What was his name?
What was his faith?
What was his occupation?
When did he live?
Who knows? And more importantly, who cares?
For the heritage of poetry, philosophy, dharma and wisdom he has left us is beyond all these.
Thiruvalluvar, the revered Tamil poet, whose Thirukural even today is taught in every school in Tamil Nadu, and whose couplets on a range of subjects, from love and family life to economics and politics, are quoted by politicians, movie stars, professors, and common people alike, to clinch any argument.
I am but a poor Tamilian, who can neither read nor write Tamil, and am hence missing out on the riches of one of the world’s most ancient languages. Maybe to make up, I decided to do this blog on Thiruvalluvar on the occasion of Thiruvalluvar Day, Jan 15. The Tamil Nadu government has been observing this day as part of Pongal celebrations for many decades now.
Very little is known about him. Even his name is not certain—his works do not name an author! In fact, the Thirukural as a book itself does not carry a name! The French translator Ariel has referred to it as ‘the book without a name by an author without a name’.
His works have been dated by various scholars from 4th century BC to 5th century AD! In 1935, Govt. of Tamilnadu recognized 35 BC as the Year of Valluvar.
He may have been a Hindu. Equally, he may have been a Jain. Some claim Christian influences in his work. Many scholars hold he was beyond religion. For instance, Mu. Varadarajan says he probably “practiced religious eclecticism, maintained unshakeable faith in dharma but should have rejected religious symbols and superstitious beliefs.”
He may have been a weaver, a farmer, a priest, a drummer or an ‘outcaste’.
What is of moment are his works, especially the Thirukural, a collection of 1330 couplets. Each couplet consists of just seven words (termed ‘kural’), but pithily encapsulates wisdom. The 1330 verses have been divided into three sections by the author: the first is Arathuppaal which gives norms and codes for a virtuous life; the second, Porutpaal deals with the right way of acquiring wealth and expounds the fundamentals of politics and statecraft; the last, Kamathuppaal deals with family life and love in all its manifestations.
While urging you to visit any of the many sites devoted to the Kural and its translations, here is just a taste to whet the appetite:
Verse 211: Kaimmaru venda kadappadu marimattu ennarrun kollo ulaku.
Meaning:
The benevolent expect no return for their dutiful giving.
How can the world ever repay the rain cloud?
Verse 541: Orndhukan notaadhu iraipurindhu yaarmaattum therndhusey vaqdhe murai.
Meaning:
Investigate well, show favor to none, maintain impartiality
Consult the law, then give judgment-that is the way of justice.
Verse 1032 : Uzhuvaar ulakaththaarkku aaniaq thaatraadhu ezhuvaarai ellaam poruththu.
Meaning:
Farmers are the linchpin of the world
For they support all those who take to other work, not having the strength to plow.
–Meena
Based on Wikipedia (of course!), as well as ‘Tirukkural-Arathuppal’ Prof SN Chokkalingam, Vanitha Press; https://ilearntamil.com/thirukural-with-english-meaning-athigaram-104/ and https://tamilnation.org/literature/kural/kurale1
Millennial Matriarchs 
Just wondering… is it known that the poet was a ‘he’ for sure?
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Fairly sure. In works by later authors, there are references to a wife.
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Heard all important people quoting him profusely but didn’t know so less is known about him… thanks for the quick intro
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Reading this piece has certainly whetted my appetite. Thank you Meena!
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