Vijay Has Firm Resolve On Tamil Thai Vazhthu: From Sundaranar’s 1891 Work To State Song Status, Know The History

Published 10 August 2026 · india

News explainers Vijay Has Firm Resolve On Tamil Thai Vazhthu: From Sundaranar’s 1891 Work To State Song Status, Know The History Vijay Has Firm Resolve

News explainers Vijay Has Firm Resolve On Tamil Thai Vazhthu: From Sundaranar’s 1891 Work To State Song Status, Know The History Vijay Has Firm Resolve On Tamil Thai Vazhthu: From Sundaranar’s 1891 Work To State Song Status, Know The History Written By, Last Updated: August 10, 2026, 17:22 IST Tamil Thai Vazhthu was written as an invocation poem titled ‘Tamil Dheiva Vanakkam’ in Manonmaniam Sundaram Pillai's 1891 classical play Manonmaniam Rapid Read Tamil Nadu Chief Minister C. Joseph Vijay (Photo: X/CMOTN) The Tamil Nadu Legislative Assembly on Monday unanimously adopted a special resolution moved by Chief Minister C. Joseph Vijay, making it strictly mandatory for Tamil Thai Vazhthu to be sung first before the commencement of all public programmes Tamil Thai Vazhthu was written as an invocation poem titled ‘Tamil Dheiva Vanakkam’ in Manonmaniam Sundaram Pillai’s 1891 classical play Manonmaniam. Adopted for state functions in 1970 by M Karunanidhi, it was formally declared the official state song of Tamil Nadu on December 17, 2021, requiring attendees to stand as a mark of respect. News18 explains the history. TAMIL THAI VAZHTHU: THE ORIGIN 1891: Written by professor and writer Manonmaniam Sundaram Pillai as a poetic invocation to Mother Tamil (Tamil Thai) in the preface of his verse drama Manonmaniam.

1914: The poem gained traction outside the book when the Karanthai Tamil Sangam began singing it at the start of its annual literary and cultural functions. TAMIL THAI VAZHTHU: ENTRY INTO GOVERNMENT PROTOCOL (1970) March 1970: Chief Minister M Karunanidhi announced that excerpts from the invocation would be officially recited at the beginning of all state government functions. November 23, 1970: A formal Government Order (GO) was issued, mandating the poem as the designated opening song for state events. Musical Composition: Legendary music composer M. S. Viswanathan scored the musical arrangement for the finalized stanzas, which were traditionally rendered in Mohana Ragam over a duration of 55 seconds. WHAT IS ITS LEGAL STATUS? Following controversies regarding whether audiences were legally obligated to stand during the playback of the prayer song, the Madras High Court clarified its status as an invocation rather than a statutory national anthem. On December 17, 2021, the Tamil Nadu government formally elevated the piece, officially declaring Tamil Thai Vazhthu the state song. The 2021 order required all attendees (except the differently abled) to stand up during its performance across universities, educational institutions, government offices, and public undertakings. Subsequent legislative reaffirmations continue to safeguard its preeminent place at the start of public functions.