In my opinion, the World Classical Tamil Conference is an occasion to re-dedicate our commitment to preserve our mother tongue and Tamil Literary work. Tamil language has a continuing, vibrantly alive existence, growth and development through centuries down to the present, witnessing diversity and ramifications through space and time.
Tamil is not merely a provincial language and not merely a national language of India confining itself within the borders of the Indian peninsula. It is the only international language of India – a linguistic area blessed with its linguistic multiplicity of more than 1, 562 languages. Tamil is the only Indian language which enjoys the status of official language in two neighbouring countries outside India, namely Sri Lanka and Singapore.
The presence of Tamil scholars from world over during the meet, brainstorming seminars, debates, symposium and exchange of information will immensely help in evolving ways and means to strengthen Tamil language and Tamil literary work.
The depth of any language is measured from the literary work. Tamil, considered to be one of the richest and most ancient Dravidian languages with a glorious past, has to its credit a compendium of literature and great epics such as Thirukkural and Silapadikaram.
Tamil is the typical representative of the Dravidian heritage which is a significant component of the Indian heritage, without which any study of Indology will remain an incomplete and fragmented attempt.
Erosion in the dimension of the literary work now noticed not only in Tamil Language but in other regional languages of the country is a cause of concern.
I have no doubt that the conference will be an occasion to introspect seriously on this point.
All the ancient Tamil literature and great epics not only depicts the mirror image of our ancient history and culture but also act as a guiding force for living a stress free life. In order to instil confidence and move in the right path upholding our traditional moral values, we need to inculcate the reading habits among the younger generations.
The academicians and philanthropists should supplement the initiatives of the Government by giving adequate importance to the literature also in the curriculum, so that young talents can be groomed to take up literature more seriously.
We need to spread the message among the younger generation that by preserving our mother tongue we are preserving a culture, moral values and heritage for generations.
Our yesteryear Tamil scholars and poets were symbol of humility and perfect mankind. They were sages because they followed the path of direct experience. Direct experience is the highest of all ways of gaining knowledge. All other means are only fragments. In the path of self-realisation purity, one-pointedness, and control of the mind are essentials. An impure mind hallucinates and creates obstructions, but an orderly mind is an instrument for direct experiences.
Our younger generation is trapped in Maya of material wealth. By moving away from our tradition and by contemplating on evil, sin, avidya or maya we are putting ourselves in a state of stress and worry. Tradition is our identity and ignoring our tradition means losing our own identity. Let us not allow this to happen in the name of development or generation gap. No doubt economic development is essential but equally we have to preserve our tradition.
In fact, even as far as back 2000 years back, Thiruvalluvar stressed the importance of material wealth but emphasised that both means and end have to be honourable in acquiring wealth; and it is acquired for sharing it with the needy.
The westernisation and growing tendency to depart from the tradition has made its own negative impact on us.
The growth of the traditions are synonym with mother tongue and culture and therefore let us strengthen our mother tongue and once again strive to create literary sages restore the past glory tradition. It will help us to sail safely through the much troubled waters of modern time.
(The writer is Commissioner of Customs, Central Excise and Service Tax, Coimbatore)
