Thiruvalluvar

• Context (IE): PM extended his wishes on Thiruvalluvar Day.
• It was first celebrated on May 17 and 18, 1935, now regularly celebrated around 14-16 January after the Pongal celebration as “Mattu Pongal”.
• Valluvar year, or the Thiruvalluvar year, is an officially recognised Tamil calendar system.

Key Points related to Thiruvalluvar

• Thiruvalluvar, also called Valluvar, was a Tamil poet-saint.
• The period when he lived is debated, as is his religious identity.
  • Some accounts place him in the 3rd or 4th century CE; others date him to around 500 years later, in the 8th or 9th century.
• He is thought to be linked to Jainism. However, Hindus have also claimed that Thiruvalluvar belonged to Hinduism.
  • Many communities revere Valluvar as the 64th Nayanmar of the Shaivite tradition, notably those in Mylapore and Tiruchuli.
• Dravidian groups also count him as a saint, as he dismissed the caste system.
• Thiruvalluvar Day: Thiruvalluvar Day was first celebrated on May 17 and 18 in 1935.
  • At present, it is usually observed either on January 15 or 16 in Tamil Nadu and is a part of Pongal celebrations.
• Thiruvalluvar’s philosophy stresses the importance of ethics and emphasizes self-discipline, honesty, and equality.
• Thiruvalluvar is nowhere mentioned in thirukkural; he is named first in a later collection of verses known as ‘Thiruvalluva Malai’.

Thirukkural

• Tirukkural (Tamil: “Sacred Couplets”), also called Kural, is a classic Tamil text written by Thiruvalluvar.
• It has had an immense influence on Tamil culture and life.
• It is a collection of 1,330 couplets (kurals) that offer timeless wisdom on various aspects of life, including ethics, governance, love, and spirituality.
• Thirukkural is divided into three main parts or books:
  1. Aram (Virtue)- 38 Sections
  2. Porul (Wealth)- 70 Sections
  3. Inbam (Love).- 25 Sections

Aram

• It discusses virtues such as righteousness, truth, gratitude, and compassion.
• It emphasises the importance of leading a righteous life and upholding moral values in all circumstances.

Porul

• It provides insights into worldly affairs, including governance, economy, and friendship.
• It offers wisdom on topics like wealth management, administration, and the value of a good company.

Inbam

• It delves into the complexities of human emotions, love, and family life.

Structure and Themes

• It contains 1330 couplets, which are divided into 133 sections of 10 couplets each.
• The couplets are composed in a concise and poetic form, making them easily memorable and quotable.
• Kurals are an essential part of every Tamil household—in the same way that, say, the Bhagavad Gita or the Ramayana/ Ramcharitmanas are in traditional North Indian Hindu households.
• It is considered one of the greatest works on ethics and morality, and it is known for its universality and secular nature.
• It places a strong emphasis on moral vegetarianism and nonviolence as personal characteristics.
• It emphasises integrity, restraint, thankfulness, hospitality, kindness, wifely goodness, duty, generosity, and other virtues.
• Chapters on household life, friendship, and love are also included.

Valluvar is also a sub-caste group – priests of the Pallava kings before the introduction of Brahmins. But there is no clear evidence that Thiruvalluvar belonged to this sub-caste group.