TAMIL NADU OUR PRIDE

I wrote this piece for a college poetry competition for my daughter.

TAMIL NADU OUR PRIDE

Tamil Nadu is our pride

Tamil culture is our guide

We have many values on our side

And have no evils to hide

Tamil language is classical and ancient


Tamil people are musical and efficient


We invoke Tamil as our mother


And stand and sing together






We have temples, mosques and churches


Where unity in diversity perches


We see no caste, color or creed


For education makes us freed






Yesterday we had Chola, Chera and Pandya kings


Today we fly on democracy’s wings


Yesterday, we had Nawabs and Nizams


Today we have Kababs and bread jams

For peace we say Salam


For Space we have Abdul Kalam


Bharatanatyam is our state dance


For cultural heritage, we give hands






Periyar, Anna and Kalaignar – were our great leaders


Valluvan, Kamban and Bharathi were our great poets


Our chief grain is paddy


And our Chief Minister is a lady






Truth is our motto


Peace is our photo


We are Hindus, Muslims, Christians and Jains


But religious harmony everywhere shines




Tamil Nadu is our pride


Tamil culture is our guide


We have many values on our side


And have no evils to hide

Death: A grave situation

The viewers have gone

The curtain is drawn

The play is over

And the journey from the full stop begins.

The ultimate going down is

The actual going up

The alpha of the omega

For the soul to sing ‘eureka’.

Liberty, equality, fraternity

As time leaps from the grave

Into eternity.

The noise ceases

And the music pauses

The self faces

The Cause of all causes.

When all our account is paid

We are to rest laid

With nothing to hide

By God’s rule abide.

Die before you die

Said the wise Prophet

If you can die while living

You can live while dying.

Never ask how

Try it here and now

Truth is a wonderful dove

The hands of Reason above.

I wrote this poem on 21.03.1994. Today I happened to read it again and it sounded good. I thought it better to post it.