Thirukkural Week 5

Thirukkural Week 5

When I was in 6th grade, I kept hearing about a Tamil teacher from another section, Malathy ma’am.

My friends spoke about how she could transport students into the world of Tamil, her spontaneous humour, her command over the classroom, and above all, her deep love for the language.

I had always enjoyed Tamil and consistently did well in the subject.

Yet, I longed to experience her words.

In 8th grade, it finally happened.

Every Tamil class with her felt special.

Even students who hated Tamil (yes, Tamil spellings can be unforgiving :)) listened intently and scored well.

Thirukkural verses flowed naturally when she taught.

By the end of the class, we had memorized them with ease.

What she taught me went far beyond Tamil.

Her 'solvanmai', the eloquence, left a lasting imprint on me.

Looking back, I can clearly see how those early classroom moments shaped the speaker I would become later in life.

Whenever Malathy ma’am comes to my mind, this Kural echoes strongly:

𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐊𝐮𝐫𝐚𝐥 𝐈 𝐇𝐨𝐥𝐝 𝐓𝐡𝐢𝐬 𝐖𝐞𝐞𝐤 - 𝐖𝐞𝐞𝐤 5

கேட்டார்ப் பிணிக்கும் தகையவாய்க் கேளாரும்

வேட்ப மொழிவதாம் சொல்.

True eloquence is speech that captivates those who listen and makes even those who did not listen long to hear it.

- Thirukkural 643

A speaker may aim to impress or inspire the audience in the room.

But true rhetoric goes a step further. It makes people think long after, talk about it, and carry the words forward to others, creating a ripple effect where more people long to listen.

And that is the real power of words that Thiruvalluvar describes.

#Thirukkural #Solvanmai #Eloquence #PublicSpeaking #Mentorship #Storytelling #WordsThatMatter #LearningJourney #Inspiration #TeachersWhoInspire