Make Tamil learning a joyful experience.

Personal Petition for Simplification and Reform in Tamil Language Learning
To:
The Respected Authorities and Scholars in Tamil Language
Education
Department of School Education / Tamil Development Authority / Relevant Committees

Subject: A Humble Petition to Simplify Tamil Language Learning for Future Generations

Respected Sir/Madam,
I write this petition not only as a native speaker of Tamil, but as a lifelong lover of the language who has come to recognize certain challenges that hinder its effective learning—especially among today’s students.
Tamil is my mother tongue. I grew up enjoying its beauty, mastering its structure, and delighting in its deep literary traditions. During my own school years, I often found it puzzling when my classmates complained of difficulties with Tamil. I couldn’t understand why they struggled.
But life has a way of revealing truth through experience. When I saw my children, and now my grandchildren, facing the very same challenges, I began to look more closely at the language’s structure from a learner’s point of view. I now understand that Tamil, though majestic and classical, does present certain avoidable complexities—especially in its written form—that act as barriers to joyful learning.

AREAS of CONCERN

• Confusing Letter Variations
Many young learners struggle with differentiating between similar-sounding (and similar-looking) letters:
• ண, ந, ன
• ர, ற
• ல, ள, ழ
These distinctions are subtle, and often do not affect meaning in conversational Tamil. Yet, they are strictly enforced in writing, making learners hesitant and insecure.

• Sound Patterns in உயிர்மெய்  எழுத்துக்கள் (Vowel Combinations)
In the உ/ஊ vowel series, for instance, we see a long list of combinations:
• பு, யு, வு
• மு, கு, ரு, ழு
• ணு, நு, ஞு, னு
• And their elongated forms:
• கூ,
• சூ
• பூ, யூ, வூ
• மூ, ரூ, ழூ
• ணூ, தூ, நூ, ஞூ, னூ
Could not the use of just "ு" and "ூ" markers, along with basic consonants, suffice in many contexts? Simplifying the number of forms taught at early levels may ease the learner’s burden.

• Unused Letter Combinations
In the ங்-series alone, 16 combinations are never used in actual Tamil words. Yet, students are required to learn and write them. This contributes to rote learning without real linguistic value.

• Redundancy in Vocabulary
A single concept, such as “Sun,” is expressed with an overwhelming number of synonyms:
• Tamil terms: ஞாயிறு, ரவி, மார்த்தாண்டன், கதிரவன், தினகரன், etc.
• Sanskrit-derived terms: ஆதித்யா, பானு, சாவித்ரு, பாஸ்கரா, பிரபாகரா, etc.
For everyday use and communication, is it necessary for learners to memorize all of these? One term would usually suffice.

• Heavy Inflection and Grammar Load
Tamil grammar is rich and nuanced—but at times, excessively complex for young learners. The depth of its rules may be more suitable for higher studies than for foundational learning.

• Certain Tamil number names
Tamil numbers sometimes feel like they’re playing hide and seek!
Take 9 — “ஒன்பது.” Fair enough.
Now 90? Suddenly it becomes “தொண்ணூறு.” Okay… a bit of a twist.
But 900?! “தொள்ளாயிரம்”
In contrast, English follows a more consistent and logical pattern—900 is simply “nine hundred.”
Isn’t that much more straightforward?

A Humble Appeal
Tamil is one of the world’s oldest living languages. It deserves our pride—and also our protection. However, protection must not come at the cost of accessibility. If the younger generation is to carry Tamil forward, we must make the process of learning it joyful, not burdensome.

Many reformers in Tamil history—both ancient and modern—have attempted to simplify the language while preserving its beauty. But even today, many of those much-needed reforms remain either partially implemented or entirely neglected.
Therefore, I humbly request that the relevant authorities consider the following:
• Simplifying the Tamil alphabet taught at the foundational level
• Reducing unnecessary complexity in school curricula
• Re-evaluating grammar loads and unused forms
• Encouraging the use of simplified vocabulary for early learners
• Supporting a learner-friendly reform movement without compromising the cultural richness of Tamil.

Conclusion
My only goal is to see the Tamil language flourish—not just in heritage, but in practice. Let us help every child approach Tamil with excitement and confidence, not fear or confusion. I hope this petition will contribute to a larger conversation about making Tamil learning a meaningful and joyful experience.

