‘All set for Rajendra Chola's birth anniversary celebrations’

TIRUCHY: The Tamil Nadu government is honoured to celebrate the birth anniversary of the great king Rajendra Chola, who created an ancient city by upholding ancient Tamil culture, said the State Minister for Transport and Electricity, SS Sivasankar, on Monday.

Inspecting the ongoing preparations for the Aadi Tiruvathirai celebrations to commemorate the birth anniversary of the erstwhile king Rajendra Cholan, Sivasankar said, the government has announced to celebrate his birth anniversary as a state event in 2022, and the custom has been continuing since then.

“This year, the Aadi Tiruvathirai, the birth anniversary, falls on July 23 (Wednesday), the event would kick start from the morning hours with ‘mangala isai’ in which the ministers Thangam Thennarasu, MP Saminathan, R Rajendran, PK Sekar Babu and VCK chief and Chidambaram MP Thol Thirumavalavan would take part and speak about the greatness of the king Rajendra Cholan,” the minister said.

The Department of Arts and Culture, which hosts the event, has scheduled several programmes, including debates, cultural events, including folk performances. “Tamil Nadu government is honoured to celebrate the king who created an ancient city by upholding Tamil culture and created Ponneri that could be useful to the people and constructed the Gangaikonda Cholapuram temple,” he said.

In response to a query about the arrival of Prime Minister Narendra Modi for a celebration, the minister said that the state government was not given any intimation, but the officials had informed only the district administration, he said.

District Collector R Rathnasamy and others accompanied the minister.