Thiruvalluvar Day: Greater Chennai Corporation Bans Sale Of Meat On 16 January As Mark Of Tribute To Poet

A ban on the sale of meat on Wednesday (16 January) has been announced by the Greater Chennai Corporation as a tribute to legendary Tamil poet Thiruvalluvar on Thiruvalluvar Day, reports The Times of India.

Slaughterhouses operated by the state’s health department at Saidapet, Pulianthope Kallikuppam and Villivakam would not function on Wednesday, the civic body said in a statement. It also added that the ban would also apply to stores and supermarkets which sell processed meat.

Valluvar, as he was most commonly known, is arguably the most celebrated and revered Tamil poet and philosopher. His best-known work is Thirukkural, which is a collection of couplets on economics, politics, ethics and love. The collection is considered an ancient Sangam gem and the most significant work of Tamil Literature.

The Thirukkural contains 1,330 couplets which are further divided into 133 sections of 10 couplets each. The first 38 sections talk about ethics, the next 70 talk about economics and politics, while the rest of the 25 sections talk about love. The text has been translated into multiple languages, hence, reaching out to intellectuals worldwide and helping them understand and appreciate the work better.