Vijay Makes Firm Resolve On Tamil Thai Vazhthu: From Sundaranar’s 1891 Work To State Song Status, Know The History

Tamil Thai Vazhthu was written as an invocation poem titled ‘Tamil Dheiva Vanakkam’ in Manonmaniam Sundaram Pillai’s 1891 classical play Manonmaniam

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CM Vijay mandates Tamil Thai Vazhthu sung first.

Song written by Sundaram Pillai in 1891.

Declared Tamil Nadu’s official state song in 2021.

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Tamil Nadu Chief Minister C. Joseph Vijay (Photo: X/CMOTN)

The Tamil Nadu Legislative Assembly on Monday unanimously adopted a special resolution moved by Chief Minister C. Joseph Vijay, making it strictly mandatory for Tamil Thai Vazhthu to be sung first before the commencement of all public programmes

Tamil Thai Vazhthuwas written as an invocation poem titled ‘Tamil Dheiva Vanakkam’ in Manonmaniam Sundaram Pillai’s 1891 classical play Manonmaniam. Adopted for state functions in 1970 by M Karunanidhi, it was formally declared the official state song of Tamil Nadu on December 17, 2021, requiring attendees to stand as a mark of respect. News18 explains the history.

TAMIL THAI VAZHTHU: THE ORIGIN

1891: Written by professor and writer Manonmaniam Sundaram Pillai as a poetic invocation to Mother Tamil (Tamil Thai) in the preface of his verse drama Manonmaniam.

1914: The poem gained traction outside the book when the Karanthai Tamil Sangam began singing it at the start of its annual literary and cultural functions.

TAMIL THAI VAZHTHU: ENTRY INTO GOVERNMENT PROTOCOL (1970)

March 1970: Chief Minister M Karunanidhi announced that excerpts from the invocation would be officially recited at the beginning of all state government functions.

November 23, 1970: A formal Government Order (GO) was issued, mandating the poem as the designated opening song for state events.

Musical Composition: Legendary music composer M. S. Viswanathan scored the musical arrangement for the finalized stanzas, which were traditionally rendered in Mohana Ragam over a duration of 55 seconds.

WHAT IS ITS LEGAL STATUS?

Following controversies regarding whether audiences were legally obligated to stand during the playback of the prayer song, the Madras High Court clarified its status as an invocation rather than a statutory national anthem.

On December 17, 2021, the Tamil Nadu government formally elevated the piece, officially declaring Tamil Thai Vazhthu the state song.

The 2021 order required all attendees (except the differently abled) to stand up during its performance across universities, educational institutions, government offices, and public undertakings. Subsequent legislative reaffirmations continue to safeguard its preeminent place at the start of public functions.

WHAT DOES IT MEAN?

Tamil Thai Vazhthu is a poetic masterpiece that personifies the Earth as a goddess, using the geography of India and the Deccan region to praise the timeless beauty, youthfulness, and cultural richness of the Tamil language.

The state song uses a beautiful, layered metaphor where the Indian subcontinent is seen as a woman’s face, and the Tamil land is the elegant decorative dot (thilagam or bindi) on her forehead.

VIJAY’S DECISION

The new resolution legally secures Tamil Thai Vazhthu as the absolute opening invocation across all educational institutions and universities, government offices and public sector undertakings (PSUs), other public institutions throughout the state.

The resolution serves as a direct pushback against a July 9 letter from the Union Home Ministry. The central ministry had directed states to strictly comply with playing the national song, Vande Mataram, at the very beginning of state functions. This directive led to instances—such as a convocation ceremony at Manonmaniam Sundaranar University—where Vande Mataram was played before the state invocation, sparking political friction.

The protocol regarding the song had been a sensitive political issue since May 2026, when Tamil Thai Vazhthu was mistakenly rendered after Vande Mataram and the National Anthem during Chief Minister Vijay’s own swearing-in ceremony. The unanimous passing of this resolution—strongly supported by opposition parties like the DMK, AIADMK, and Congress—legally cements the song’s primary placement.

In moving the resolution, Chief Minister Vijay declared that protecting the state song’s precedence is a fundamental “state right” tied to the linguistic and cultural rights guaranteed under the Constitution of India. The assembly concluded that the song is a non-negotiable symbol of Tamil Nadu’s unique cultural identity.

About the Author

Manjiri Joshi

At the news desk for 20 years, the story of her life has revolved around finding pun, facts while reporting, on radio, heading a daily newspaper desk, teaching mass media students to now editing speci…Read More

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Original source: https://www.news18.com/