NE NEWS SERVICE
CHENNAI, OCT 25
Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday spoke to a hairdresser hailing from Thoothukudi in Tamil Nadu as part of his ”Mann Ki Baat” programme and lauded his initiative to encourage reading by converting a portion of his salon into a library.
மனதின் குரல் நிகழ்ச்சியில், இன்று தூத்துக்குடியைச் சேர்ந்த பொன்மாரியப்பனுடன் பேசினேன். கற்றல் மற்றும் வாசித்தலை, வளர்க்க தனித்தன்மை வாய்ந்த முயற்சியை அவர் மேற்கொண்டு வருகிறார். பொன்மாரியப்பனால் இந்தியாவுக்கு பெருமை. #MannKiBaat pic.twitter.com/HMiuRqcDRl
— Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) October 25, 2020
Hailing Tamil classic ”Thirukkural”, Modi said it was a guide for life and one must read it.
The book is available in all Indian languages, the Prime Minister said in his monthly ”Mann ki Baat” programme.
Thirukkural or Kural in short is an ancient Tamil didactic literature having 1,330 couplets, offering guidance to people from all walks of life.
இன்றைய மனதின் குரல் நிகழ்ச்சியில், தூத்துக்குடியில் சலூன் கடையில் நூலகம் வைத்திருக்கும் பொன் மாரியப்பன் என்பவரிடம் பிரதமர் உரையாடினார். #MannKiBaat @PMOIndia @PrakashJavdekar @DrTamilisaiGuv @MIB_India @PIB_India @mannkibaat @airnews_Chennai @DDNewsChennai @ROBCHENNAI_MIB pic.twitter.com/OMrIjL48YU
— PIB in Tamil Nadu (@pibchennai) October 25, 2020
Beginning his conversation in Tamil with ”vanakkam” and ”nalla irukkeengala” (how are you), the Prime Minister asked the salon owner, Pon Mariyappan, as to how he got the idea of setting up a library.
Mariyappan, hailing from Tuticorin in southern Tamil Nadu, said since he did not get the opportunity to study beyond class 8 due to family circumstances, he established a library for the benefit of others.
When Prime Minister Modi asked him what book he liked, the hairdresser said ”Thirukkural”.
Modi, who continued to speak in Tamil, said he felt happy to have spoken to him and Mariyappan too said he was extremely happy.
After conversing with him, the Prime Minister said: “We just spoke to Pon Mariyappan ji. See how he dresses people’s hair, he gives them an opportunity to dress up their lives too”.
“It felt nice to learn about the popularity of Thirukkural. All of you too heard about the popularity of Thirukkural. Today, Tirukkural is available in all languages of India. Given an opportunity, one must read it. In a way, it is a guide for life,” he said. Modi had quoted Thirukkural on a number of earlier occasions too.
In his Independence Day address last year, while speaking on the ”Jal-Jeevan” Mission, he had quoted a couplet “Neer indri Amayadhu,” to underscore the importance of water.
In July, he quoted verses from the ancient text to reinforce that Indian armed forces had always followed the time honoured traditions of valour and honour.
Addressing party workers, BJP chief J P Nadda had last November said, “Thirukkural is a great source of inspiration for humanity.”
Last year, Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman had quoted another Tamil classic “Purananooru”, to assert that the government was for judicious taxation.
