Tamil, Tamilians and Tamil Nadu

29.07.2018

After a comfortable drive, we checked in at Suresh’s AirBnB, I however carried the remnants of a chest cold and sore throat from Bengaluru.

I spent the rest of the day in bed after appropriately dosing myself with antibiotics prescribed by our friends and neighbors, Drs Sangeeta and Hemant Pikale.

Just as the Cauvery waters link the two states, my ancestry links me to this state. As the legend goes, note: unlike the Jews, we Indians ancient or otherwise were really not into recording of our history chronologically – not just our scene. Anyway, as I was saying, as the legend goes, our family appears to have originated from Rajasthan – Udaipur?? After the spate of Muslim invasions migrated south to the Vijaynagar empire, after the fall of the Vijaynagar empire went into the service of the Marathas – the Peshwas, finally landing up in Thanjavur. Some seven or more generations ago, “revered ancestor” was slighted by the Maharajah of Thanjavur and he immediately took service in the court of the Maharajah of Mysore who was visiting Thanjavur and was present in the sabha at Thanjavur at that moment. And as they say the rest is history.

Tamil, is probably the oldest surviving language in the world. It has a rich tradition of literature – in fact most of the Sanskrit classics, have been translated into Tamil before any other language, and are still read to this date, such as Kamban’s Ramayana. It has structured vocabulary, grammar and script. This language has survived the onslaught of Sanskrit, Farsi – Urdu, English and Hindi. Though I do not speak Tamil and I can barely understand this language, I have the highest respect for this great language and it’s practioners.

Tamilians, you can love them or hate them, but you can’t ignore them. Tamilians are fiecerely proud of their language, state and cultural heritage. It should not surprise anyone if a third generation Tambram (Tamilian Brahmin) in San Jose (if a girl) is learning Carnatic vocals or Bharat Natyam, and the boy to play the violin or the mrudhangam, not just that they will be able to converse fluently in Tamil with their grandparents. The non Brahmins, of course seem to hate the Brahmins but love their culture and heritage as passionately. Tamilians are generally intelligent make excellent accountants, civil servants, engineers and scientists. They are extremely hardworking and are the self proclaimed leaders of southern Indian states.

Tamil Nadu, as a state is like Rudyard Kipling’s “The Man Who Would Be King”. When Mumbai was floundering in the late nineties, Chennai could and should have leapfrogged it’s way to a challenging position for the seat at the head of the table. Then came Wipro, Infosys and “Bangalore “.

In recent times, Tamil Nadu has given spiritual leaders like Sri Sri and Sadguru. Great scientists and social leaders like Dr Abdul Kalam. One cannot forget the contribution that Shri TN Seshan made to Indian electoral system. The Tamil cinema is in a class of it’s own, it’s most popular CMs are from this industry. When I was working in Chennai, I almost got lynched for my view – that if the money spent on building temples to film stars was spent on digging water bodies to store rain water, Tamil Nadu would not need to fight with Karnataka for Cauvery water.

If you are a foodie, this state is not for you.

Sorry, but as a traveller, you are better off in Kerala or Karnataka to eat on the move.

Surprisingly even at Kanyakumari or Rameshwaram, we could not get filter coffee. Very few of the restaurants serve you traditional Tamil food, it is Chinese or Punjabi food, you are more likely to get served traditional fare at a Tambram wedding in Mumbai than while traveling through TN.

The highways both national and state, are excellent, however the panchayat and municipal roads are pathetic.

I shall stop here now, later blog my visit to Isha Foundation and the DJ Academy graduation ceremony.