In his 16 minutes 50 seconds speech at the UNGA, PM Narendra Modi invoked Tamil Poet Kaniyan Pungundranar. He said: Ovvoru iṭattaiyum cērntavarkaḷ eṉṟa uṇarvu eṅkaḷukku irukkiṟatu, ellōrum nam'muṭaiyavarkaḷ
The quote when translated in English means 'we have a sense of belonging to every place and everyone is our own'.
"3000 years ago, a great poet of India, Kaniyan Pungundranar wrote in Tamil the most ancient language of the world "Yaadhum Oore Yaavarum Kelirwhich means 'We belong to all places, and to everyone'. This sense of belonging beyond borders, is unique to India," PM Modi said in his UNGA speech.
But do you know who is Kaniyan Pungundranar?
Kaniyan Poongunranar, also known as Pungundranar was an influential Tamil philosopher who lived in the Sangam age.
He was born and brought up in Mahibalanpatti, a village panchayat in the Thiruppatur taluk of Sivaganga district in the state of Tamil Nadu, India.[1] He composed two poems in Puṟanāṉūṟu and Natrinai.
His famous Tamil quote "Yaadhum Oore Yaavarum Kelir" is at present depicted in the United Nations Organisation. The words when translated means, "'we have a sense of belonging to every place and everyone is our own."
Watch when PM Modi recited Tamil poet Poongundranar quote
Kaniyan Poongundranar's Yathum oore poem means natural law will take its course just like a wood log takes its course when left in a river.
Kaniyan Poongundrana in his poems stressed that all people should be bound by one, same moral and legal code. Poongundranar in his works rejected the division of mankind into various categories and emphasised the universality of all humans.
Video: PM Modi recites Tamil poet Kaniyan Pungundranar at UN | WATCH
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