Tirunelveli to Host ‘Porunai Lit Fest’ on November 26

On November 26 and 27, "Porunai Lit Fest" will be held

on Nov 18, 2022

Tirunelveli to Host ‘Porunai Lit Fest’ on November 26

On November 26 and 27, "Porunai Lit Fest" will be held here to give the much-needed platform for the resurrection of old Tamil literature, arts, and culture.

Speaking to the media in this city on Thursday, Collector V. Vishnu said the State government will begin the activities from Tirunelveli on November 26. The State government has suggested organizing the Chennai, Cauvery, Siruvani, Vaigai, and Porunai literary festivals. The programs, which would run from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. the refurbished Medai Police Station, the VOC Stadium, the PPL Marriage Hall, Centenary Hall, Nehru Auditorium, and 8.30 p.m. will all host the events.

Literary activities focusing on "Karisal," "Nellai," "Nanjil," and "Neithal" will take place in Centenary Hall, while those focusing on ancient, modern, children's, women's, and Dravidian literatures will take place at Nehru Auditorium. At VOC Stadium, events such as poetry readings and poet interactions will be planned. Input from authors and readers would take place at PPL Marriage Hall.

For students in schools, the district administration would hold a "postcard letter writing competition" on "Ezhuthugiren oru kaditham." Before November 22, the students should draft a postcard letter to the Collector outlining the issues they wish to draw attention to. Prizes would be given for the best postcard letters.

The top two winners from each school and college will advance to the final round, which will take place during the "Porunai Lit Fest," in an elocution competition for school and college students on "Thamizh Pesalaam Vaanga" at the institutional level.

Mr. Vishnu appealed to the public to submit any palm leaf manuscripts related to Tamil literature to the District Public Relations Officer's Office before November 24 as they would be displayed during the literary fest and returned. "To introduce palm leaf manuscripts to the younger generation, the students will write their poems on a palm leaf in the school-level contest conducted by November 23 and the winners will participate in the final round," he said.

He claimed that attempts had been taken to digitize the Siddha and ayurvedic medical formulas used by the Kani tribe of the Western Ghats. These formulas were written on old palm-leaf manuscripts. The care of horses and elephants, reportedly followed by ancient Tamil monarchs, is described in palm leaf writings that will also be digitized.

We will hold training sessions over these two days because reading palm manuscripts and comprehending their contents was a simple art to the ancestors, Mr. Vishnu explained.

Both Assistant Collector (Training) Gokul and Corporation Commissioner V. Sivakrishnamurthy were present.