I feel that it is better to reproduce some of PURADCHIK KAVIGNAR's works
with an English translation, rather than write about him, as there is enough
written, although more could be written. I would leave that to the relevant
authorities. However, I give below some notes on PAAVENDAR'S contribution
to research on the controversial word OHRAI:
According to PAAVENDAR: PAAVENDAR has condemned any flippant
Tamil research that leads to erroneous conclusions. He has rejected them.
Through research, he established that OHRAI is a Tamil word.
There are Tamil enemies who are elated at
the prospect and assume that the word
OHRAI is of Greek origin.
Thus fixing the date of THOLKAPPIYAM as the Third Century A.D.
There are others who are crowing that OHRAI is a Northern word.
It is not only the word OHRAI but they are wandering about claiming thousands
of other Tamil words as of Northern origin. Who are they?
They are the fanatics who propagated their own language
through Tamil.
PAAVENDAR concludes that the Greek word 'hore' was in vogue between the
2nd century B.C. and 2nd century A.D. and to claim the word OHRAI , that
was
not in use before the 2nd century A.D., as of Greek origin is a big mistake,
he claims.
It does not accord well to claim that OHRAI that was in use in THOLKAPPIYAM
of the third Century B.C. is of Greek origin by assigning the third century
as the period of THOLKAPPIYAM based on the word OHRAI that was in vogue
only after THOLKAPPIYAM was authored, he submits as his finding in his
research. He also gives the meaning of the word OHRAI as POTHURAASI an
astrological common term. PAAVENDAR's findings virtually corroborates MARAMALAI
ADIGAL's views on the same subject according to Dr. M. Annathurai, Librarian,
Erode Arts College Erode- 638 009.
nanrhi, vanhakkam
anpudan
irA. Chanmukalingkam
April 29, 1997.
"PAAVENDAR PAASARAI" edits all articles
in Verse and Prose.
The Address to contact is
KAVIGNAR Ilamaran,
"PAAVENDAR PAASARAI",
J-43, PAARathithasan SAALAI,
THIRUNAGAR,
CHENNAI 600 088
