தமிழ் மரபிலக்கியம்- சைவ திருமறையிலக்கியம் அறிமுக வகுப்புகள்
Dear Jeyamohan,
I am a Catholic, and I would like to share an experience that made me reflect deeply on the importance of understanding our own cultural and philosophical traditions.
Once, when I met a Japanese friend, he asked me about Saivism. I had to admit that I knew very little about it. He was surprised and told me that Saivism was a unique philosophical tradition of Tamil culture, and that it was unfortunate for a Tamil person to remain ignorant of such an important part of his own heritage.
His words made me think. Until then, I had not fully realised how little I knew about the philosophical traditions that had evolved in the land and culture to which I belonged. Perhaps my ignorance also gave him a wrong impression of me. He seemed to imagine that I was a religious fundamentalist, whereas I was not. I simply lacked an understanding of my own cultural and philosophical inheritance.
That encounter made me aware of something essential. Knowing our traditions is not merely a matter of acquiring religious knowledge or following a particular faith. It is also a way of knowing ourselves, understanding the intellectual history of our society, and becoming conscious of the cultural foundations that have shaped our lives.
As a Catholic, I believe that learning about Saivism does not diminish my own religious identity. On the contrary, it broadens my understanding of the world and deepens my appreciation of the intellectual richness of Tamil culture. A philosophical tradition belongs not only to those who practise its religion but also to the larger cultural world in which it has evolved.
This is why I consider your Saivism classes so valuable. They offer us an opportunity to encounter our own traditions with seriousness and clarity, beyond the narrow boundaries of religious identity. They help us recognise that our cultural inheritance is something we must understand, reflect upon, and carry forward.
Thank you for undertaking this important work. Your classes have helped me realise that knowing our own tradition is, in a deeper sense, a way of knowing ourselves.
With gratitude and warm regards,
Xavier Fernandes
