India should be built as a great nation in sync with the inspiring vision of Tamil poet Subramania Bharati and it is possible through nationalistic initiatives like the Karthavya Path, Prime Minister Narendra Modi said on Thursday.
Quoting Bharati in his inaugural address of the newly-named Kartavya Path, the stretch of road from Rashtrapati Bhavan to India Gate earlier known as Rajpath, Modi said Bharatiyar, as the poet is addressed reverentially, had written a beautiful poem on on India's greatness.
The Prime Minister referred to the popular "Paarukkulley Nalla Naadu Nam Bharatha Naadu." Roughly, it could be translated as India is a great country in the comity of nations.
Modi said Bharati's verses would fill every Indian with pride. Quoting from it, he said: "It means our India is great in the world in terms of knowledge, music, poems, bravery, chivalry of the forces, mercy, serving others, searching for the truth of life, scientific institutions etc."
Extolling the iconic Tamil poet, he urged the people to experience every word of his, seen as a hint to the nationalistic fervour found in the verses.
Modi said Bharati's poem was the country's roar during those days of slavery, that mirrored the vision of freedom fighters. "What he (Bharati) said in his poems about Bharat has to be built (as the greatest India) and the path goes through this Karthavya Path," he said.
PM Modi referred to him before as well
This is not the first time, Modi has invoked the legacy of Bharati to spur national pride.
In 2021, on the 100th death anniversary of Bharati, Modi said that the vision of "Ek Bharat, Shrestha Bharat" echoed in his Tamil writings.
Modi had said: "Look at his thinking! He lived in Tamil Nadu but would say Himalaya is ours. When he used to say that where else would one find such a stream of Ganga, when he used to describe the glory of the Upanishads, he used to provide more grandeur to the unity of India, to the excellence of India. Subramania Bharati drew inspiration from Swami Vivekananda and was influenced by Sri Aurobindo and gave a new energy and direction to his thoughts while living in Kashi."
Modi had announced setting up a chair in Banaras Hindu University in the name of Subramania Bharati.
In May this year, after inaugurating new projects and laying foundation stone for fresh schemes in Chennai, Modi quoted a popular verse of Bharati in praise of Tamil and said that in every field some one from Tamil Nadu excelled.
Modi has also praised Tamil at the 2019 United Nations General Assembly and in several other occasions like the IIT convocation event. He had quoted from Tamil classic 'Tirukkural' to reinforce that Indian armed forces have always followed the time-honoured traditions of valour and honour.
(With PTI Inputs)
