“21st Century Approach to Ancient Tamil Literature, Purananooru – the beginning”

   We, the part of the human race living at the initial segment of the 21^st century, and descendants of one of the most ancient of human civilizations – the Tamils are currently gliding across an unprecedented form of crossroad. Unfortunately, a belittling approach towards Classical Tamil Literary works has forced itself into the thought process of the younger generation – a similar scenario faced by other classical languages as well. We need to counter; we need to develop innovative strategies to bridge the unhealthy divide that has developed between our past and future.

The Philocine module of Medical and Health Education was constructed based upon the principle portrayed by the Evolutionary Biologist Sir.Charles Darwin that “the constant struggle that exists between various life forms also holds true for languages, and for the words in it as well; the Better, the Shorter, the Easier forms will gain an upper hand over others”, this fascinating concept forms the core of the Philocine learning module.

  Mining the scientific wisdom embedded in ancient literary works in classical languages like the Purananooru in Tamil is a highly potential area for modern research. Critically analyzing and enumerating the scientific insights embedded in it is an important task.  The module of mixing science and literature during lectures has always been existent but it was unorganized and pushed to the tail end, but Philocine reiterates this style a dedicated system of its own. 

APPLICATIONS:

        The 400 individual songs placed in the collection denoted by the term “Purananooru” can be used one by one to elaborate about the fundamental scientific concepts across various scientific disciplines.  Scientific Insights embedded in the Purananooru can be critically analyzed word by word. Extreme care is to be taken during the process of analysis to remove bias in the interpretation process. E- Learning utilizing the free video hosting services like the you tube via Educational videos explaining the Ancient Literature in intricate details admixed with scientific facts can be created and be made accessible to the students and the common man as a medium of intervention to nullify the unhealthy changes in the attitude of the generation next towards ancient Tamil Literature.

EXPECTED OUTCOME:

          Philocine module admixes literature with science and delicately explores the option of imparting science and technology to the students using literature as a tool; the advantages of the Philocine style to the Tamil language are manyfold.

[1] This ultimately creates a generation of Tamil students endowed with high quality scientific acumen and at the same time oriented to the ancient roots of the great Tamil culture.

[2] This will enable the formation of Integrated Medical Linguistic Research units involving teams of medical professionals and Language scholars across the Universities of the World.

[3] Emergence of a new branch in medical education, Philocine – The Philosophical Aspect of Medicine and its establishment as a sub speciality of its own.

[4] The outlook and expectations of the modern-day Tamil youth towards classical Tamil Literature will get a radical change and outlook for betterment.

[5] This will form the foundation of establishing Tamil as the “Most Scientifically qualified and oriented of all the classical languages” an attribute well deserved by Tamil.

[6] Establishing the idea that science can be learned via ancient Tamil texts, will obviously enhance the self esteem levels of Tamil students and this will increase their learning potentials.

[7] The classical literary works crafted at the dawn of the human civilizations traverse through the frontiers of neurology, the arenas when explored leads to the world of Neurobehavioural Evolution.

[8] The study material generated in Tamil during the course of the research in fields like Psychophysiology will establish Tamil to gain the status as the first and only Indian Regional Language to be equipped so.

TECHNICAL CONTRIBUTIONS:

    Multiple goals spanning from Regional Language development to priming the masses towards the traditional roots and awareness to scientific concepts - all can be accomplished by this Innovative E-Learning methodology, this module can be gradually expanded to other literary works in other classical languages of the world’s great ancient civilizations.

  This and the series of articles that follow are drafted based upon the concept of "Philocine". 

Dr.M.Semmal   

Psychophysiology Research Scholar,

Associate Professor, Department of Physiology, Sri Ramachandra University

Managing Director, Scientific Tamil Foundation