The air in Chennai crackled with resolve as Chief Minister MK Stalin kicked off the International Vallalar Conference with a no-holds-barred defense of Tamil Nadu’s cultural heritage. Under the Hindu Religious and Charitable Endowments Department’s banner, Stalin tackled head-on the threats of ‘repainting’ the saint’s profound message of compassion and equality into something unrecognizable or divisive.
At the heart of his address was a plea to preserve Vallalar’s unadulterated teachings – love, ethics, culture, and the infinite mercy of ‘Thanipenum Karunai.’ Hunger, to Vallalar, was no less than a plague; serving food to the destitute, the ultimate virtue. Stalin positioned his government’s efforts as living embodiments of this ethos.
Key schemes like the student breakfast initiative and senior support systems exemplify the fight against poverty’s grip, mirroring Vallalar’s vision for a nourished society.
Stalin’s temple revival update was nothing short of triumphant: Full reconsecration of 4,192 long-forgotten temples, plus ongoing mega-restorations in 12,900 sites costing ₹8,100 crore – thousands already done, safeguarding spiritual treasures for the ages.
Seven fresh honors for Vallalar were rolled out with fanfare: On-site memorial pillar, Vadalur training school, Thiruvarutpa classes, herbal haven, ‘Spiritual Alchemy’ tome, three-day annual celebrations, meal distribution hubs in Metukuppam, Marudur, Karunguzi, Cuddalore park renaming, and a Chennai research hub.
‘Our pledge to equality and social justice is ironclad,’ Stalin declared. Carry Vallalar’s torch of humanity forward, he exhorted, to keep Tamil Nadu’s soul vibrant and true.