>BrownHairedGirl at 12:12, 20 April 2021

2021-04-20T12:12:33Z

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{{Use dmy dates|date=August 2020}}
{{Use Indian English|date=August 2020}}
'''Kamban Kazhagam''' (Kamban Academy) is a Tamil organization which was founded to promote [[Ramavataram|Ramayana]] of Tamil poet [[Kambar (poet)|Kambar]]. The organisation was formed by Tamil politician [[Saw Ganesan]] at [[Karaikudi]] in 1939.<ref>{{Cite news |url=http://www.thehindu.com/news/national/tamil-nadu/77yearold-kamban-kazhagam-becomes-a-registered-body/article7401374.ece |title=77-year-old Kamban Kazhagam becomes a registered body |date=9 July 2015 |work=The Hindu |access-date=14 January 2018 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180210175716/http://www.thehindu.com/news/national/tamil-nadu/77yearold-kamban-kazhagam-becomes-a-registered-body/article7401374.ece |archive-date=10 February 2018 }}</ref>

== Background and history ==
Kambar was a 12th-century Tamil poet who wrote [[Kamba Ramayanam]], the life of [[Rama]] of [[Ayodhya]]. Kamba Ramayana differed on several aspects from the original version of [[Ramayana]] written by Sanskrit poet [[Valmiki]]. Kamba Ramayana emphasised [[Tamil culture]] and tradition more.<ref>{{Cite news |url=http://www.thehindu.com/features/friday-review/history-and-culture/Kamba-Ramayanam-events-exceptional/article16248650.ece |title='Kamba Ramayanam' events exceptional |date=16 June 2010 |access-date=16 January 2018 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180210175716/http://www.thehindu.com/features/friday-review/history-and-culture/Kamba-Ramayanam-events-exceptional/article16248650.ece |archive-date=10 February 2018 }}</ref> It is considered as one of the greatest epic of the [[Tamil literature]].<ref name="hindu1">{{Cite news |url=http://www.thehindu.com/news/cities/chennai/Focus-on-Kamban-poet-extraordinaire/article16302761.ece |title=Focus on Kamban, poet extraordinaire |date=23 May 2010 |work=The Hindu |access-date=16 January 2018 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180210175716/http://www.thehindu.com/news/cities/chennai/Focus-on-Kamban-poet-extraordinaire/article16302761.ece |archive-date=10 February 2018 }}</ref>

In 1937, Chief minister of Madras Presidency [[C. Rajagopalachari]] (Rajaji) introduced compulsory use of [[Indo-Aryan language]] Hindi in the educational institutions. To protest this move [[Self-Respect Movement]] leader [[Periyar E. V. Ramasamy]] launched [[Anti-Hindi agitation of 1937–40|Anti-Hindi agitations]]. Periyar said that introduction of Hindi was an attempt to destroy [[Dravidian people|Dravidian]] culture by [[Indo-Aryan peoples|Aryans]]. Periyar said that Ramayana was about conquest of Dravidian King [[Ravana]] by Aryan King Rama. Periyar burned the epic Kamba Ramayana and alleged that Kambar destroyed Tamil culture by portraying Ravana as evil character in the epic.<ref>{{Cite news |url=https://www.outlookindia.com/magazine/story/ravana-as-antidote/206446 |title=Ravana As Antidote |date=2 November 1998 |work=Outlook |access-date=16 January 2018 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180116135407/https://www.outlookindia.com/magazine/story/ravana-as-antidote/206446 |archive-date=16 January 2018 }}</ref><ref>{{Cite news |url=http://indianexpress.com/article/lifestyle/art-and-culture/hero-and-hero-worship-indias-leaders-have-reimagined-ram-according-to-their-political-ideology/ |title=Our many Ramayanas: India's leaders have re-imagined Ram according to their political ideology |date=10 November 2015 |work=The Indian Express |access-date=16 January 2018 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180116193319/http://indianexpress.com/article/lifestyle/art-and-culture/hero-and-hero-worship-indias-leaders-have-reimagined-ram-according-to-their-political-ideology/ |archive-date=16 January 2018 }}</ref>

During that period, Saw Ganesan, an admirer of Kamba Ramayana, thought that Kambar gave importance to the [[Tamil language]] and culture. He decided to popularize the Kambar's literary talent. He founded Kamban Kazhagam in 1939 at Karaikudi, [[Tamil Nadu]], India. Literacy critic, [[T. K. Chidambaranatha Mudaliar]], became President of the academy. Kambar inaugurated his work on [[Hasta (nakshatra)|Hastham]] star in [[Phalguna|Panguni]] month of [[Tamil calendar]]. Hence, Saw Ganesan chose 2–3 April 1939 to organise the first Kamban festival. He celebrated the final day of festival at [[Nattarasankottai]] where Kambar's tomb is situated.<ref>{{Cite news |url=http://www.thehindu.com/features/friday-review/history-and-culture/the-kamban-dream/article4484453.ece |title=The Kamban dream |date=7 March 2013 |work=The Hindu |access-date=16 January 2018 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180210175716/http://www.thehindu.com/features/friday-review/history-and-culture/the-kamban-dream/article4484453.ece |archive-date=10 February 2018 }}</ref>

Kamban Kazhagam organises the festival every year by conducting seminars and debates on Kambar's Ramayana.<ref name="GANGATHARAN">{{cite book|author=A. GANGATHARAN|title=CULTURAL ASPIRATIONS Essays on the Intellectual History of the Colonial Tamil Nadu|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=Ns0xDwAAQBAJ&pg=PA111|publisher=Lulu.com|isbn=978-1-387-05025-3|pages=111–|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180210175717/https://books.google.com/books?id=Ns0xDwAAQBAJ&pg=PA111|archive-date=2018-02-10}}</ref><ref name="Kamath2000">{{cite book|last=Kamath|first=Rina|title=Chennai|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=bw2vDg2fTrMC&pg=PA103|date=September 2000|publisher=Orient Blackswan|isbn=978-81-250-1378-5|pages=103–|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180210175717/https://books.google.com/books?id=bw2vDg2fTrMC&pg=PA103|archive-date=2018-02-10}}</ref> Upon this success many other Kamban Kazhagam were founded across India and overseas where the [[Tamil diaspora]] lived.<ref>{{Cite magazine |date=26 September 2016 |title=Kamban Kazhagam Australia's 10th Year Celebrations |url=http://www.theindiansun.com.au/kamban-kazhagam-australias-10th-year-celebrations/ |magazine=The Indian Sun |access-date=21 January 2018 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180121184332/http://www.theindiansun.com.au/kamban-kazhagam-australias-10th-year-celebrations/ |archive-date=21 January 2018 }}</ref>

== References ==
{{Reflist}}

[[Category:Tamil organisations]]
[[Category:Organisations based in Tamil Nadu]]
[[Category:Organizations established in 1939]]
[[Category:Ramayana]]
[[Category:1939 establishments in India]]

Kamban Kazhagam - Revision history

>BrownHairedGirl at 12:12, 20 April 2021