CHENNAI: What started as a moment of disagreement in a tribal school, deep inside the Sathyamangalam forest has today evolved into a widely appreciated literary work. Kuralukku Kural, showcased at the 49th Chennai Book Fair authored by Bharath, a physiotherapist-turned-writer and publisher, has drawn attention for the simplified interpretation of the classical Tamil couplets from Tirukkural.
Known by his pen name Kaviuzhavan, Bharath has delivered motivational speeches to over 2.5 lakh students across Tamil Nadu, including remote tribal schools. During one such session, a discussion with a Tamil teacher over a quoted line from his book turned into a debate on the language usage.
The teacher dismissed the phrasing as non-classical Tamil, which upset Bharath. “On my return journey, I was certainly not angry with an individual but I did not like the way Tamil was being taught in schools,” recalled Bharath. “In the name of elegance, the language has become inaccessible.”
Encouraged by his own efforts to understand the subject, despite his lack of formal knowledge of Tamil literature, he rewrote Tirukkural in a concise ‘Two by seven’ format, preserving its essence while making it easier to read. He studied commentaries by 18 renowned scholars, including Parimelazhagar, Karunanidhi, Varadarajan, and Sirpi for the translation.
Bharath locked himself away in his house for almost two-and-a-half months, reading, writing, and refining each couplet. While some verses took an hour to complete, others demanded up to seven hours of focused effort. “If I made even a small mistake, it would have been unacceptable,” he noted.
The outcome, ‘Kuralukku Kural, has found strong resonance among readers at the ongoing Chennai Book Fair. Reader and reviewer of the book, Mohan J, said, “This version of Tirukkural speaks directly to today’s generation. It removes fear from the language without robbing it of its soul.”
After losing his father at a young age, Bharath supported his education through part-time work. Though he aspired to become a pilot, financial constraints led him to pursue medicine. Unsatisfied, he later founded a tuition centre in Palladam in 2004, which has since educated over 10,000 students, including 53 who are now teachers.
His debut book, Punitham Thedum Manitham, earned a World Tamil University Award. “At the book fair, people are clearly looking for simple, meaningful books,” he added. “That tells me this effort was worth it.”