Inkspire

Introduction

Tamil is perhaps the oldest language ever and the “mother of all other languages”. The evidence surrounding that claim, however, is still being questioned by scholars around the world. Regardless, no one can disagree with the fact that Tamil is an ancient language, and an incredibly rich culture has developed around it. Recently, the Prime Minister of India – Modi – has declared publicly in numerous different instances that Tamil is the oldest language. Although natives of Tamil Nadu were pleasantly surprised by his claims, there are much darker motivations behind his statements. To understand it all, one must first dive into the history behind it all.

Origins of Tamil

There is no doubt that Tamil is the oldest still spoken language on Earth. The oldest preserved evidence of Tamil writing dates back to 5,000 years ago. Its spoken history dates even further back, but it was the introduction of the Brahmi writing system that created the first letter system (including consonants and vowels) for Tamil. Roughly 4,000 years ago, Aryans came in contact with the Dravidians in Southern India. Slowly, the Indo-Aryan language of Sanskrit developed, and the individual languages of Telugu, Malayalam, and Kannada broke off from Tamil. All of the languages impacted one another – resulting in many cognates which are words with similar spellings and sounds and the same meanings. In the writing of the Vedas – which is seemingly the most famous work of Sanskrit writing – many words are loaned from the Tamil language. Oftentimes, in early works of Indian literature, the term “Dravida” refers to the Tamil language, people, and culture as a whole because they were the oldest and most sophistically developed group in India at the time. Additionally, a Scottish missionary named Robert Caldwell claims that Tamil also eventually impacted the creation of Latin, Greek, and Hebrew as well (however, there are only a few examples of words that prove this claim). Caldwell was also the first modern writer to suggest and prove that Sanskrit – while it stole many Dravidian words – originated later and has different origins than Tamil. Tamil – like almost all other ancient languages – cannot be traced back to a certain entity. All that can be said with respect to existing research is that Tamil was once the overarching language of all Dravidian people, it affected the creation of numerous other languages, and it succeeded in surviving the test of time (many other ancient languages like Sanskrit, Greek, and Latin died out).

Tamil Over Time

Early Tamil Sangam Literature (beginning until 300 BCE): The word “sangam” indicates a group or organization. Fittingly, the earliest Tamil literature was meant to be recited in front of an audience to teach history and spread news. Additionally, most of the writing during this time was centered around the adventures of the nobles/monarchs of India.

Tamil-Brahmi Script (200 BCE to 200 CE): The introduction of the Brahmi script led to Tamil being written all over the place. This includes on cave walls and on pottery. Most evidence of ancient Tamil is from this period. Also, the Thirukkural was written around this time. The Thirukkural is a set of moral codes and is one of the most translated/copied works of literature. Interestingly enough, part of the reason it is so famous is the fact that it is completely secular and non-denominational – meaning the Thirukkural is not affiliated with any particular religion. It is purely a work of Tamil literature.

Bhakti Movement (400 to 500): During this time, Hinduism as a religion was gaining more and more support. As a result, more prayers and devotional hymns were being written in Tamil which helped popularize the language and create more Tamil speakers.

Chola Dynasty (900): The Cholas were the longest ruling dynasty in South India. Its monarchs provided immense support to Tamil artists and writers. Many Tamil classics, including the epic poem “Silappatikaram,” were created during this time.

Tamil in Southeast Asia (1200 to 1400): As more independent groups began to trade with one another, Tamil merchants reached foreign lands. As a result, the Tamil language spread into numerous other areas including modern-day Malaysia and Indonesia.

Modern Tamil Literature (1500): The very first Tamil newspaper, “Swadesamitran,” was published during this time. Writers began to explore new themes which plunged Tamil literature into the modern era.

Standardization of Tamil (1900): The support base of the language grew calling for a standardization of Tamil. India and Sri Lanka adopted Tamil as an official language; numerous other nations including Mauritius, South Africa, Malaysia, Singapore, and Myanmar have significant Tamil populations.

Modern Implications

So what’s the point of talking about the history of Tamil today? Again, Modi stated to the press that Tamil is the oldest language in the world and expressed his adoration for Tamil culture as a whole. Tamilians were quick to expose the fact that Modi is most likely just trying to gain more votes in the state Tamil Nadu.

Quick blast to the past: Gandhi followed the teachings of Hinduism, but politically he was on the liberal side. For example, he was a pacifist and believed that Hindus and Muslims could eventually live together peacefully. Another freedom fighter during India’s revolutionary era – Vinayak Damodar Savarkar – pushed for Hindutva. “Common Rashtra, common race and common culture” are the three cardinals identifying Hindutva nationalism. Overall, while Hindutva attempted to unify Indians, it clearly marginalized and ignored people of any other religion.

Back to the present, many members of Modi’s BJP party have openly spoken against Gandhi for his belief that Muslims and Hindus could exist in harmony. In fact, BJP has attempted to replace Gandhi as an Indian icon with Modi (including an effort to remove Gandhi’s face from paper money). BJP is centered around Hinduism and using the religion to unite its supporters (a lighter version of the earlier Hindutva movement), so it makes sense that they would oppose Gandhi who thought different religions could exist together.

Modi speaking fondly of Tamil and calling it the oldest language is just his way of once again connecting it to the old religion of Hinduism to gain supporters for BJP and shut down the existing DMK (opposing party).

Conclusion

Politicians are known for lying with a smile to gain whatever it is that they desire. In this case, Modi praises Tamil to gain supporters in Tamil Nadu, but does nothing to improve Tamil literacy. It is in times like these that people must remember to look at the history deciding who to support and what to believe. Remember, everyone has a story to tell.