PORT MORESBY: On May 22, Prime Minister Narendra Modi and his counterpart from Papua New Guinea, James Marape, released the Tamil classic "Thirukkural" in Tok Pisin to further engage the people of this country in Indian philosophy and culture.
The first Indian prime leader to visit the nation, Modi landed in this location on May 21 for his first trip to Papua New Guinea. In order to strengthen bilateral ties, he and Marape co-hosted a significant conference between India and 14 Pacific island nations. Papua New Guinea's national tongue is Tok Pisin.
"The Indian diaspora is maintaining ties to the motherland! The Tamil classic "Thirukkural" has been translated into the Tok Pisin language of Papua New Guinea by PM @narendramodi and PM James Marape, according to a tweet from the Ministry of External Affairs.
The book, written jointly by Subha Sasindran and West New Britain Province Governor Sasindran Muthuvel, it stated, "brings Indian thought and culture closer to the people of Papua New Guinea."
PM James Marape and I had the privilege of launching the Thirukkural in Tok Pisin in Papua New Guinea. Thirukkural is a well-known text that offers insightful information on a variety of topics, the prime minister tweeted.
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Poet Thiruvalluvar is the author of Thirukkural, a collection of couplets about morality, politics, the economy, and love.
I want to thank Mrs. Subha Sasindran and @pngsasi, the governor of the West New Britain Province, for their efforts in translating the Thirukkural into Tok Pisin. While Mrs. Subha Sasindran is a well-known linguist, Governor Sasindran attended school in Tamil, the tweeter said.
The book was originally published in Prime Minister Modi's native Gujarati language. He has exalted Thirukkural numerous times.
The Prime Minister stated in one of his addresses that Thirukkural is not just a literary masterpiece but also a remarkable manual for everyday life. It demonstrates the way of justice and motivates us to live a life of selflessness. Thirukkural, he continued, "remains relevant even today and can serve as an inspiration for the present generation." In speeches and tweets, the prime minister frequently cites Thirukkural, and in 2014, he gave a copy of the book to the late Shinzo Abe of Japan.
He had claimed that Thirukkural was a gold mine of motivational thoughts that young people all around the world may read and get inspiration from.
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What is Tamil classic Thirukkural:Thirukkural, also known as the Kural, is a renowned ancient Tamil literary work composed by the poet Thiruvalluvar. It is a classic Tamil text consisting of 1,330 couplets (two-line verses) organized into 133 chapters, each containing ten couplets. The Thirukkural covers various aspects of life, ethics, morality, and human behavior, providing guidance and principles for leading a virtuous and fulfilling life.
The Thirukkural is highly regarded for its concise and poetic style. It explores a wide range of topics, including virtues like righteousness, love, gratitude, honesty, patience, and justice, as well as vices such as greed, envy, and arrogance. The work is divided into three main sections: Aram (virtue), Porul (wealth), and Inbam (love).
The Thirukkural's teachings transcend time and cultural boundaries, making it relevant and applicable to people from different backgrounds. It has been widely translated into various languages and has gained recognition as a valuable work of literature. The Thirukkural continues to be studied, celebrated, and revered for its wisdom, ethical insights, and universal values.