It was a different day out for Tarun Vijay, the BJP Rajya Sabha MP at memorial of Umaru Pulavar, ancient Tamil Muslim Poet in Ettayapuram, where he celebrated Pongal in a traditional manner.
Ahead of his visit to freedom fighter and Tamil poet Subramanya Bharathiyar at Ettayapuram, Mr. Vijay along with his party men, got access to the Umaru Pulavar memorial and paid homage. After offering prayers, a white dhoti reflecting the Tamil culture, was offered to the first time visitor, Mr. Vijay by the Umaru Pulavar Sangam led by its president, U. Khaja Mydheen.
After wearing the dhoti, Mr. Vijay said ‘now I am a Tamilian and am ‘mikka maghilchi’ (very happy). He along with the party men were offered pongal prepared by the sangam.
Mr. Mydheen told The Hindu that Mr. Vijay was the first politician from the BJP to have visited the poet’s memorial and offered prayers.
The MP from Uttarakand had come to promote the ideals of “Thirukural” in Tamil Nadu, he said.
Mr. Mydheen submitted a memorandum to the MP seeking his intervention to release a commemorative postage stamp on Umaru Pulavar.
