On Monday (1 January 2024), Chief Minister MK Stalin unveiled ‘Maha Kavithai,’ a composition by Dravidianist poet Vairamuthu that delves into a wide array of subjects, including the origin of the universe, the Earth’s formation, the functions of the five elements, climate change and its repercussions, the urgent need to combat rising global temperatures, and the threats posed to humanity due to environmental degradation.
The inaugural copy was presented to Congress former Union Finance Minister P Chidambaram in the presence of former ISRO scientist and Tamil Nadu State Council for Science and Technology Vice President Dr. Mylswamy Annadurai, and Bigg Boss host Kamal Haasan, who has been accused of kissing an under-age actress without her consent and making women uncomfortable by not wearing pants during his younger days.
During the event, Stalin requested Vairamuthu to create a poetic work depicting the life of former Chief Minister M Karunanidhi, akin to his portrayal of Mahakavi Bharathi’s life in ‘Kavirajan Kathai.’ Vairamuthu agreed to the request, citing the ample content available in Karunanidhi’s autobiography, ‘Nenjukku Neethi.’ He also noted that any additional information could be obtained through interaction with Stalin himself.
Stalin heaped praises on Vairamuthu’s ability to convey modern scientific concepts in Tamil and underscored the significance of the poet’s latest work, especially in the face of ongoing climate change. The Chief Minister drew attention to recent heavy rains in Tamil Nadu and highlighted how Vairamuthu elucidated the reasons behind nature’s fury while issuing a warning about the consequences if humans fail to address the situation.
புத்தாண்டின் முதல் நாள்!
இரண்டரை மணி நேரத்திற்கு மேல், செந்தமிழை நேசிக்கும் உள்ளங்களால் நிறைந்தன!
தேமதுரத் தமிழும் – தமிழ் அருளிய கவித்திறனும் கொண்டு,
5 பூதம்
4 திசை
3 காலம்
2 திணை
1 பூமி என கவிப்பேரரசு @Vairamuthu அவர்கள் படைத்துள்ள #மகாகவிதை நூலை வெளியிட்டேன்.#NewYear-இன்… pic.twitter.com/wQS0IlmfOH— M.K.Stalin (@mkstalin) January 1, 2024
About Vairamuthu
Vairamuthu is a Dravidianist poet who shares close ties with the DMK. He has been accused of sexual harassment by multiple women during the #MeToo movement. Around 17 women have levelled sexual harassment charges against the lyricist.
In 2021, he had penned a song that romanticizes pedophilia. The song is about a school-going girl in love with a grey-haired old ‘poet’ and was filmed with actor Anika Surendran who was 16 years old at that time.
In 2018, Vairamuthu had called the woman Azhwar Andal by a ‘dasi’ (prostitute) who served at the Srirangam Ranganathaswamy Temple. “Andal herself is a Devadasi who lived and died in the Sri Rangam Temple.”, Vairamuthu had said quoting a book by one Subhash Chandra Malik.
Vairamuthu had also ridiculed Ram Janmabhoomi Temple and also raised questions about his birth.
.@rajnathsingh .@DefenceMinIndia Sir get someone who can translate this speech about Lord Rama by Vairamuthu, this is not only just Hindu bashing this speech was made in a function felicitating Kaviko Abdul Rahman hope you understand his intentions 🙏🙏🙏🙏🙏 pic.twitter.com/AFVcgz5nQZ
— Vishwatma 🇮🇳 (@HLKodo) December 26, 2019
In the video, speaking in an unknown and undated function, Vairamuthu says he wrote a poem about Ram Mandir in which he asks whether Ram is a human or an Avatar (of God). He further says,
Avatar means to descend from above, one who is not tainted by pregnancy. He does not need tools like indriyam (sense organs), pregnancy, and he descends directly from above. So, if (Lord Rama) is an Avatar, then he was never born, and why does he need a birthplace? Or, if he was born to Dasharatha and Kaushalya, then he is a human. If he is a human, then why does he need a temple? Nobody has answered these two questions. As a secular person, a person who respects all religions and as a humanist, I have said this and there has been no answer to this opinion.
He then proceeds to heap praises on fellow poet Kavikko S. Abdul Rahman, who was also the ex-chairman of Waqf board in Tamil Nadu, and quotes a poem of his in which he questioned which religion asks humans to kill fellow humans in the name of God. Vairamuthu then goes on to say, ‘forget that he is a Muslim, forget Hinduism and Christianity, all that he (Abdul Rahman) asks is to awaken the humanism inside the humans’. He then goes on to say as age increases, his wisdom has also increased, and he wishes to live until he is 110 years old not to enjoy but to understand the people and the world. He then adds, 80 years is not the beginning of the old age but the fruition of youth.
The Dravidar Kazhagam (DK) and its associated organisations have historically been up in arms against Lord Rama’s worship, especially in Tamil Nadu.
As the nation is gearing up for the grand inauguration and consecration ceremony of the Ayodhya Ram Temple, the I.N.D.I. Allies have been sharing stage with those who questioned the existence of Lord Ram.
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