‘Porunai Lit Fest’ in Tirunelveli on November 26, 27

TIRUNELVELI:

‘Porunai Lit Fest’ will be organised here on November 26 and 27 to provide the much-needed platform for the revival of ancient Tamil literature, arts and culture.

Speaking to reporters here on Thursday, Collector V. Vishnu said the State government, which had proposed to organise Chennai, Cauvery, Siruvani, Vaigai and Porunai literary festivals, would start the events from Tirunelveli on November 26. The programmes, which would be conducted between 9 a.m. and 8.30 p.m., would be staged at Centenary Hall, Nehru Auditorium, renovated Medai Police Station, VOC Stadium and PPL Marriage Hall.

While events relating to ancient, modern, children, women and Dravidian literatures would be held at Nehru Auditorium, ‘Karisal’, ‘Nellai’, ‘Nanjil’ and ‘Neithal’ literary works would be hosted at Centenary Hall. Poetry reading, interaction among poets, etc., would be organised at VOC Stadium. Interaction between writers and readers would be conducted at PPL Marriage Hall.

The district administration would organise ‘postcard letter writing competition’ for school students on ‘Ezhuthugiren oru kaditham’. The students should write the postcard letter to the Collector on issues they want to highlight and submit it to the heads of their institution before November 22. The best postcard letters would be honoured with prizes.

An elocution competition would be conducted for school and college students on ‘Thamizh Pesalaam Vaanga’ at the institution level and the top two winners from each school and college would be sent for the final round to be held during the ‘Porunai Lit Fest’.

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

He said steps had been initiated to digitise ancient palm leaf manuscripts carrying siddha and ayurveda medicinal formulations being followed by the Kani tribe of the Western Ghats. Similarly, the palm leaf manuscripts detailing the treatment given to elephants and horses, apparently followed by ancient Tamil kings, would be digitised.