Chennai: With western ideas making inroads, this retired history professor and lover of Tamil roots for reviving the ancient culture of Tamils.
For this Tamil New Year, News Today caught up with Prof B Ramanathan, a resident of K K Nagar, to know how the day is seen in the present-day and what has to be done to make it more relevant.
“Tamil New Year is a remembrance of our Tamil culture and its rich history. But due to western impact and multi-cultural population in a city like Chennai, the day is not celebrated with enthusiasm. But in south Tamilnadu, people celebrate it with much fervour. They see it as a day for family get-together and developing strong bonding,” the 70-year-old resident said.
So, what can be done to revive it in the city? The professor said it should start from schools. “The teachers should inculcate the values of our Tamil culture among students. The schools should allot one day in a week to conduct Tamil dramas, elocution, folk songs and traditional games. Once they are repeated, the students get involved and this would automatically lead them to know more about our culture,” he said.
Asked about how Tamil New Year is celebrated, Ramanathan’s wife S Usha, a retired PG Assistant of History, from Government Higher Secondary School, Choolaimedu said, “On the auspicious day, the first thing we do is have a sweet fruit, have oil bath, wear new dresses, get blessings of parents and pray to Tamil God Murugan. We draw colurful kolams to welcome Varusha Pirapu. Later, we prepare food comprising sweet, sour and bitter taste to signify the different aspects of our life. We see to it that our children are with us on this day.”
The couple has two children – Ganesh and Deepa – who live with their families in Bengaluru and Pune. Hailing from Krishnagiri district, Ramanathan worked as History Professor at the Government Arts Colleges in Coimbatore, Krishnagiri, Tiruttani and moved to Presidency College in Chenni in 1996.
He later became head of the department and retired as vice-principal of the college in 2007. He also developed keen interest in archaeology, where he worked with a team at Krishnagiri, collected various ancient pots from Cheyyar riverbed and handed them over to government museum.
His love for Tamil made him explore Tamil origins in the UK, Australia, the US and many other nations. “These were done out of my own interest. I do not have scientific documents, but have taken a few notes about them,” he said.
Apart from teaching, he was also involved in NSS activities, where he led the NSS contingent of Tamilnadu and Puducherry during Republic Day celebrations in New Delhi on 29 January, 2004, where he got an opportunity to meet then President of India APJ Abdul Kalam.
He also received award from Tamilnadu government for social work in NSS in 2003. Not only that, he served as chairman of Tamilnadu Textbooks Corporation to prepare texts for History and Civics for classes 6,7,8 and 9.
Even one, Ramanathan is not confined to home. He has been taking value-based classes in schools and delivers speeches on invitation by various organisations.
The Professor resides at C 16, Golden Jubilee Apartment, Anna Main Road, K K Nagar. He can be reached at 94440 35647/ 4552 8419.