Throwing Light on the Dravidian Culture in Indus Valley

For N. Ganesan, an acclaimed archaeologist from Houston, U.S.A, who has been in the mission to prove the Dravidian cultural links with the Indus Valley civilisation, the recent DNA evidence on the streaming of Aryans into India around 2000-1500 BC, has strengthened his theories.

Ganesan, a native of Pollachi,is an engineer in the National Aeronautics and Space Administration ( NASA). He obtained his Phd from Pennsylvania State University. But, with his passion for Tamil literature and history, he carved a niche for himself  in the field of archaeology. 

An associate of erudite scholars across the world including George L . Hart, Asko Parpola, Iravatham Mahadevan and Michael Witzel, the man from the agricultural town says: 

“ A genetic research, based on a barrack of a new DNA evidence has clearly stated that Aryans’entered India from 2000 B.C to 1500 B.C at the end of Indus Valley civilisation, carrying with them the texts of their pastoral literature ”

Explaining the genetic research, Ganesan notes:      

“ Prof. Martin Richards of the University of Huddersfield, U.K and his team of scientists, recently opined that the Y-DNA ( Chromosomes transmitted from father to son) in India showed a major external gene infusion from outside the country within the last 4000 to 4500 years. On the other hand, the mtDNA ( Chromosomes transmitted from mother to daughter) reflected little external gene infusion. Because, the migrants were mostly men”

Linking the recent DNA evidence with the history of research in Indus Valley, the archaeologist points out: 

“ Aryan language speakers entered India after the decline of Indus Valley civilisation. Eminent people including Henry Heras, a Spanish Jesuit priest, archaeologist and historian, Iravatham Mahadevan, another noted archaeologist, and Asko Parpola, a Finnish Indologist have researched and written much pointing to the Dravidian elements found  in the religion, culture and arts of the Indus Valley”

Ganesan has presented several research papers on the cultural aspects of Indus Valley civilisation at a number of symposia in India and abroad.

 Illustrating a seal discovered from Mohenjo-daro, Ganesan explains how the Dravidian link to Indus Valley civilisation was blacked out by the later Vedic religion : 

“ The deity on the seal is seen surrounded by a tiger, elephant, rhinoceros and water buffalo.There, you can also see a fish and a gharial. The bull-horned male God of the Indus valley can be called ‘ Pasupathi’ or ‘Proto Siva’. But on the contrary, He is ‘Varuna’, the God of the Sangam age landscape Neithal ( Seashore), who was later incorporated as Lord Siva in the Hindu pantheon” 

Also displaying another Indus valley seal, the archaeologist explains   : 

“ The female deity depicted here is none other than the Sangam age Goddess Kottravai.  Known for Her ferocity, the Tamil Goddess was later converted into Durga or Kali in Hinduism. In Hindu iconography, Durga is identified with lion as her vahana, but not one in the 7000 Indus seals, She is seen with the lion. But, the engraving of Kottravai’s  image on a pottery piece, which was discovered at the archaeological site in Adichanallur ,  She was seen with her vahana - the deer” 

Ganesan opinion reminds a cave painting at Marayur, which also represents Kottravai surrounded by the deer.

Link to the article in The New Indian Express: http://epaper.newindianexpress.com/c/21033361

The Man, Who Named Kovai Bards as ‘ Vanambadis ‘

The society-centric Vanambadi 

Poetry Movement of Coimbatore, which defined itself a ‘revolutionary’ organisation in the early 1970s and took Tamil modern poetry to the masses, believe it or not, had its first interactive meeting in the building of a Congress Mandram ( Congress party office ) ! 

Though the Vanambadi movement and its poetry magazine of the same title  ‘ Vanambadi on the same title later became defunct, poet Elamurugu, one of its pillars, has recently brought out his omnibus edition of his poems titled Vanambadi Elamurugu Kavithaikal. The book has been produced in ‘ Vanambadi Achagam’ the printing press too that bears his organisation’s name. The printing press named after the ‘Vanambadi’ memories is now looked after by Elamurugu’s son Manivannan.

“ After Agniputran and Palainilavan, the two younger poets of those days, expressed their wish to me and my friend poet Puviarasu that we should found a movement for modern poetry, we discussed the agenda in our first meeting held in the building of a ‘Congress Mandram’ at Uppilipalayam near Singanallur. When I gave the name for the organisation as 'Vanambadis' ( Skylarks), my suggestion was unanimously accepted “ recalls Elamurugu. 