With deep respect and sincere hope,

Premalatha Dinakarlal
Retd. HoD of English
Holy Cross College (autonomous)
Nagercoil--629 004

Ph. 98437 92400
Email: latha_lal@rediffmail.com

22. 06. 2025

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(Same content in Tamil)

தனிப்பட்ட மனுவாகத் தமிழ் மொழி கற்பித்தலில் எளிமையை கொண்டு வர வேண்டுகிறேன்
அன்புடன்
....


தமிழ் வளர்ச்சி மற்றும் கல்வி தொடர்பான அதிகாரிகள்,
தமிழக அரசு / தமிழ் வளர்ச்சி மன்றம் / கல்வி சீரமைப்பு குழுவிற்கு,

தலைப்பு:
தமிழ் மொழி கற்றலுக்கு எளிமை மற்றும் மகிழ்ச்சி கொண்டு வருமாறு ஒரு பணிவான வேண்டுகோள்
மிகுந்த மரியாதையுடன்,

தமிழ் என் தாய்மொழி. இம்மொழியின் சிறப்பையும், இலக்கிய வளத்தையும் குழந்தைப் பருவத்திலிருந்தே நேசித்து வந்துள்ளேன். நான் பள்ளியில் படித்தபோது, என் சக மாணவர்கள் தமிழ் கற்றலில் சிரமம் அனுபவிப்பதைப் பற்றி புகார் கூறுவதைப் பார்த்தேன். ஆனால் அந்த சிரமங்கள் எனக்குப் புரியவில்லை.
ஆனால் இன்று, என் பிள்ளைகள் மற்றும் பேரப்பிள்ளைகள் தமிழ் கற்றலில் கடுமையான சிரமங்களை எதிர்கொள்வதைப் பார்த்தபின், அந்த சிக்கல்களின் காரணங்களை உணர ஆரம்பித்தேன். தமிழ் மொழி செம்மொழியாக இருப்பதும் பெருமைக்குரியது; ஆனால் அதே நேரத்தில், சில தேவையற்ற சிக்கல்கள் இம்மொழியை இளம் தலைமுறைக்குக் கற்றுக்கொள்வதில் கடினமாக்குகின்றன என்பதை கவனிக்க வேண்டிய கட்டாயம் ஏற்பட்டுள்ளது.

முக்கியமான சிக்கல்கள்:
• அடிக்கடி குழப்பத்தை ஏற்படுத்தும் எழுத்துகள்
மிகச் சிறிய ஒலிப்பொழியல்கள் கொண்ட எழுத்துகள் மாணவர்களுக்கு குழப்பத்தை ஏற்படுத்துகின்றன:
• ண, ந, ன
• ர, ற
• ல, ள, ழ
பேசும் மொழியில் பெரும்பாலும் இவை பரஸ்பர மாற்றியாக பயன்படுத்தப்படுகின்றன. ஆனால் எழுத்து வடிவத்தில் இது கடுமையாக கடைப்பிடிக்கப்படுகிறது.

• உயிர் மெய் எழுத்துகளில் கூடுதல் சிக்கல்கள் (உ/ஊ வரிசை)
எடுத்துக்காட்டு:
• பு, யு, வு
• மு, கு, ரு, ழு
• ணு, நு, ஞு, னு
நீண்ட ஒலிகள்:
• கூ,
• சூ
• பூ, யூ, வூ
• மூ, ரூ, ழூ
• ணூ, தூ, நூ, ஞூ, னூ முதலியன.
இது போல், எண்ணற்ற ஒலிகள் மற்றும் வடிவங்கள் ஆரம்ப நிலை மாணவர்களுக்கு கடினமாக இருக்கின்றன. “ு” மற்றும் “ூ” என்ற குறிகளையே பயன்படுத்தி எளிமைப்படுத்த முடியாதா?

• அச்சுப் போடப்படுகிற ஆனால் பயன்படுத்தப்படாத எழுத்துகள்
ங் வரிசையில் மட்டும் 16 எழுத்துகள் உண்மையில் எந்தத் தமிழ்ச் சொற்களிலும் பயன்படுத்தப்படுவதில்லை. இது போன்ற ஒழுங்கமைவுகள் மாணவர்களுக்கு தேவையற்ற மன அழுத்தத்தை ஏற்படுத்துகின்றன.

