Understanding Tamil identity
Reviewed by Nirbhai Singh

Cultural Paradigm and Social Critique: A Tamil Perspective
By S. Panneerselvam.
Progressive Books. Pages xiii+195. Rs 225.

The book veers around the philosophical theme of cultural scaffolding that is always in flux and continues from the past to the present. Culture is reconstructed on the past for the coming generations. Cultural changes operate at the social level and in the public discourses. The book presents a paradigm of culture as a social critique from the Tamil perspective, the indigenous culture of India, which has been subjugated by the Aryan culture. It has been asserted in the book that "the Dravidian languages existed in India from the beginning of the subcontinent" and the "scholars are of the view that the beginning of culture of the Tamils may be assigned to the fifth century BC.

The author has researched on the Tamil classic of Tiruvalluvar’s Tirukkural. He has taken a different perspective of reading a text. He has argued that a text mirrors culture of the individual and society. Without society the text is meaningless and society cannot be projected without any text. Text is presented through language. It is rightly said that "language is the medium by which we understand the world and construct culture". With a view to presenting the Tamil culture the Tamil classic Tirukkural has been chosen which gives true ancient Tamil culture.

Thus, he avers that reading a text is a cultural phenomenon, which is concerned with human life of an individual in the society. Most significant feature of Tirukkural is that it takes holistic view of human life. The text is a guide for developing an all-round progress to live a better life. It is, thus, a critique of cultural life from the Tamil perspective.

In the first chapter an attempt is made to interpret the Tamilian culture from the modern perspective. It implies that Tirukkural has a bearing on the contemporary society of Tamil Nadu. Literature is a norm of society and Tirukkural is a mirror of the Tamils’ way of life. Uniqueness of the text is that it not only deals with the view of human life but also teaches the way of life. The ideal man of the Tamils possesses the above virtues. Strong mind is needed to practice virtues in praxis.

Another chapter, "The Cultural Paradigm of the Tamils", discusses the Tamil language as model of culture because it is held that language is the treasure trove of culture. The author does not like to assert that language is of the divine origin. Language is the "house of culture". It is the socio-cultural phenomenon that reflects dynamic life in society. Meanings are inherent in the text that is dug out by the creative mind. The author tacitly accepted Derida’s theory of meanings in the text. The reviewer is of the view that the meanings are in the creative mind of the interpreter. Thus, "interpretation is always open-ended, which means that there is no interpretation that is ever final, thus, allows always a new interpretation". Hence, all interpretations are reconstructions of meaning in the contemporary context. Philosophy of interpretation (hermeneutics) resolves apparent contradictions and bridges past and modernity.

Tiruvalluvar’s Tirukkural does not favour the life and the world negation, but is in favour of transcending the worldly entices. From this standpoint, the text Tirukkural is seen from the cultural perspective. For example, reinterpretation of the concept of "renunciation" is interpreted from the Tamilian perspective—distanced involvement in the world. The author has correctly held that the scholars have been glossing over the cultural context. Tirukkural reflects the human life in all-round progress in life and how it can be better in the present. The individual represents the society and society reflects the individual. It prescribes some norms for life. This is the real positive perspective of human life in the social world. In the middle ages this trend was revived by the Tamil Siddhas, continued in different regions of India and culminated in Punjab with the Sikh movement of the Gurus. The Gurus sealed the movement with optimum reconciliation of theory and praxis.

A chapter, "Tamil Journals, a Social Critique", focuses on the point that cultural tradition remains the same though its manifestations change. The author argues that the radical cultural formation is carried out by journals, newspapers, dailies and monthlies. Besides communicative and educative roles, they serve as social, political, economic, and philosophical aspects of life in society. Journals as a collective communicative tool of media, i.e., television, telephone, radio, and so on, constitute an intellectual dimension of the people as a cultural critique. They generate radical transformations in political, social, economic, and cultural ideologies. The book is welcome for understanding Tamil and Indian culture.

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