The poet avers that only the Vanambadi movement discovered the poet in today’s visually  Marxian literary critic, the visually-challenged Kovai Gnani. Though the philosophy-loving critic never writes poetry, he did write verses when he was a Vanambadi and had his book of poems published on the title Kallikai those days. 

“ We were also inspired by the poetry of K.C.S. Arunachalam, who is remembered for his memorable Tamil lyric Chinna Chinna Mookuthiyam in the film Paadhai Theriyuthu Paaar , and Nilavu Poo, a book of poems by Sirpi Balsubramaniam’s, a two-time recipient of Sahitya Akademi award    

Jana Sundaram, another critic from the Vanambadi movement, in his foreword to Elamurugu’s book, points out: 

“Though Elamurugu is a modern poet, his verses take root from the poetics employed in the traditional Tamil Sangam lyrics. Also, the poet’s little knowledge in English has saved his verses from the western influence”    

Though the beginning of the Vanambadi Poetry Movement was simple on a day in the Coimbatore of 1970s, its magazine Vanambadi published the writings of a number of poets, who later scaled heights of fame in creative literature. They include poets Meera,, Bala, Inquilab, Salem Tamilnadan,, Abdul Rahman, Erode Tamilanban and many more. Also, today’s popular novelist Prabanchan wrote his poems in Vanambadi under his byline ‘Prabanchakavi’ !. 

A retired Tamil teacher from Kikani Vidya Mandir Matric. Hr. Sec. School, Elamurugu was the close friend and classmate of poet Puviarasu, a two-time Sahitya Akademi award winner today and another pillar of the Vanambadi Poetry Movement. 

“ While Puviarasu and I were classmates in Thavathiru Santhalinga Adigalar Tamil College in Perur, we cycled to the institution everyday, discussing poetry.” recalls Elamurugu, an octogenarian now. 

Vanambadi Elamurugu Kavithaikal - In a nutshell

Besides his major poems, Elamurugu’s book contains also his Tamil rendering of Walt Whitman’s popular verse Out of the cradle endlessly rocking and renowned Malayalam poet N. Kumaran Ashan’s Maaruthal. The front jacket of the book displays the author’s colourful image, which was drawn by ‘Cine Arts’ Jeevananthan, a city-based renowned painter and film critic, who bagged the National award for his book on Indian and world cinema Thirai Seelai’. Interestingly, Jeevananthan was Elamurugu’s student in his school days. 

‘ Though I studied Hindi as second language, our school’s Tamil teacher Elamurugu encouraged me to instill the habit of reading Tamil books. While I was drawing his image after these 45 years, I couldn’t help conjuring up the image of our school teacher, ‘a young Elamurugu’ and me, the school boy ! “ avers Jeeva.  

Link to my article in The New Indian Express: http://epaper.newindianexpress.com/c/20926352
 
 

His Wings Disliked to Carry a Crown

As tonic of encouragement, instead of showing the mirage to a thirsty traveler, it is better to make him behold a desert, for at least there, he can come across an oasis. It is from this principle, rose the poetry of Inquilab – a popular modern Tamil poet, who passed away last year.

“ By digging deep at least in the desert, you can discover a spring. But, it is futile to chase the mirage in the belief that it contains water ” says Inquilab in his book Oru Magudaththai Sirakukal Sumandhu Sellaathu, ( Wings do not carry a crown), which was his interview to the All India Radio, Coimbatore.

K.Stalin, former assistant director of All India Radio, Coimbatore, and an author of a number of books, profiled the poet once and has recently brought out the interview as a book.

“ Since I felt that Inquilab 's opinions on Tamil society, its history and literature should not be gone with the wind, I have documented it as a book” says Stalin.

In his radio interview, Inquilab says that he could see through pieces of classical Tamil literature how life was in an undemocratic world. At the same time, he also came across the literary characters, who dared questioning even the king's absolute power.

“ In the great Tamil epic Cilapathikaram, the heroine Kannagi, a rich woman-turned commoner, questioned the Pandya king Nedunchezhian in Madurai for his unjust act of killing her innocent husband. Such a question by a woman stands testimony to an individual's voice against injustice even in the days of monarchy “ notes Inquilab .

