Dear All, While thanking all those who responded to the educational styles in Chola times, I still wonder with some additional inputs, when I was refering Chola times, I was actualy referring to the Raja Raja Cholas as I am wonder struck at the Periya Kovil.But if the Kallanai was built in 2AD,then it further raises the question.....And also it makes me to wonder from where did, Thiruvalluvar got his education?His Thirukkural said to be written more than 2000 years ago, makes one to wonder, from where did he attain the knowledge,Who was his teacher?Where did he study?
I agree that every school should have the great tamil classics including Ponniyin Selvan,Parthiban Kanavu,Sivagamiyin Sabatham,etc and this group could play a great role in an initiative in that direction.
This would help the younger generation to be in loving,caring and getting a sense a proud of their ancestors than not only reading the "English" culture. We need to know how the educational systems in those times, helped those Rajas to build such massive monuments whether temples or dams or whatever.This will also help us,why we had ignored if at all those great monuments?Were we influenced by the educational systems of the last couple of centuries?If yes,in whatway we were influenced?What is there to learn from it?
While agreeting that Tamils had a great glorious times in the past, I also need to feel proud that Tamils are equally maintaining their culture,language so that Internet,Tamil wouldn't have grown if Tamils didn't love their language.So I think people while agreeing lot need to be done,should also feel proud of what has been done.Ofcourse we need to do more in times of changing periods when the traditions,cultures,language,etc are facing challenging times.
This group formation and its growth itself I think is a great contribution towards the maintenance of our language and culture. But we do need to feel while people talk that French loves to talk their language and maintain their culture,when a Tamil does the same,people tend to call the Tamils differently. I wonder why there should be a difference,afterall everyone should love their language and yet,learn other great works whatever and wherever it comes from.Is it not the words of Mahakavi?
Looking forward to hear more on initiatives from this group and more thoughts on education for future generation.
I would disagree on this staement on how much we love tamil..Yes we love the language but it was our Srilankan Brothere who put Tamil in the Global perspective and Put The Language on the net...In UK If you talk in tamil they ask you are you srilankan....becuase the average perseption is Tamils are from Srilanka.
As for promoting tamil people should look inside to understand the greatness of the language....I am trying to read the classics in project madurai even want to do Tamil literature as a course to understand the ilakiyams...
But the general attitute of todays society is Media and movies you have debates on what decisions a TV serial charector takes...That has to change...We need to love Tamil but have to take the best from other languages as well..I was foolish in my Tamil veri that I refused to learn HINDI Is my mother tongue inferior to Hindi...but in hindsight that would have been one more thing learned
Yes we are making good progress but more need to be done if not the new generation will beleive tamil was a language which was spoken in tamilnadu...I tried so hard to speak to people in Madras in Tamil but they only reply in English!!!!
Please visit www.dinamalar.com or many other websites,this is not to undermine other contributions but just to add as a comment.Yes,I do agree on that people attitude on films,media has to change for better towards developing attitude to talk in Tamil instead of English,but then again one cann't forget that TN's leaders for the last few decades have been from the film world which continues today and thus people tend to talk of films,media characters,etc..etc...
===== :-) Nothing will benefit human health or increase the chances for survival of life on earth as the evolution to a vegetarian diet-A.Einstein.