[Ilugc] Tamil Renaissance
- From: ramanraj@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx (Ramanraj K)
- Date: Sun Aug 8 19:15:04 2004
Bala Pillai wrote:
Painlessly Resourcing Tamil/Indian Renaissance...
Revaival of interest in Tamil, at this juncture would pay rich dividend:
First, Tamil itself could find an internet niche where it could maintain
continuity with the past and grow into the future; Secondly, others
would get a chance to learn much from Tamil literature and culture.
Recently, a friend reminded me of the poem:
Varappuyara Neer Uyarum;
Neer Uyara Nel Uyarum;
Nel Uyara Kudi Uyarum;
Kudi Uyara Kon Uyarvaan.
Roughly, it could be translated as:
Raising ridges raise water;
Raising water raise crops;
Raising crops raise the subjects;
Raising subjects raise the king.
Tamil literature is full of stunning depth, truth and wisdom. Where
else is there an equal for Avvayar's Athichoodi - the Tamil Needhi Nool?
Which other culture could teach high ethical principles with such
simplicity to its children? The Tamil Treasures need to be made
available urgently to everyone.
Tamil is the oldest spoken language which has yet managed to maintain
its youth and vigour. Computing languages need to learn much from the
way Tamil has evolved with strong and simple root words: kal, man, vaan,
etc. which appear to have been retained unchanged over several thousand
years. I am not sure how many would agree for a freeze of a particular
standard- say ANSI C, so that code written today may be intelligible a
hundred or even a thousand years later [please imagine its use in
manned/unmanned space missions of the near future]. The last scholar who
took great pride and interest in the study of ancient Tamil History and
Culture was probably P.T. Srinivasa Iyengar. He revealed in his books
that there are several villages deep inside Tamil Nadu, where time has
stood still over several millenia. The discipline in Tamil grammar deals
not only with the language but also binds the culture and life of its
people.
I agree with Siva and SRS on everything else :)
Kindly post in a line or two, what you expect from volunteers to
contribute towards the project.
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