• ஒரே பொருளுக்குப் பல சொற்கள் – அதிக வார்த்தைச் சுமை
எடுத்துக்காட்டாக "சூரியன்" என்பதற்கான பல பெயர்கள் உள்ளன:
• தமிழ் சொற்கள்: ஞாயிறு, ரவி, கதிரவன், வெய்யவன், மார்த்தாண்டன், பகலவன், தினகரன்
• பாரதிய இலக்கியங்கள்: ஆதித்யா, பாஸ்கரா, பிரபாகரா, சாவித்ரு, விவஸ்வத், முதலியன.
தினசரி உரையாடலுக்கு இதற்குள் ஒரு சொல் போதுமானதல்லவா?

• அதிகப்படியான விதிவிலக்குகள் மற்றும் வினைச்சொற்களின் இறுதியில் மாற்றங்கள்
வினைச்சொற்களின் பிரகடனம் மற்றும் விகுதி சேர்த்தல் போன்றவை பள்ளி மாணவர்களுக்கு இடரளிக்கக்கூடியவையாக இருக்கின்றன. இவை உயர் நிலைக் கல்விக்கு உரியவையாக இருக்கலாம்.
சில எண்களின் பெயர்கள்

தமிழில் சில எண்களின் பெயர்கள் சிக்கலாகவே இருக்கின்றன.
உதாரணமாக, 9 என்பது "ஒன்பது", 90 என்பது "தொண்ணூறு", ஆனால் 900 என்றால் "தொள்ளாயிரம்" எனப்படுகிறது.
ஆங்கிலத்தில் 900 என்றால் "நைன் ஹண்டிரட்" — இது எளிதும், நிலையான முறையும்தான்.

பணிவான வேண்டுகோள்:
தமிழ் என்பது உலகிலேயே வாழ்ந்து கொண்டிருக்கும் மிகப் பழமையான மொழிகளில் ஒன்றாகும். ஆனால் அதன் ஒழுங்கு, அழகு, பாரம்பரியம் ஆகியவைகளைக் காக்கும் முயற்சி, அதன் கற்றலை கடினமாக்கியிருக்கக் கூடாது. இன்றைய குழந்தைகளுக்கு தமிழ் ஒரு சுவாரசியமான அனுபவமாக இருக்க வேண்டுமானால், அதை எளிதாக்க வேண்டிய நேரம் வந்துவிட்டது.
தமிழ் மொழியின் வரலாற்றில் பலரும் சீரமைப்புகளை மேற்கொள்வதற்கான முயற்சிகளைச் செய்துள்ளனர். எனினும், பல முக்கியமான மாற்றங்கள் இன்னும் நடைமுறையில் வரவில்லை.
எனவே, என் பணிவான கோரிக்கைகள்:
• தொடக்க நிலை தமிழ் கற்றலில் எழுத்துகளின் எளிமை
• தேவையற்ற எழுத்துக்கள் மற்றும் சிக்கலான உச்சரிப்புகளை குறைத்தல்
• மிகுந்த சொற்பொருள் சுமையை சீரமைத்தல்
• எளிய உரைநடை மற்றும் நடைமுறை வார்த்தைகளின் பயன்படுத்தல்
• பண்டிதர்களும், கல்வியாளர்களும் ஒன்றிணைந்து மாணவர்களுக்கு நட்பாக இருக்கும் பாடத்திட்டங்களை உருவாக்குதல்
•
முடிவுரை:
தமிழ் மொழி எங்கள் அன்பும், அடையாளமும். அதை அடுத்த தலைமுறைகளுக்கு எளிமையுடன் உரிமையுடன் தந்தளிக்க வேண்டியது எங்கள் கடமையாக இருக்கிறது. இம்மொழியை மகிழ்வாக, பயமின்றி கற்றுக்கொள்ளும் சூழலை உருவாக்க, என் இந்தச் சிறிய முயற்சி உங்கள் பார்வைக்குத் திருப்பப்படும் என நம்புகிறேன்.

மிகுந்த நன்றி மற்றும் மரியாதையுடன்,
பிரேமலதா தினகர்லால்
ஓய்வுபெற்ற ஆங்கில பேராசிரியை
ஹோலி கிறாஸ் கல்லூரி
நாகர்கோவில்- 629 004

தொலைபேசி : 98437 92400
மின்னஞ்சல்: latha_lal@rediffmail.com
தேதி : 22. 06. 2025

Even the lowliest beast serves God's purpose

 

Her Last Question

 

The Girl with the Untied Hair

While working at a college, I was mentoring a group of undergraduate students for three years. Among them was a girl named Surya. She would often let her long, flowing hair fall loosely across her neck and over her chest.

