Hailing the Tamil classic “Tirukkural”, Prime Minister Modi said it was a guide for life and should be read.
Chennai:
Prime Minister Narendra Modi spoke to a hairdresser from Tamil Nadu on Sunday as part of his “ Mann Ki Baat ” program and praised his initiative to encourage reading by converting part of his living room into a library.
Hailing the Tamil classic “Tirukkural”, Prime Minister Modi said it was a guide for life and should be read.
The book is available in all Indian languages, the Prime Minister said on his monthly radio show “Mann ki Baat”.
Tirukkural or Kural in Brief is an ancient Tamil didactic literature containing 1330 couplets, offering advice to people from all walks of life.
Beginning his conversation in Tamil with “vanakkam” and “nalla irukkeengala” (how are you), the Prime Minister asked the owner of the salon, Pon Mariyappan, how he came up with the idea of creating a library.
Mariyappan, from Tuticorin in southern Tamil Nadu, said that, not having had the opportunity to study beyond grade 8 due to family circumstances, he set up a library for the benefit of others.
When Prime Minister Modi asked him which book he liked, the hairdresser replied “Tirukkural”.
Prime Minister Modi, who continued to speak in Tamil, said he was happy to have spoken with him and Mariyappan also said he was extremely happy.
After speaking to him, the prime minister said, “We just spoke to Pon Mariyappan ji. See how he dresses people’s hair, he also gives them the opportunity to dress their lives.”
“It was nice to hear about the popularity of Tirukkural. You have all heard about the popularity of Tirukkural. Today Tirukkural is available in all languages of India. If the opportunity arises, it should be. read. In a way, it’s a guide to life, ”he says.
Prime Minister Modi had also quoted Tirukkural on several occasions.
In his Independence Day speech last year, when discussing the “Jal-Jeevan” mission, he quoted a verse “Neer indri Amayadhu” to stress the importance of water.
In July, he cited verses from the old text to stress that the Indian armed forces had always followed centuries-old traditions of bravery and honor.
Speaking to party workers, BJP leader JP Nadda said last November: “Thirukkural is a great source of inspiration for humanity.”
Last year, Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman cited another Tamil classic “Purananooru” to say the government was in favor of sound taxation.
