First ever World Classical Tamil Conference....that too in my home town (if one considers 40 km is nothing, due to global expansion). Watched it with great eager, amidst few ignoring the Conference due to obvious reasons..!!! The acceptance speech of Asko Parpola, first recipient of the Kalaignar M. Karunanidhi Classical Tamil Award was meaning full. But….!! I am a typical Tamilian with similar interest in the language. I am a guy who looks at the credits column of the softwares and search for the Tamilian names (of course among Indian names) and feel proud and satisfied. Mr Asko Parpola, I am sure would have done a lot of creditable work to the language that is why he has been nominated, vetted and awarded this award by the Award committee. I am aware of his works, happened to have known the article before some time. But I would have been really satisfied if the First ever WCTC KK award was given to some known Tamil figure. I am sure that there would have been few language veterans here also.
The arrangements done, what the city has gone through is mind blowing. Proves again, if the Govt wants, anything can be done. Due to the big family circle, which happens to be in few Govt Offices, I happen to know the furious attitude with which the Govt machine has worked to make this event possible. Saying Rs 1500 Cr as the expenditure would be an underestimation. The EB Dept has zero pending projects. All the lines of the Telephone Dept re-laid. PWD itself can’t believe the speed with which it has completed the works. The Police Dept has once again pulled out a mammoth job. (There may be few exaggeration, but forgive it as out of exuberance). One friend in the Telephone Dept was joking, 'U never know, if u have power cut, please try your landline, u may get a clean AC supply between the mouth and ear piece'. Another in the pvt sector said that he was thanking God for this Conference in Coimbatore, otherwise his dying Company would have laid him off. Anyway, if the Avinashi road is going to look good for some more time, I am with all these. If other roads of Coimbatore are also to look like Race Course Road, I am with all these.
Coverage of the program needs mention. DD Podhigai, as usual messed it up, except for the Opening Day. Even in the Opening Day, why is that the Govt Broadcasting Organisation limp with only one Camera angle? (Only one camera angle or only one camera..???). Working on Fixed Salary, so Camera in Fixed Line..?? During Kaviarangam...., God , somebody was teaching me, how to cook according to old Tamil methods. On a larger scale, SUN Network gave good coverage. Their three window view of the 'Iniyavai Naarpathu' with the attribution to Tamil.....I loved it ..!! Kalaignar Network due to the obvious closeness to the Govt, was always close to the central stage and the Chief Guest, but they messed a lot with the coverage as well as their sound system. I can say atleast 40 names of the people who were around the camera.
I heard from the people about the locations of the various Halls and the stalls. It was bit tiring and near to impossible to visit all of them, because of the distance and the crowd. Crowd understandable, but distance, somebody could have put his bit more of brain. The CODISSIA ground could have been partitioned with absolutely separated and isolated entry and exit points and still could have done the crowd management. The land there extends upto and behind SITRA and even beyond, if one has bunked classes and roamed there, he would know. Walking in same compound for a mile rather than moving between facilities at different location for a 1 km, is better.
Overall, as a Tamilian I am proud to certain extent due to few obvious other places of concern. One of the National News Channel described the event as Rs 325 Cr party by and for the CM. Other was mentioning it as the final stage of handing over the reign to the heir. To certain extent I am with, both the view. When a joint family is slumbering in some difficulty, a function would rejuvenate or help to overcome the sorrow for atleast a brief time, if not permanently. So, let us be positive, we have got one opportunity to get to see some good research paper-type works and disclosures (if that is the right word). Let us enjoy it and rejoice to the maximum. As said by few, if you dont know classical music atleast to enjoy it, one is missing one taste of the life, same way, if one does not know to enjoy one's own language's literature, I would say, they are missing one important and essential taste/part of their life.