திருவள்ளுவரின் தோற்றம் பற்றி அதிகம் அறியப்படாதது போலவே, அவருடைய மத நம்பிக்கைகளும் சில மர்மங்களில் மறைக்கப்பட்டுள்ளன. அவரது மதத்தைப் பற்றி ஊகிக்க அவரது வசனத்தில் உள்ள கட்டளைகளின் படி முயற்சிகள் மேற்கொள்ளப்பட்டுள்ளன. அவர் ஒரு இந்து என்று பரவலாக நம்பப்பட்டாலும், திருக்குரல் ஒரு மதிப்பிற்குரிய இந்து வேதமாகக் கருதப்பட்டாலும், மற்ற மதங்களும் அவர் மீது உரிமை கோரியுள்ளன. அஹிம்ஸா, தர்மம் மற்றும் சந்நியாசம் ஆகியவற்றின் கொள்கைகளை திருக்குரலென்ஷைன் செய்வதால், பல வல்லுநர்கள் திருவள்ளுவரை சமண சிந்தனையால் கணிசமாக பாதித்ததாக கருதுகின்றனர்.
Sometime last week, someone in the BJP Tamil Nadu unit had a brainwave. And the unit tweeted a picture of ancient Tamil saint-philosopher Thiruvalluvar in a saffron robe instead of the trademark white one. The DMK and the Left parties were up in arms against the BJP’s efforts to saffronise the cultural icon whose ‘kural’ is probably the most secular of ancient Indian texts.
Thiruvalluvar’s religion itself is not clear, with some Hindus, Jains and Christians claiming him to be one of their own. This is because there is no authentic record of the life and times of Thiruvalluvar, though some have placed him between 4th century BC and 6th century AD. The world knows him as the author of Thirukkural, the collection of 1,330 couplets that speak of virtually everything from love and wealth to politics and backbiting.
Given the intrinsic secular nature of Thirukkural, projecting Thiruvalluvar as a Hindu religious symbol would be the ultimate insult to the wise man. A BJP leader known for opening his mouth to put his foot there argued that Dravidianists had systematically removed Hindu religious symbols from depictions of Thiruvalluvar.
For argument’s sake, let’s presume Thiruvalluvar was a Hindu. How can the Hindutva forces that preach and practice bigotry, which is diametrically opposite to Hinduism that speaks of tolerance and universal love, claim ownership of Thiruvalluvar? It’s as ridiculous that Dennis Hope claiming he owns the moon.
More disturbing are the nasty ways the wannabe inheritors of the Thiruvalluvar legacy have adopted to buttress their claim. As debates raged over the BJP’s tweet, a Thiruvalluvar statue in Periyakulam in Theni district was found desecrated last Thursday. And out came some BJP cadres with mops and water to wash away the very washable black liquid that had smeared the statue. Meanwhile, a Hindu Makkal Katchi leader draped a saffron shawl over another Thiruvalluvar statue in Thanjavur. He was arrested. TOI reported late last week that the BJP is putting a saffron coat on a Thiruvalluvar statue at the party headquarters in Chennai.
Tamil Nadu being one of the few states where the lotus has not been able to strike roots, the party’s desperation to have a Tamil icon who is also spiritual is understandable. Saffron strategists would do better if they shift focus from appropriation to action; to get the party to go to the masses, understand their day-to-day struggles and try to be part of the solutions. No movement has escaped this rigour on its way to political success. For this the party needs to first get a leader who has his ear to the ground.Leaders across political parties have paid obeisance to the creator of Thirukkural. DMK leader M Karunanidhi has authored a book of interpretations of Thirukkural. P Chidambaram, while being the Union finance minister, has unfailingly opened his Budget speeches with a recitation of a Thirukkural couplet.
BJP leaders are but the last of politicians to have discovered the greatness of the savant. The BJP is well within its rights to install Thiruvalluvar statues, even worship him, but making him a Hindutva icon would be sacrilege.
Not that they are going to succeed in this game. All one has to do to stop the charade would be to merely read aloud a few couples from — what else — Thirukkural. Here are a couple of samples that saffronites can introspect over (as translated by Thirukkural enthusiast Kannan): Neutrality is a great virtue when one practices impartiality, unfailingly, towards all sections (Chapter 12; couplet 111) One who, alone, antagonizes many, has a dimmer wit than a loony (Chapter 88; couplet 873)
arun.ram@timesgroup.com
