People read 'Thirukkural' in Tamil, not English: DMK to Tamil Nadu Governor

The DMK mouthpiece was referring to Ravi’s repeated remarks on 'wrong translation' of the text by Pope, an Anglican Christian missionary

Opening yet another front with the Governor, Tamil Nadu’s ruling DMK on Wednesday targeted R N Ravi for his remarks that Thirukkural was “despiritualised” and “politicised” over the years by asking him to understand the meaning of the Tamil language text from “experts within the country” and not through translations by foreigners.

In a long editorial, DMK’s mouthpiece Murasoli asked the Governor not to belittle Thirukkural by trying to project that the text’s author the great Tamil poet-saint Thiruvalluvar had nothing new to tell the world other than what the “Aryan Principles” had already said. The DMK said everyone should remember that it was the Dravidian movement led by E V R Periyar that saved Thirukkural from the “Aryan onslaught.”

“It looks like Governor R N Ravi landed in Tamil Nadu with a vow to finish off Thirukkural. He drags Thirukkural into a controversy every day. A few months ago, the Governor said G U Pope wrongly translated Thirukkural into English. But crores of people have been reading the Kural in Tamil and not in English. He (Ravi) doesn’t even know this,” the editorial said.

The DMK mouthpiece was referring to Ravi’s repeated remarks on “wrong translation” of Thirukkural by Pope, an Anglican Christian missionary who transformed into a Tamil scholar, and that the “despiritualised text” should be “restored to its full glory.”

Thirukkural, penned by Thiruvalluvar, offers remedy or a piece of advice for every issue that the modern world encounters. Several political leaders, including Prime Minister Narendra Modi, have quoted from this piece of Tamil literature more than once.

In the editorial on Wednesday, the DMK said the Governor alluded to the Dravidian Movement when he said Thirukkural was being politicised. “What is the connection between Thirukkural and politics? Is Thirukkural an election manifesto that can be changed to suit the political needs. The text teaches the world how to live one’s life. We want people to follow the principles of Kural,” the editorial added.

The article said it was the ‘Kural Conferences’ organised by Periyar that saved Thirukkural from being appropriated by “Aryan forces” and recalled the words of the social reformer that the Tamil text was the “best counter to Aryan lies.”

“Efforts are being made to say Thiruvalluvar said nothing new. It is a lie. While Aryan principles segregate humans into four groups, Thirukkural which preaches equality among humans. Likewise, Thirukkural praises women but the Aryan principles don’t,” the editorial added.

The DMK also asked the Governor to “learn Thirukkural” through Tamil scholars in India and not from the notes of foreigners. Murasoli has been at the forefront of attacking the Governor on a slew of issues like the NEET bill, and imposition of Hindi.