Having crafted a wonderful veena

[The following is the translated version of a special article under the above mentioned title in the section ‘Tamil Nadu – Classical Language Research Centre’ by its correspondent R.Mani in its issue dated Feb.1, 2012.]

The Classical Tamil Research Centre and one of its organ ‘Paavendar Classical Tamil Language Research Library’, created with utmost care during Kalaignar’s rule, now remain paralysed with none to take care of.

M.Alarmel Mangai, who took for her Ph.D., thesis, the content and quality of research papers produced in the last 150 years on Tamil classics, Tholkappiyam and Muthollayiram, would not have thought that she would suddenly be subjected to such a crisis. After completing her M.A., in English literature from Delhi University, when she wished to achieve something in her mother tongue, Tholkappiyam and Muthollayiram attracted her interest. Owing to family circumstances, she started her Ph.D., research work on this subject of her liking in Delhi University itself. The reason for her confidence was the shifting of Classical Tamil Higher Research Centre functioning in Mysore to Chennai in 2007. That research papers of the past 200 years and rare compilations of informations on 41 classical literatures including Tholkappiyam and Muthollayiram found place in Paavendar Tamil Research Library attached to this centre., gave her the courage to take up research on this subject.

But now Alarmel Mangai feels like travelling in a paddleless boat. Reason is the shabby and disorderly state in which the Paavendar Classical Tamil Research Library is now.  Immediately after winning in 2011 Assembly elections and assuming the seat of power, the first work J. Jayalalitha performed was immediately shifting Paavendar Classical Research Library functioning at Old Assembly Hall to New Secretariat complex. Overnight about 40,000 rare varieties of books and palm leaf manuscripts were bundled in gunny bags and carried away. These bundles were strewn over the floors in a only 4,000 sq ft. room in New Secretariat complex. This library functioning in 14,000 sq ft. was shifted to just 4,000 sq ft. room. Those which could be accommodated in 86 steel book racks were stored in that 4,000 sq ft. room to the extent possible and the rest are lying in a pitiable condition in the veranda outside at Omandurar Government Estate complex where New Secretariat is situated. Thousands of books are remaining stale without being taken out from hardboard boxes. An employee of the library who wants to be anonymous told told ‘India Today’, “We do not know how to take out these books without any damage to them, seggregate and place in order. All are the outcome of human labour of a few centuries.”

Due to the consistent efforts of DMK President Kalaignar the Central government accorded classical language status to Tamil. Then Higher Research Centre for Tamil was set up in the  Division for Classical Languages in Mysore. This forum functioning under Union Human Resources Ministry was shifted to Chennai in 2007 after Kalaignar took charge as Tamil Nadu Chief Minister. As a part of this Paavendar Classical Tamil Research Library was set up. It was with the intention of developing usage of Classical Tamil in all manners that this research centre and this library to support it were set up. This library found with the aim of assisting students of Tamil working for post-graduate degrees and Ph.D., and post-Ph.D. degrees, remains unused by anybody during the last seven months.

The police do not permit anybody even to the side where the room containing these books in the New Secretariat is situated. This is bringing tears in the eyes of Tamil students and enthusiasts. But, except a few, others even avoid speaking about this. “What is there to speak about this?” The truths are clearly visible to you. Let the media report what they witness. Moreover, nobody looks at things objectively. They see only from the angle of so-and-so is close to so-and-so”, says former Anna University Vice-Chancellor and Tamil scholar V.C.Kulandaiswamy. Officials concerned say that despite their several requests for an appointment with Jayalalitha for demanding allocation of a new office space for them, they could not get it. “Nobody demands that the library should be in a particular place. But after shifting the library new place should have been given. In Jaffna Library was set ablaze in 1981. This atrocity has taken place in 2011. If this had happened during Kalaignar’s rule, those claiming Tamil nationalism would have arose in agitation. But now they keep mum without uttering anything”, laments Suba Veerapandian, Tamil Professor and President of Dravida Iyakka Tamizhar Peravai.

Lot of rare books, particularly grammar books and research books on them have been collected. These works have been collected in the form of compact discs. Rare books of many languages including Sanskrit, Greek and Urdu are also decaying there. The Classical Language Centre is facing difficulty without knowing ways for spending Rs.35 crore allocated during 11th Plan. Poet Bharathi said,

"நல்லதோர் வீணை செய்தே - அதை

நலங்கெடப் புழுதியி லெறிவ துண்டோ?"

which means,

‘Having crafted a wonderful veena – shall thou
consign it to dust to spoil?’

The only sin committed by this veena is it was crafted by Kalaignar. Jawaharlal Nehru said, “the civilisation of a society will be judged according to the manner in which it maintains its libraries.’ But the present rulers do not seem to have even an iota of worry about all these civilised manners.’

Courtesy: India Today (Tamil), Feb.1, 2012.