Fresh row: Tamil Nadu Governor to hold Thiruvalluvar Day event on May 24, invite shows poet-saint in saffron

CHENNAI: The Raj Bhavan of Tamil Nadu courted controversy on Thursday with an event invitation that portrayed Tamil poet-saint Thiruvalluvar in saffron robes. In another move, it said Thiruvalluvar Thirunaal was on May 24, instead of Tamil month Thai 1.

The Raj Bhavan invitation named 'Thiruvalluvar Thirunaal Vizha Invitation', dated May 23, invited people to the function of Thiruvalluvar Thirunaal Vizha (Vaikasi Anusham Valluvar Thirunaal). It added that Tamil Nadu Governor RN Ravi would preside over the function, to be held at 5 pm on Friday, at the Bharathiar Mandapam on the Raj Bhavan premises.

Thiruvalluvar Thirunaal is to be celebrated every year on Thai 1 (Tamil month), which is January 15 or 16 (in leap years), as stated in the state gazette of 1971.

Raj Bhavan's invitation has drawn criticism from Dravidian majors and the Congress who have opposed the attempt to 'saffronise' Thiruvalluvar.

DMK organising secretary RS Bharathi said that after the Lok Sabha election results were out, Governor Ravi would be shunted out from Tamil Nadu. "The re-wearing of saffron robes shows the vain obstinacy of Governor Ravi. DMK and CM Stalin have already condemned his act. Yet, he keeps making the same mistake over and over again. He will not hesitate to dress Vallalar (Tamil poet-saint) next in saffron," Bharathi told DT Next.

Echoing this, AIADMK Literary Wing secretary and former minister Vaigaichelvan said that time would answer the Governor's act.

"Ravi is trying to distort history by making Valluvar don saffron robes. The RSS and the BJP are behind his actions. Contrary to the Tamil Nadu government's practice, the governor has announced that he will celebrate Thiruvalluvar Day in May, just to create a sensation. The AIADMK, Tamil Nadu, and Tamil people will never accept the Governor's act of insulting Thiruvalluvar," the former minister told this newspaper.

Condemning Ravi for his actions, Tamil Nadu Congress Committee president K Selvaperunthagai said, "It is illegal to change the portrait of Thiruvalluvar, which was approved by the Government of Tamil Nadu. It is highly condemnable and regrettable."

Calling this a hypothetical and debatable issue, senior BJP leader Ra Arjuna Murthy said that there was no historical evidence for Thiruvalluvar's dress code.

"Who saw that Valluvar was dressed in white? Is it documented anywhere? There is no mention of it in Thirukkural itself. Is there any historical evidence as to what attire Valluvar was wearing? As we see Valluvar as a sage and divine, we are worshipping him in saffron robes, " Arjuna Murthy told this newspaper.

"Is there a Constitutional amendment that states that Thiruvalluvar should wear only white robes," he questioned.

A senior IAS officer with the Union government elaborated on Vaikasi Anusham, stating that it was the birthday of Thiruvalluvar. "It is true that from 1930 to 1960, Thiruvalluvar Day was observed in May and June in Tamil Nadu and abroad, including Sri Lanka. However, this Vaikasi Anusham practice became obsolete in Tamil Nadu. He (Ravi) may have planned such a program to revive it. Depending on what he has to say at tomorrow's event, we can see what kind of consequences this will have," the official told DT Next, on the condition of anonymity.

It may be recalled that on January 15, on the occasion of Thiruvalluvar Day, Governor RN Ravi had paid floral tributes to a portrait of Thiruvalluvar in saffron robes and described him as a saint of the Bharatiya Sanatan tradition.