鲨A臀畿。A貂V°AL;A磐颚 INRUM by Dr. N. Subbu Reddiar, (international institute of Tamil tudies, T.T.T.. Post, Taramarii, Madras-600013.
Among godsends to interdisciplinary studies in Tamil, Dr. Subbu Reddiar ranks with the late P. N. Appuswami. Their in-depth scholarship in Tamil siterature is parasieled by an outgoing curiosity to know about science and technology. Dr. Subbu Reddiar published a Tarnil book on electronics as early as 1963. Among his 15 books on science, the latest is a dazzling zig-zag between science and, Tamil literature. It is good to know that the famil genius has always been on the alert to welcome
scientific inventions and discoveries. . . . . . . . .
The first part of Tamizhi Arivyas opens with the educational methodology of ancient Tamils. They held advanced notions on astronomy and their poetic eye conceived the motion of the planets as the "universal wheel" moved by the Time. Wheel (Kala Thigiri, according to Pillai 'iyengar) in the same way Dr. Subbu Reddiar finds information about atomic physics in Avvaiyar, Kamban, Paranjothiyar and the works written by Jains, Verses of Thayumanavar stand witness to the evolutionary theory. Indeed, the entire ancient lore helps the irrepressible author to touch upon various topics like sex-reversals (Amba-Sikhandin, ArjunaBrihannata) and matherratics - (Pirikalanthai, Kamban's Ramayana) -
The second part is a bird's eyeview of the existing Scientific knowledge given in simple Tamil. The literary allusions add a certair pithiness to the narratives as when Pattinathar gives a hand to describe the atom bomb explosion over Hiroshima and Nagasaki. With admirable aplomb Dr. Reddiar eniches the scientific vocabulary in Tamil and uses armiliar ဒွတ္သူႏွစ္တ to explain the unknown. Thus the lucieus guarded by encircling protons and elec
trons is likened to the chakra-vyuha and the three
tage rockets to tiffin-carriers. -
The use of atomic power for peaceful purposes (especially as radio isotopes) receives detailed treatment Dr. Reddiar has given importance to biology and space exploration as well. Tamizhi Arviyal is certainly an effective demonstration of how to eschew sterile pedantry in Tamil-medium clässrooms meant forteachingthe marveis of scien
tific advancement. - : - Prema Nandakumar