Affectionately called as ' Makkal Pavalar ' ( People's poet ) for his poems written from a subaltern perspective, Inquilab says that classical Tamil literature has stood as a mirror to reflect the continuing class struggle , in which the mighty overthrows the weak.

“ At the end of Sangam age, the greedy kings of the three major dynasties – Cheras, Cholas and Pandyas laid siege to the fortified Parambunadu, a region ruled by the Tamil chieftain Pari, who is known as the last of the seven great patrons. The chieftain was finally killed by a treachery and his territory captured, Histories say that Pari was defeated, but I see the chieftain’s death as his victory over the mighty kings, for he did not yield to their pressure. Being the chieftain to the tribal community of the mountainous Parambunadu, Pari is praised for his munificence, as poet Kapilar sang paeans on him in Purananuru, a Sangam period work” details Inquilab .

Writers from the 'serious' Tamil literary world criticized Inquilab 's poems to the extent of calling them as ' communist posters', for he wrote verses from a subaltern perspective.

It may be noted that Inquilab returned the Tamil Nadu government's Kalaimamani award in 2006, citing the government's failure in protecting the Sri Lankan Tamils.

“I am a bird with a flair for flying. In the name of an award, I don't want to carry a crown on my wings” says Inquilab

Oru Magudaththai Sirakukal Sumandhu Sellaathu, in a nutshell

The book is a document of the late Tamil poet Inquilab 's interview to the All India Radio, Coimbatore. In a chat with K.Stalin, who was the programme executive then, Inquilab shares his views on classical Tamil literature, history and modern poetry. A poet, playwright, columnist and social activist, Inquilab says if circumstances prevented him from standing by the side of justice in a social issue, he always shook off the former and stood by the latter. 

Link to the article in The New Indian Express : http://epaper.newindianexpress.com/c/19354706 

'Adukku Mozhi' Ramasamy - An Extempore Orator in Rhythmic Tamil Language

'Adukku Mozhi' Ramasamy: Photo by:  Prakash Chellamuthu

The former headmaster of a city-based school, which had once been singing' Jana Gana Mana' as its school song even before it was made the national anthem, is a Tamil scholar of exceptional talents. The octogenarian 'Adukkumozhi ' Ramasamy is known for his amazing skill of delivering speeches extempore in a rhythmic Tamil language. What's more, his passion for the cadence made him even to name his home as Thamizh Chimizh ! ( Casket of Tamil )

“ I was told that on a day in the pre-independence era, great poet Rabindranath Tagore had visited our school and sang his poem 'Jana Gana Mana' for the students. From then on, the institution began to sing it everyday as its school song, until, at a later time, it was declared as the National anthem” says Ramasamy, former headmaster of the heritage institution - PSG Sarvajana Higher Secondary School.

Known for his extempore Tamil speech in a language, which is full of alliteration, consonance and rhyme, he is appropriately called ' Adukkumozhi ' Ramasamy. Go to his home at Peelamedu Pudur, the 84 year old is sure to hold you spellbound by his sweet rhythmic language, even as he welcomes you at the entrance.

“ I do not know how I mastered the skills in word play. However, I had the opportunity of studying under legendary Tamil professors Ma. Ra.Po. Gurusamy, Tha.Ea. Gnanamurthy, A. Ki. Paranthamanar, Rasamanickanar, Avvai Duraisamy Pillai and Aram, who were my inspirations” he informs.

Ramasamy is also an alumnus of same PSG Sarvajana Higher Secondary School between 1946 and 1949, when Srinivasa Iyengar, father of the famous educationist S.S.Rajagopalan, was its headmaster.

“ Baskar Iyer was my Hindi master at school. A powerful orator in Hindi, English and Tamil, he would come to the institution in his 'Angawastram' draped around his neatly ironed white shirt. It would resemble the dressing style of C. Rajagopalachari, the last governor general of India” recalls Ramasamy.

In Coimbatore today, shops selling fresh fruit and vegetables are numerous with their common name 'Pazhamudhir Nilayam'.

“ But, the term was first coined by Ramasamy Ayya” chips in Kumarasamy, a present day Tamil teacher at the PSG Sarvajana Higher Secondary School, during Ramasamy's interview for Coimbatore Express.

