Chinmaya IAS Academy – Current Affairs Chinmaya IAS Academy – Current Affairs
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5.THIRUVALLUVAR DAY
The Prime Minister remembered Thiruvalluvar on the occasion of Thiruvalluvar Day (15 January 2021), observed to mark the birth anniversary of Tamil poet andphilosopher.
ABOUT THE THIRUVALLUVAR DAY:
- It was first celebrated on 17 -18 May in 1935.
- In the present time, it is usually observed either on 15 or 16 January in Tamil Nadu and is a part of Pongal
ABOUT THIRUVALLUVAR:
- Thiruvalluvar, also called Valluvar, was a Tamil poet-saint.
- He is regarded as a cultural and moral icon for Tamils across caste and religious lines.
- The period when he lived is debated, as is his religious identity. Some place him in the third or fourth century; others put him in the eighth or ninth.
- Some call him a Hindu; some trace his past to Jainism; Dravidian groups count him as a saint, as he dismissed the caste system.
- His primary work Thirukkural (contribution to Tamil Literature) contains
1330 couplets (kurals).
- The text is divided int o three parts with teachings on dharma, artha, and kama (virtue, wealth and love).
SOCIAL SIGNIFICANCE OF THIRUVALLUVAR:
- A statue of the legendary Tamil poet was unveiled in Ulsoor, near Bengaluru, in 2009.
- A statue of Valluvar was also erected outside the School of Oriental and African Studies in Russell Square, London.
- A 133-foot tall statue of Thiruvalluvar stands at Kanyakumari as well.
- The Thiruvalluvar University was established in Vellore district of Tamilnadu by the Government of Tamilnadu in October 2002.
- In 1976, a temple-memorial called Valluvar Kotam was built in Chennai and houses one of the largest auditoriums in Asia.
- In the early 16 century, a temple dedicated to Thiruvalluvar was built within the Ekambareswarar temple complexin Mylapore, Chennai.
SOURCE: PIB
