SAINT THIRUVALLUVAR

Why in News?                                                                                                        

The Prime Minister, Shri Narendra Modi inaugurated the opening ceremony of the Khelo India Youth Games 2023 in Chennai, Tamil Nadu. The Prime Minister remembered Saint Thiruvalluvar and said that through his writings, Saint Thiruvalluvar inspired the youth and gave them direction. Quoting the great saint, the Prime Minister mentioned his teaching of staying strong in adversity. Khelo India Logo also carries his image.

Who is Saint Thiruvalluvar?

• Thiruvalluvar, also called Valluvar, was a Tamil poet-saint.
• He is regarded as a cultural and moral icon for Tamils across caste and religious lines.
• The period when he lived is debated, as is his religious identity.
• Some place him in the third or fourth century; others put him in the eighth or ninth.
• Some call him a Hindu; some trace his past to Jainism; Dravidian groups count him as a saint, as he dismissed the caste system.
• His primary work Thirukkural (contribution to Tamil Literature) contains 1330 couplets (kurals).
• The text is divided into three parts with teachings on dharma, artha, and kama (virtue, wealth and love).