Thiruvalluvar, known commonly as Valluvar, is a celebrated Tamil poet and philosopher whose contribution to Tamil literature is the Thirukkural, a work on ethics. It is believed that he was born either in Thiru Mylai (Mylapore) Chennai in Tamil Nadu or in Thirunainar Kuruchi, a village in Kanyakumari District of Tamil Nadu.
Thiruvalluvar is thought to have lived sometime between the 4th century BC and the 1st century BC. The Tamil poet Mamulanar of the Sangam period mentioned that Thiruvalluvar was the greatest Tamil scholar and Mamulanar also mentioned the Nanda Dynasty of northern which ruled until the 4th century BC.This estimate is based on linguistic analysis of his writings, as there is no historical evidence for when and where he lived.
The name Thiruvalluvar was first mentioned in the 10th century in a text called Thiruvalluvarmaala "Thiruvalluve traditions of Thiruvalluvar" appeared after this text had been written. It is generally believed that the name Thiruvalluvar consists of Thiru
Thiruvalluvar may have spent part of his life in Madurai because it was under the Pandiya rulers that many Tamil poets flourished. There is also the recent claim by Kanyakumari Historical and Cultural Research Centre (KHCRC) that Valluvar was a king who ruled Valluvanadu in the hilly tracts of the Kanyakumari District of Tamil Nadu.
Thirukkural is one of the most revered ancient works in the Tamil language. It is considered a 'common creed', providing a guide for human morals and betterment in life. Thirukkural has been translated into several languages, including a translation into Latin by Constanzo Beschi in 1699 which helped make the work known to European intellectuals.
Other than the Thirukkuṛaḷ, Thiruvalluvar is believed to be the author of two Tamil texts on medicine, Gnana Vettiyan and Pancharathnam
The government of Tamil Nadu celebrates the 15th (16th On Leap Years) of January as (as Per Tamil Calendar) Thiruvalluvar Day as part of the Pongal celebrations in his honour.
He showed people that there was no necessity to leave the family and become a Sannyasin to lead a divine life of purity and sanctity. All his wise sayings and teachings are now in book form and known as ‘Thirukkural’. These sayings are all in couplets. Here are some of them:
Just as the alphabet ‘A’ is the beginning of all letters, so also, God is the beginning for this universe.
The Anicha flower will fade by smelling, but guests are more sensitive if the hosts turn their faces a bit.
Death is like sleeping in the burial ground; birth is like waking in the morning.
*These couplets are 1,330 in number*. They contain the essence of the Vedas, the Upanishads and the six Darshanas. Thirukkural is regarded as a universal Book. It is another Gita, Bible, Koran or Zend Avesta
Department of Posts issued Commemorative postage stamps on Thiruvalluvar
Issue Date: 15. 02.1960
Denomination : 15 Naya Paise
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