One day, with gentle affection, I told her she’d look even more beautiful with her hair tied up. That small exchange became the beginning of a deep bond between us.
It was after that moment she began to open up to me.

She spoke of a small lump that had started to grow again—right where she had once undergone surgery at CMC Vellore. From then on, she trusted me completely, sharing her fears and hopes with absolute trust.

Despite countless trips to Vellore, battling fatigue and pain, Surya pressed on with her studies, determined to finish each semester. Her strength was quiet, and quite amazing. But by the time she reached her final semester, the lump had grown to the size of a coconut. Even the doctors at CMC had no more hope to offer.
She was losing her fight. I watched her fade.

Eventually, she became bedridden—days of suffering, nights filled with silent prayers. Until one day, she slipped away, leaving behind a silence I still carry in my heart.

I will never forget what she asked me (during my last visit), her eyes full of pain and wonder:
"Why does God allow such struggle?"
Unable to lift her head with the huge lump, she whispered,
"Even Christ’s passion lasted only one day."

Silence the Songs of Conquest

 

Lay Down Arms, and Also Attitudes

The world has grown no wiser, only louder in its folly. History crackles with warnings in a thousand tongues—yet, today we hear with agony,   voices from the mud and ruin of the trenches. We are, still fashioning boys into soldiers and homes into tombs.

As most people of quiet conscience do, I tremble at the sounds of distant gunfire. One cannot go through the sonnets of Wilfred Owen or the haunted syllables of Siegfried Sassoon and still be indifferent to the enormity of war's waste.

Owen, that sweet singer, wrote not merely with ink but with the very blood of youth. "My subject is War," he said, "and the pity of War. The Poetry is in the pity." Alas, pity has become an orphan. We make a garland of words for the dead, while the living rot in silence.

I recall, with a shiver, the lines from Owen's Dulce et Decorum Est—that poem too painful to recite, too honest to be ignored:

If you could hear, at every jolt, the blood
Come gargling from the froth-corrupted lungs...

Tell me, gentle reader, what glory lies in this grotesque music? What nation’s honour is preserved in the gurgle of a gasping lad, too young to vote but old enough to die?

Even now, from the burnt fields of Gaza to the silent snows of Ukraine, from the charred corners of Sudan to the bruised towns of India and Pakistan, the drums of war beat with a rhythm no heart should match. Bombs do not discriminate; they are equal in their cruelty—cradles and graves alike reduced to dust. Mothers do not weep in different tongues.

One hears that war is necessary. That it purifies. That it strengthens. That it defends. I dare say it corrupts more than it cleanses and deadens more than it defends. The world, it seems, is ever eager to invest in destruction but parsimonious when it comes to peace or welfare.

Sassoon once wrote, with a bitterness only the betrayed can afford:

You smug-faced crowds with kindling eye
Who cheer when soldier lads march by,
Sneak home and pray you'll never know
The hell where youth and laughter go.


How Lamb would have wept, he who delighted in the quiet glories of chimney corners, old books, and gentle friendships! His essay on "The Old Benchers" is more harmonious to the soul than all the bugles of battle. He, a stammering, shy lover of life’s domestic decencies, would surely have turned pale at the sight of this brave new barbarism, dressed in televised spectacle and dignified with policy papers.

We speak of progress—ah, that slippery fish! What progress is there when man, gifted with language and law, still resorts to the fang and claw of war? Are we so starved of imagination that we must resolve each quarrel with death? Has diplomacy become a lost art, buried in the same trench that swallowed Owen?

The time has come to lay down not merely arms, but attitudes—to silence the songs of conquest and instead sing the lullabies of reconciliation. We must cease to romanticize slaughter and begin, perhaps, to humanize peace.

In the end, there is no victory in war. Only survivors. And even they are often ghosts in the daylight.

Say it now, before the moment fades.

 

         A Mother's Quiet Wish

She never asked for riches or for praise,
Her days were long, her hands were never still.
Yet through the noise, she sang a quiet song—
A song of love, for you, and only you.

She held your fears, and wiped your tears,
And waited for a smile, a word, a glance—
For you to say, “I see you. I am grateful.”
Something to bloom the silence in her heart.

