Tamil Nadu has lost importance of spiritual issues due to politics, says Governor

“Political parties in Tamil Nadu have misinterpreted cultural values ​​and distorted the rich spiritual status the state once enjoyed,” said Tamil Nadu Governor RN Ravi.

Addressing the foundation day celebrations of Tyagarajar University here on Monday, he said Tamil Nadu is the birthplace of the Bhakti movement, whose ideas spread from here to different parts of the country. History has been misconstrued due to politics and lessons on history taught to students have been watered down. “Due to changes in the curriculum and subjects, many of the younger generation consider places like Meenakshi Sundareswara Temple and Sri Ranganathaswamy Temple as mere tourist destinations,” Ravi said.

Citing an incident that took place in Madras state in 1821, he said the then governor had carried out an inquiry into the state of education in the area through 16 tax collectors and the findings were shocking. “I was surprised to learn from the survey records that one of the books prescribed to the students was ‘Thiruvasagam’. It was during the colonial period that English replaced the local curriculum in the country. The British crushed it by imposing huge taxes on local educational institutions,” he said.

“The Bhakti movement, the ancient philosophy of Sanatana Dharma, originated here through the Nayanars and Alwars who were instrumental in composing spiritual poems like Tirumulaigarh and Naraiyira Divya Prabandham,” he said.

He thanked the college authorities for organising a competition like Thiruvasagam recitation and said it would pave the way for rekindling cultural sentiments in the society and bring back spiritual values ​​in the hearts of school children.

He said ‘Dharma’ was not bound by rituals but was practised by showing respect to elders, parents, teachers etc, and children must be taught to cultivate moral values ​​from an early age.

“Educational institutions like Tyagarajar University played a major role in nation building. The growth of universities was synonymous with the growth of the country after independence. Thanks to a few brilliant people, educational institutions like Alagappa University, Annamalai University and Tyagarajar University were established and were able to educate thousands of people.”

He handed over the ‘Ullai Isai Arasi’ award to former Freedom of Information Act Commissioner and eminent Tamil scholar Sarada Nambi Arooran.

He also gave away prizes to the students who won the Kalumuthu T. Kannan Thiruvasagam recitation competition.

University secretary K Hari Thiagarajan said the contest was organised to honour his grandfather and father, who were well versed in Thiruvasagam. “To make Thiruvasagam known to more people, we have set up the Prof So So Mee Sundaram Thiruvasaga Trust and plan to organise similar contests in the coming years,” he said.