and Thailand still continued to celebrate it on the Chithirai 1. Though Months such as Panguni, Masi did not hold the direct name of the stars, Panguni Uthiram and Masi Magam are still important celebrations in Thamizh calendar.
Karunanidhhi should remember that Thamizh people don't celebrate Chithira 1 as new year because of JJ. It's been celebrated that way for 3 millenniums.
Nobody has benefited from this argument except the newspapers who have been able to fill the columns.
Unnecessary arguments on a time established day only to serve the egos of a few.
What a meaningless "debate" - that a CM & and an ex-CM are engaged in.
Are we any the wiser with all the "scholarly" remarks about the name of the month in relation to star of the "full moon" day. Certainly , there are larger issues in the interest of the people that they can discuss.
First of all, Thanks to the Chief Minister Ms.Jayalalitha for changing the Tamil New Year as it was before. We the tamil people are very happy in dis change. who the hell is Mr.Karunanidi to talk about dis?
no body cares when is the tamil new year!!! u ppl are impotent in saving
lives of fellow tamils and hence you can never expect to have your name
/ fame of boosting the language's pride...
it is the ppl who form the tribe and count to it's pride, not merely the
language... get lost you cheap, brainless, inhuman politicians, that is
the best thing you can do the language & the tribe...
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