And Ramasamy recalls the incident:

“ When one of my students set up a shop to sell fruit and vegetables and wanted me to give a name for it, I coined the term ' Pazhamudir Nilayam'. And today, I am glad to see that it has become a common phrase to call any fruit and vegetables shop”

While Ramasamy was a student at Sri RamakrishnaVidyalaya, its founder and former education minister T.S. Avinashilingam Chettiar lauded him for his oratorical skills in rhythmic Tamil language and told him to accompany Acharya Vinoba Bhave in a padhayatra from Mettupalam to Perur – the leader's campaign for Bhoodhan movement in Coimbatore.

“ In the procession, I even composed a song 'Nilathai Pangi Thaareero Bhave,Vino Bhave..' and sang it throughout the campaign “ reminisces Ramasamy.

The octogenarian, who has addressed in numerous literary meetings, was recently invited to speak in a wedding held at Washington in the US.

“ Interestingly, it was the marriage of a Thanjavur-based Tamil bride with an American bridegroom, whose name is Stuart Francis Murphy. When I solemnized their wedding, I made the American groom recite the couplets from Thirukural and explained the work's glory to the American guests” says Ramasamy.

With his passion for chaste Tamil, Ramasamy christened his son and daughter as 'Porchezhiyan' and 'Poonguzhali' respectively.

“ My grandchildren 'Amutha Yazhini' and 'Nambi', who are pursuing higher education in the US now, speak chaste Tamil better than me” winds up Ramasamy. 

Link to my article in The New Indian Express: http://epaper.newindianexpress.com/c/18507372 

Compiling The Rationalist's Ideas on Society

 If rationalist leader Periyar E.V. Ramasamy's wife Nagammal and his younger sister Kannammal lived today and picketed the TASMAC outlets, as how they had done at the toddy shops after an order from Mahatma Gandhi, they too might have been slapped by a senior police officer for their 'irreverent' act against the 'divine' drink.

“ While Periyar was in the Congress movement, he involved his wife Nagammal and his younger sister Kannammal in Gandhiji's non-cooperative movement to bring a total ban on alcohol. And this incident in the history of freedom struggle portrays the atheist cum feminist's wish to bring women to public life “ says Parimala Manalan Arokiyasamy, who has edited the book 'Periyar – Indrum, Endrum ( Periyar, today and forever) an omnibus edition of the rationalist leader's selected writings.

However, Arokiyasamy says:

“ Nagammal and Kannammal played a key role in the anti-liquor stir of those days, and there have been no reports of the two women got beaten up by police. What's more, even in the salt satyagraha, the British cops did not exercise violence on women. But a police officer slapped a woman protestor in the recent anti-liquor stir at Samalapuram in Tirupur district. The barbaric act reflects only a society, which is devoid of culture ”

A well-read man in the moral pieces of Tamil literature, Arokiyasamy says:

“ Despite great developments in science and technology, the present day society lacks in moral values. With Tamil being rich in didactic pieces of literature, edifying works like Thirukural and Naladiyar need to be taught to the modern day cops in order to make them understand what humanity is”

A retired post master from the Central Post Office and a staunch follower of Periyar EVR's ideology on feminism, Arokiyasamy tagged his wife's name 'Parimalam' with his, and has been called ' Parimala Manalan Arokiyasamy' ever since the day when he took to writing.

'Parimalam', as he is shortly mentioned by the intellectuals of Coimbatore, points out:

“ Periyar EVR is incorrectly understood as a mere atheist and materialist. And most of us have failed to know him a great humanist, whose atheism is based on humanism.”

As a student in the Government Arts College, Coimbatore in the early 1970s, Parimalam, with his college mates, met Periyar when the leader came to meet his friend and popular scientist G.D.Naidu in the city.

