The three-day annual 49 Kamban Vizha to reminisce the rich literature of Tamil poet Kamban was formally inaugurated by Lieutenant Governor Virendra Kataria on Friday in the presence of Chief Minister N. Rangasamy, Judges of Madras High Court and Tamil scholars.
Inaugurating the festival at Kamban Kalai Arangam, Mr. Kataria said the ‘Ramavataram’ by Kamban, a great scholar of two ancient and rich languages such as Sanskrit and Tamil, was an original retelling of Ramayana. Rama had been portrayed by Kamban as the incarnation of Lord Tirumal.
The lyrical beauty and brilliant use of rhyme confirmed to the strict classification of verses, yet Kambaramayanam had been widely read by the masses, much more than scholastic people.
He had been fondly regarded as a ‘people’s poet.’
Describing ‘Kamba Ramayanam’ as one of the oldest and best surviving versions of Rama’s tale, he said “It occupies a unique place in the echelons of Tamil literature. His ability to weave magic with words was evident in many places in the epic. Rich in metaphor and similes, Kamba Ramayanam has become a reference point for later poets to emulate. The opinion among the scholars is that Kamban’s poetic magic is unparalleled. It is therefore no surprise that Kamban is credited for reviving the greatness of Tamil language through his works during the medieval period.”
In his address, Mr. Rangasamy said several values and morals lie in Tamil literature. Young generation should read those literatures to imbibe the values for the betterment of life, besides reading text books or other books for the job opportunities. The Madras High Court Judges Justices S. Nagamuthu, V. Ramasubramanian, Puducherry Assembly Speaker V. Sabapathy and Ministers participated.
