Festember 2010
September heralds grand festivals to the three great sons of India. V.O. Chidambaram, popularly called as V.O.C, was born on September 5th. Thanthai Periyar Ramasamy, known as Periyar, and Arignar C.N. Annadurai, who endeared as 'Anna', were also born in this month.
V.O.C, the stormy petrel of the south, in the Indian National Congress Movement, was an exemplary blend of nationalism, Saivasiddantham, Scholarshp, and moral courage and rectitude. V.O.C factor acted as a great anti-dote to compromise-politics. He had the invincible audacity to call spade, a spade, and possessed unbounded love for freedom of expression, speech and practice. He never bowed before the citadel of power howsoever great. The present generation will draw much inspiration from this great source of knowledge, wisdom, and nationalism. Your Editor had the great privilege of writing a commentary on his Saivasiddhantha, in Kappalottia thamilan, run by the late V.O.C Shunmugasundaram. God has blessed your editor to write the epic of V.O.C in chaste Tamil. The work is nearing completion and expected to be released in January 2011.
Your editor had the boons of getting closer to the two great sons of Tamilnadu, Thanthai priyar and Arignar Anna. Thanthai Periyar showed utmost respect to every human being. He used to address even youngsters in plural, endearingly. Howsoever mighty a man might be when he hears Periyar's speaking to him he woud be mellowed. Whenever Periyar visited Madurai he would invariably call on Mr Govindarajan, a staunch believer in rationalism, residing at North Avanimoola veedi. Mr Govindarajan would send word for me, resting at Vidwan Ponnusamy Pillai street near by. I used to rush and pay my respect to Thanthai Periyar, and carefully listen to his conversation with the visitors. Memory of him draws faithful tears in my eyes.
Arignar Anna, the Bernard Shaw of the south, the gem from Kancheepuram - where I had the fortune of serving as The District collector - had shone in all fields of lives affecting the Tamils. He would come to see his friend Dr Arunachalam, during his Madurai Visit. We frequented Dr. Arunachalam's house on such occasions. My late friend Manoharan, pen named Senguttuvan, was a patron of Madurai Writers' Association. As a matter of fact Anna was instrumental in forming the Madurai writers sangam. It began like a weekly meeting of friends discussing useful literary and political matters. Then it expanded like a great Pipal Tree. If any one wanted to be reckoned as a writer or a poet, he had to necessarily participate in its proceedings. The Sangam was adorned by giants like Navalar Somasundara, Bharathiar, Avvai Doraisamy pillai, Dr A.C Chettiar, etc.
A word to the young folks:
"Please draw your sustenance from the writings and speeches of these three great sons of Tamil Nadu, and act according to your conscience - which will be roused by the words of the great three - then only you can save yourselves as well as your culture, country, and language, and Nationalism. May you be blessed."
The Grand 3's Festember
(Metre sitigotyo/aa bb)
by Kavignar Bacon
(1)
"V.O.C the South's Tilakar,
The stormy petrel
The Tamil's National Pride,
Welcome from astral!
Infuse your spirit to the youth,
To fight all evil
To correct the guilty,let them,
Their whips crackle!"
(2)
"Arignar Anna,the quick witted!
The Shaw of the South!
Thanthai Periyar was well known,
The Ingersoll worth!
Grand sire stormed the bastion,
Of the castes' base!
His sons Anna, Kalaignar, razed it,
To the ground enmasse"
(3)
"We invoke the blessings of You,
To preserve our land,
Of Culture Dravidian,
Our Dear home ground!
Of Fearless living with,
Right to livelihood!
From each as much as able,
To each as per his need"
(4)
"All the three of you were born,
In sweet September!
We will call this month,fondly,
A good Festember!
May your indomitable ,
Courage `nd bravery,
Dawn on our land!,we do need,
To rewrite History"
Dr. P. Pandian I.A.S (Retd)
(Kavignar Bacon)
Editor
My tryst with The Cankam literature in translating into English
By
Dr. P. Pandian, I.A.S (Retd)
Paper presented at the International Classical Tamil World Meet
On English Translation of Cankam works
Organised By The Centre For Classical Tamil Under The Aegis Of The Government Of Tamilnadu
At Coimbatore, 23rd to 27th June 2010
Download the full paper (PDF file)
Download the presentation (PPT file)
Kaviyogii announces a poetry competition!
Write briefly, beautifully what you think best which you deem to serve mankind.
What is your suggestion for lessening air pollution?
Send an article to The Philosopher Guide, our magazine. We will publish it in the next issue.
Send your rare painting or drawing.
All submissions can be sent via e-mail to drpandian14@gmail.com or by post.
The ancient method of rain harvest
A reticulated structure made of tin sheets or made of lime mortar will be constructed just below the water spouts in the ceilings below the the house terraces. The first rain would be allowed to wash off the dirt. The second shower will fill these reticulated structures and the overflow only will be allowed to drain in to the vicinity of the household wells and the excess will run off in to the street which too will be directed to flow over soakage pits filled with sand which will recharge the subsoil water table. The further excess will be saved in tanks and ponds in villages.
I have seen these arrangements in Singampunari Panchayat Union areas in 1958. I am prepared to give free advice for those interested. Please e-mail drpandian14@gmail.com for details.
We can take up any type of voluntary agency work for execution in India, that is entrusted to us by various welfare agencies in the world. We ensure 100% utilization as per the objective of the welfare organization, in the field of poverty alleviation front like
- Free distribution of foodstuffs to the poor and the afflicted
- Free distribution of medicines
- Community development work, advice, planning and execution
- Preservation of nature
- Ecological balance maintaining
- Tapping of natural resources for human welfare without affecting in anyway the Nature's wealth
An open letter to the heads of temples and heads of religious bodies:
We request you to kindly peruse the books authored by Kaviyogii in the Publications page. If you want talavaralaru to your temples, Kaviyogii is pleased to sing extempore.
- Kaviyogii |
