Emerging out of perceptions of a few outstanding academics and administrators and sustained by the bold commitment of the Government of Andhra Pradesh to promote a spirit of integration and strong bonds of fraternity among the major Dravidian language speakers, the Dravidian University came into being in 1997. Conceived as an Inter-state institution, the neighbouring Governments of Tamil Nadu, Karnataka and Kerala have also extended a helping hand. The Tirumala Tirupati Devastahanams too came with annual development grants.
The University which had only five Departments in 2005 has now grown and expanded into six Schools with 18 Departments and five Centres. It is now a multi-disciplinary Institution with programmes in all the traditional and modern subjects - Languages, Human & Social Sciences, Sciences, Education and Commerce & Management. Besides, it hosts the 21st Century IT Gurukulam. During the Decennial Celebrations, the University has launched two more major institutions — Rajiv Gandhi Rural Resources Development Centre for Inclusive Education (RRRDC), and Giripadam, a Center for Preservation of Endangered Dravidian Languages and Development.
D.U. is the only University which established separate Departments for all major Dravidian languages such as Telugu, Tamil, Kannada, Malayalam and Tulu with Translation Studies for the first time in the country. D.U. is also the first to start the Five-year Integrated Masters’ Programmes in six disciplines.
A special division Anusrjana (Translation Bureau) aiming to involve all the professional translators all over the country for translating the Dravidian classics from one language to another is started. Prasaaraanga has brought out 49 publications in all the five languages including Tulu within a short span of two years.
D.U. has the courage to dream, commitment to make dream a reality shaping the University a centre of universal conscience.
Muttollayiram, though composed several centuries ago sounds fresh even today in its human voice, an all enduring and ever sustaining human emotion. In all classical literatures we have examples of the Lady Love’s yearning passion for the lover — more so the valiant, the brave, the bold and the all conquering one, a charming prince, a ruler of the land and the reign of heart. It is so unfortunate that only a hundred and eight quatrains out of the supposed 2700 verses are now available.
Muttollayiram is remarkably very different from the other great works of the post-Cankam Tamil poetry. It has no pretensions to ethical preachings. It does not elaborate on moral conduct. Love and war are its twin themes which seemingly sound contradictory in terms. War in Muttollayiram is waged only for peace and the victorious is loved. The two conflicting emotions are balanced in I this slender collection of verses following the poetic conventions like slender arms and loose bangles dropping down because of heavy love as in pages 23, 31, 38, 48, 51 and 58.
The verses are not only lovely but also clever. The turn of phrase is innovative and ingenious. The beloved is deeply emotional and passionately involved in the panegyric of her love lord. Even the battle front is described enchantingly. Hyperbole, the poetic trope sounds natural in the description of the exploits of the war hero, the King.
I congratulate Prof. Pattu M. Bhoopathi on his chistled translation and his exquisite finish in making this ancient Tamil text read quite a modern one in English.
For privacy concerns, please view our Privacy Policy
Send as free online greeting card
Email a Friend
Manage Wishlist