New Delhi, Dec 11 (NationPress) Prime Minister Narendra Modi honored Mahakavi Subramania Bharati on his birth anniversary, noting that his poetry sparked bravery and his insights had the potential to create a profound impact on people's minds.

On the social media platform X, PM Modi stated, “Honoring Mahakavi Subramania Bharati on his birth anniversary. His poetry sparked bravery and his insights have the ability to create lasting impressions on countless individuals.”

“He illuminated India’s cultural and national consciousness. He dedicated his efforts to fostering a society characterized by justice and inclusion. His contributions to Tamil literature are unmatched,” he further elaborated in his post.

Subramania Bharati left a profound legacy across various fields, showcasing his diverse talents. As a representation of India’s multilingual essence, Bharati mastered 32 languages, including three foreign tongues. He penned remarkable poems and essays in English but took immense pride in his identity as a Tamil poet and journalist. He believed that Tamil, along with all Indian languages, held equal value to English.

Bharati encouraged Indians to embrace their rich heritage, emphasizing the crucial role of language and literature. While he was deeply proud of his Tamil identity, he also expressed profound respect for other languages, referring to Telugu as “Sundara Telugu.” He motivated people to take pride in being Bharatiyas, belonging to a land replete with ancient wisdom—which he famously described as “The glorious symbol (tilak) of the world, the Land of Bharat.”

He was a visionary advocating for freedom in the broadest sense. Not only did he participate in the freedom struggle against foreign dominion, but he also imagined an India devoid of hunger, gender inequality, untouchability, environmental degradation, and narrow-minded linguistic and religious dogma. This visionary perspective makes him significant even today.

Bharati was a strong proponent of dismantling the caste system. He held the belief that all beings are equal, and to demonstrate this principle, he performed the upanayanam for a young Dalit man, proclaiming him a Brahmin. In one of his verses, he wrote: “There is no caste system. It is a sin to categorize individuals based on caste, which implies that an educated person treats everyone equally, irrespective of caste.”

While he opposed colonial rule and the oppression of Indians by the British, Bharati respected foreigners who cherished and honored Bharat and its culture. One notable example is Margaret E. Noble, an Irish woman later called Sister Nivedita by Swami Vivekananda. She established a girls' school in Calcutta, instilling a sense of nationalism in her students and introducing the singing of Vande Mataram as a school prayer.

Bharati was a fierce champion of women's rights and their involvement in politics. He advocated for enhanced rights and education for women, maintaining that they should lead societal transformation in line with ancient Indian wisdom.