“ As we entered the G.D Naidu Hall, Periyar stood up in respect and welcomed us. In course of his conversation, he advised us to concentrate only on our academic studies and not get deviated from the path of progress ” reminisces Parimalam

However, in the following year, Parimalam experienced a rare coincidence in his life:

“ After my graduation, I felt the compulsion of taking up a job. And I received the appointment order from the Department of Posts on December 24, 1973 - the very day Periyar breathed his last !. And the agony caused by the great man's demise, did not allow me to share my joy of getting the government job with anyone“

Periyar – Indrum, Endrum – In a nutshell

The voluminous book has been published by the city-based ' Vidiyal Pathipagam'. The work acknowledges V.Anaimuthu, a veteran researcher on Periyar's literature, Dravidar Kazhagam leader K.Veeramani and Kolathur Mani, founder of Dravidar Viduthali Kazhagam, from whose publications the articles were taken. Pulavar Senthalai. Na. Gowthaman, the first social historian of Coimbatore, and Tholkappiyan, another ardent collector of Periyar's works, provided the source materials to the editor for making this comprehensive book. The work brings out the necessity of Periyar's ideas, from whose perspective one can view the social and political affairs of any time. A convenient material for quick reference,the work has been compiled in the discipline of EVR's articles under respective titles as society, religion, god, caste, philosophy, education, culture, women's emancipation and so on. 

 Link to the article in The New Indian Express : http://epaper.newindianexpress.com/c/18408825 

Sharing People's Discovery of Kovai's Ancient Highway

History enthusiasts Perur Jayaraman and Anbarasu share their views on the Rajakesari Peruvazhi inscription: Picture by L.Anantharaman

For the illiterate villagers living on the forest fringes, a strange four-lined note inscribed on a slab of rock inside the woods must have been an enigma. And one such inscription is still seen inside the Madukarai forest. Though eminent epigraphists later deciphered the inscription, people had viewed it from a different perspective earlier.

The inscription found in the Madukarai forest 

The venba, a four-lined Tamil poem inscribed on the rock praises a Chola king for his relaying an ancient highway and trade route called 'Rajakesari Peruvazhi' which had connected the east and west seashores before the Christian era. The poem, inscribed in the old Tamil vattezhuthu ( rounded alphabet), praises the king for his deployment of a 'shadow army' in the highway to protect the traveling traders from the attack of robbers. But now, one can hardly believe the location of the inscription is the disused Rajakesari Peruvazhi, for it is now a haunt of wild elephants.

Archeologist Poongundran's imprint of the inscription in 1976

“ Though elders in our village hardly knew to mention it as 'kalvettu', a technical Tamil term for stone inscription, they simply called it 'ezhuthu parai' ( Letter rock) “ says Anbarasu, a native of Ettimadai, a forest fringe on Tamil Nadu – Kerala borders in Coimbatore.

Anbarasu, who was once a shepherd, used to read magazines as his cows and goats grazed in the woods. As usual on a day, he was busy reading a book about the disused ancient highway Rajakesari Peruvazhi. Interestingly, the Rajakesari Peruvazhi was nothing other than the spot where Anbarasu was reading the book!

Epigraphist D.Sundaram's rewriting of the old Tamil vattezhuthu inscription 

“ I was much elated to know that I was at the spot, which the book was telling me about ! “ he avers.

As heard from his ancestors, Anbarasu recalls another interesting incident on the inscription:
" As the epigraph was a mystery to the villagers, they believed that the ununderstandable writing in it contained the secret of a treasure, which was buried inside a nearby well. They had also been of the opinion that a 'Bootham' (a goblin) was keeping watch of the treasure. And one day, the people even got a yagna  performed by the local priests to appease the 'Bootham' and get his 'permission' to dig up the 'treasure !. The superstitious people did not know that the well was constructed by the king to quench the thirst of the traveling traders and their horses and bullocks " 

Recalling a different experience, 68 year-old Perur Jayaraman, a well- known source person for Coimbatore history, shares how he stumbled upon the stone inscription:

“ While I was a boy, I accompanied a s

ervant of our farmland to take lunch for a man that was absconding at K.G.Chavady, being accused of a crime. On our way from Perur to Chavady through the forest, we halted at a spot. There, a man met our servant and told him that his friend was sleeping on the 'ezhuthu parai'. And that was when, I heard the inscription being called so”

Having observed the four-lined inscription, a surprised Jayaraman told his parents that it was written in a 'ruled notebook', as a horizontal line ran engraved under each line in the epigraph!

Though Anbarasu and Perur Jayaraman hail from Ettimadai and Perur respectively and had little chance to meet each other, City Express brought the two together for a freewheeling chat on Rajakesari Peruvazhi. The history enthusiasts recalled how the stone inscription had an impact on the people living in the forest fringe.