So say it now, before the moment fades.
Her love was steady, though you may not have seen.
She gave you warmth, and gave herself away—
Not for reward, but just to see you whole.

A mother does not ask for loud applause,
But longs to know her love has made a mark.
A "thank you"—soft, sincere, and truly meant,
Can give her back a piece of all she gave.

With His Art, John has Captured a Space

 When creativity strikes,

Art comes to life in minutes.

The clock on the wall ticks,
Yet, time stands still.
The kite no longer soars,
The book remains unread.

Joy once lived in the air,
Now joystick pulls at the soul.
Eyes once wide with wonder,
Now fixed only on the screen.

Whither goes the world,
In this silent retreat?
When beauty is replaced
By virtual hearts and endless scrolls.

Time slips away, and the spirit stalls.
Lost in the maze of digital streams.
The world, once vibrant, now starts to fade.
As devices steal time and hearts grow cold.


[  This is my interpretation of the artwork my 13-year-old grandson John created in just a few minutes. ]

A Night at Heathrow Airport

An Unforgettable Night

My husband is a globe-trotter whose passport bears the marks of nearly every country on Earth — with one notable exception: Africa. Over the years, as he travelled far and wide, I always stayed back, my heart anchored by the responsibilities of home and children three. Though the thought of accompanying him was always appealing, duty kept me grounded.

But life has a way of offering opportunities when least expected, and more than two decades ago, one such opportunity appeared: a conference in Nicaragua, where I had the chance to present a paper. It felt like the moment I had been waiting for, the moment when the world would finally open up to me too. The excitement was understandable.

However, fate had other plans.
Our trusted travel agent, based in Nagercoil, made a grave mistake — he failed to secure a transit visa for Spain, even though we would never leave the airport during our brief stopover at Spain. And so, there we were, in the sprawling expanse of Heathrow Airport, after three warm and joyful days in London spent with the Judson family at the YMCA, only to be greeted by the cold, harsh reality of a "NO."

Our hearts sank. We were stranded, caught in a tangle we couldn’t untangle. With baggages in hand and time slipping away, we desperately called the travel agent, aware of the complexities of time zones between India and the UK, only to face repeated failures. We fought against the clock, buying expensive phone cards one after another, trying to fix what had been broken.

That night, under the lights of Heathrow, as we sat amidst the chaos, it felt as if time itself had betrayed us. Yet, amidst the frustration, there was an unexpected kindness — a warm-hearted British lady who, seeing our plight, offered to help us. She advanced our tickets to Toronto, where my little sister lived, giving us an early chance at travel to Canada,  and this offered a glimmer of hope.

During that long, sleepless night in Heathrow, I watched the airport in awe. Indian workers with mops moved swiftly, keeping the place immaculate. There was no slowing down, no idle chatter — the staff moved like galloping horses, absorbed only in their duties. No one stopped to greet, no one lingered. It was a stark contrast to what I was accustomed to at workplaces back home, where we often chatted or took breaks. In that moment, I realized something profound — when we are tired or unwell, it’s not just about personal comfort; it's about the respect we owe to the work we do. We must leave our fatigue at the door and give our best, always.

As we made our way through the hours, awaiting our rescheduled flight to Canada, we found a quiet corner within the airport to stretch our tired limbs, free of charge. The airport, with its relentless pace, had become our temporary home. By the time we boarded the British Airways flight in the early morning, our hearts were filled not just with anticipation, but with gratitude. What had been a night of disappointments and setbacks now felt like a blessing in disguise.

Our journey had changed — we were no longer just en route to Nicaragua. Now, thanks to the unexpected kindness of strangers and the serendipity of the situation, we were on our way to Canada, with ten full days instead of five. It was a gift, a detour that opened up new possibilities, new experiences.
And Heathrow, with all its energy and unspoken lessons, became a place etched in my memory. It wasn’t just a transit hub, it was a classroom of life, where the unexpected had unfolded into something beautiful.

Lessons Learned:

• Maintain Cleanliness, Everywhere,  Always.

• Work with Focus and Dedication.  Never let fatigue or distractions interfere with duties and responsibilities.

• Stay Open to Learn from Every Experience

• Bounce Back Swiftly from  Difficult Circumstances. Keep moving forward.

• Cultivate Gratitude – Life is unpredictable, and often what seems like an inconvenience is a hidden blessing.