TN Governor Ravi pays tribute to Thiruvalluvar in saffron attire; CM Stalin says no one can 'stain' the poet

TN Governor Ravi pays tribute to Thiruvalluvar in saffron attire; CM Stalin says no one can ‘stain’ the poet

The state's official portrait of Thiruvalluvar is in white with no religious symbols, while BJP uses a portrait of him in saffron attire with vibuthi and rudraksha.

ByPTI

Published Jan 17, 2024 | 10:43 AM ⚊UpdatedJan 17, 2024 | 10:43 AM

Thiruvalluvar portraits. (Wikimedia Commons)

Tamil Nadu Governor RN Ravi, on Tuesday, 16 January, paid floral tribute to a portrait of Tamil poet Thiruvalluvar dressed in saffron attire, while Chief Minister MK Stalin asserted that no one could “stain” the bard.

On the occasion of Thiruvalluvar Day, Governor Ravi showered rose petals on a decorated portrait of the poet at the Government Circuit House in Ramanathapuram district.

Thiruvalluvar Day

In the portrait, Thiruvalluvar, with sacred ash (vibuthi), kumkum, and rudraksha, is featured in a saffron dhoti and upper cloth.

The Chief Minister quoted the poet’s couplets and said that the poet stood for ideologies such as social justice. On X, Tamil Nadu Raj Bhavan posted a video clip of the Governor paying tributes.

ஆளுநர் திரு. ஆர்.என். ரவி, திருமதி. லக்ஷ்மி ரவி அவர்கள், திருவள்ளுவர் தினத்தில் தெய்வப்புலவர் திருவள்ளுவருக்கு ராமநாதபுரம் மாவட்டத்தில் உள்ள அரசு சுற்றுலா மாளிகையில் மலர் தூவி மரியாதை செலுத்தினார்.

Governor Thiru R. N. Ravi and Lady Governor Tmt Laxmi Ravi paid floral tributes… pic.twitter.com/Qb3LUJ4dIQ

— RAJ BHAVAN, TAMIL NADU (@rajbhavan_tn) January 16, 2024

Portrait war

Referring to the 133-feet statue of Thiruvalluvar in Kanniyakumari district and Valluvar Kottam in Chennai, Stalin said that no one could “stain” the poet in Tamil Nadu. It is believed that Stalin was alluding to the portrait of Thiruvalluvar in saffron, bearing Hindu religious marks.

தமிழினத்தில் பிறந்து அமிழ்தமிழில் அறம் உரைத்து உலகம் முழுமைக்குமான நெறிகள் சொன்ன வான்புகழ் வள்ளுவர் நாள் வாழ்த்துகள்!

பிறப்பொக்கும் எல்லா உயிர்க்கும் என்ற சமூகநீதிக் கோட்பாட்டையும் – முயற்சி மட்டுமே வெற்றியைத் தரும் என்ற தன்னம்பிக்கை ஊக்கத்தையும் – அறன் எனப் பட்டதே இல்வாழ்க்கை… pic.twitter.com/wUuvMJ4q63

— M.K.Stalin (@mkstalin) January 16, 2024

For well over 50 years, the state’s official portrait of the Tamil poet is in white with no religious symbols. In 2019, when the state BJP used a portrait of Thiruvalluvar in saffron, a controversy arose. From then on, the saffron party leaders and right wing supporters use such an image and maintain that Thiruvalluvar was a Hindu savant.

Right wing supporters had also tagged in social media old books in Tamil (some dating back to early 20th century), that showed Thiruvalluvar with Hindu religious marks like the rudraksha and vibuthi.

On the occasion of Thiruvalluvar Day, Prime Minister Narendra Modi also paid tributes to Thiruvalluvar, saying that his timeless teachings inspire society.