However, R. Poongundran, former assistant director, Tamil Nadu Archeolgy Department, who deciphered the inscription in 1976 , says:

“ The epigraph mentions only a Chola king's title as 'Kokandan'. Even R. Nagasamy, the then director of Tamil Nadu Archeology department, opined that the title could refer to king Rajaraja. But, after long years, when I stumbled upon another stone inscription mentioning king Aditya Chola I as 'Kokandan', I confirmed that he was the one that relaid the Rajakesari Peruvazhi,which ran through Coimbatore for many centuries even before the Christian era” 

 Link to the feature in The NewIndian Express: http://epaper.newindianexpress.com/c/16779468 

A Modern Writer's Admiration for the Tamil Classic

Eminent English philosopher Francis Bacon's popular quote differentiating kinds of books as 'Some books are to be tasted, others to be swallowed, and some few to be chewed and digested' can hardly include one book in Tamil for its exceptional quality, as heard from its definition by famed modern Tamil writer Jeyamohan. And the book is none other than Thirukural.“  

 Readers cannot get the essence of a couplet in Thirukural just by reading it as a mere group of words. Rather, they should 'train' themselves in its every letter, word and contemplate it to obtain the wisdom, which the great poet and philosopher Thiruvalluvar conveyed through the seven- worded Kural Venba - a short verse form, whose composition requires strict prosodic rules “ averred Jeyamohan.

Addressing the three-day programme 'Kuralinuthu' ( sweet is Thirukural) on the immortal Tamil classic, which was organised by Sri Krishna Sweets in the city, the modern writer said:

“Kural Venba is a 'sutra' - a concise form, which expresses what is needed, but strictly in a very few words. And the couplets in Thirukural were primarily meant for learning and saying by heart. Nevertheless, in the modern age, the method has been changed from 'payiluthal' (knowing by practice) to 'vasithal' ( mere reading) ”

Describing such serious methods of 'exercising' or 'practising' the Thirukural couplets, he informed:

“ One of the disciples of the social reformer Sree Narayana Guru practised Thirukural in such a way. Because, the classic, which should be called 'a book of meditation' is to be learned deeply throughout one's life, as the work is incomparably wise to provide answers for all questions in human life”

Quoting T.S.Eliot, a famous 20^th century British poet, essayist and literary critic, Jeyamohan said that Eliot defines a classic as a literary piece that has the capability of producing more such works in the days to come.

“ And Thirukural, being one such classic, stood as an inspiration  for the birth of similar didactic pieces of literature like Cilapathikaram, Manimekalai and Naladiyar , which appeared later and preached the virtues for mankind ”

Paying his tribute to the recent demise of Vanavan Mahadevi, a 36 year-old muscular dystrophy patient and founder of Aadhav Trust for the development of similar patients of her kind, Jeyamohan explained how a couplet in Thirukural defines life and death philosophically thus:

Death is like a slumber deep

And birth like waking from that sleep

Describing a classic being the supreme creation of a culture, Jeyamohan admired Thiruvalluvar for his love and concern to mankind that he curses even the creator of the world 'to wander and perish', if human beings were destined to survive by begging and living. The 1062^nd couplet reads thus:

If he that shaped the world desires that men should begging go,

Through life's long course, let him a wanderer be and perish so.

Sharing his visit to Shravanabelagola, a pilgrimage destination of the Jains, Jeyamohan said:

“The Jain ascetic Bhadrabahu migrated with thousands of his disciples including Chandragupta Maurya, the king-turned monk, to Shravanabelagola, a pilgrimage destination in Karnataka for Jains today. Thiruvalluvar, who was also a Jain scholar, is believed to have breathed his last at Shravanabelagola, which was once called as 'Saravana Vellai Kulam' in Tamil. In the bygone era, it was a practice there to outline a Jain scholar's feet and engrave them on rocks. And I walked amidst such plenty of engravings on the mountain”

The audience were moved to tears, as Jeyamohan closed his speech thus:

“ Of the large number of foot prints engraved at Shravanabelagola, one could be Thiruvalluvar's. At this point, I touch and make obeisance to it ”

Link to my story in The New Indian Express: http://epaper.newindianexpress.com/c/16258555