Vanakkam in Varanasi: Students embrace Tamil
Students from various streams were seen eagerly absorbing the nuances of Tamil, many of them encountering the classical language for the first time.
Varanasi students learning the basics of Tamil language
VARANASI: Teaching Tamil to Hindi-speaking students is proving to be both rewarding and transformative, says Hindi Pracharak Sandhya Saikumar, who is currently guiding Hindi and Sanskrit-medium learners in Varanasi to discover the richness of the Tamil language with remarkable enthusiasm.
It was around noon on a weekday at the PM SHRI Government Queen's College when a bustling classroom of Class XII students sat packed with anticipation. The draw was Tamil Karkalam, the Tamil-learning initiative introduced as part of the Kashi Tamil Sangamam 4.0, which has brought a fresh cultural vibrancy to the ancient city.
Students from various streams were seen eagerly absorbing the nuances of Tamil, many of them encountering the classical language for the first time. As part of the programme, 50 Hindi-speaking teachers from Chennai, trained with materials meticulously prepared by the Central Institute of Classical Tamil, are now teaching Tamil across government schools in Varanasi.
The instructors work with Hindi and Sanskrit-medium students, helping them bridge linguistic gaps through engaging lessons and interactive sessions. Sandhya Saikumar, a pracharak with the Dakshina Bharat Hindi Prachar Sabha, Madras, told DT Next, "We began teaching Tamil to these selected students on December 1. When I entered their classroom, they greeted me with a cheerful 'Vanakkam'. The energy in the room was infectious. She admitted that the teachers initially had their doubts.
"We were nervous about whether we could achieve the expected outcomes. But the students' enthusiasm surprised us. They are genuinely eager to learn," she said.
Pronunciation, she noted, remains the biggest challenge. "Their phonetic system is entirely different from Tamil. Even simple words become difficult when pronounced in their regional slang. But despite this hurdle, their progress is impressive. Many students are now confidently introducing themselves in Tamil to visitors from Tamil Nadu. Of course, their accent is not truly South Indian, but the effort is commendable, " she added.
Payal, a Class XI student, shared her excitement. "We first learnt 'uyir ezhuthukkal', then 'mei' and 'uyirmei ezhuthukkal'. We learnt Tamil words for relations. Now we greet our friends saying 'Hi Nanba' and 'Epdi irukinga Thozhi'. We even converse in Tamil inside the classroom. It feels surprisingly easy."
Another student, Tanu Pal, said the programme has opened new doors for her. "I come from a poor family. I'm learning Tamil free of cost, and I want to continue. I hope to work in Tamil Nadu after completing my degree, " she said.
Sunil Kumar Srivastava, principal of PM SHRI Government Queen's College, said the 'Tamil Karkalam' module currently runs for 15 days. "We now offer Hindi, Sanskrit and English mediums. From the next academic year, we plan to formally introduce Tamil as an optional subject,” he said.