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By:
JBR
Village deities will get festivities once in a year. People will throng to the temple for 10 days. Cobwebs will be swept away. Renovations will take place. For 10 days the temple will be the happening place.
From the 11th day, the temple will be left alone. Cobwebs will once again find refuge here. In sun and rain, the village deity will be all alone. No one to care for.
Have the Tamils forgotten Nadigar Thilakam like the village deities? Particularly the Nadigar Sangam? Nadigar Sangam is once again in the eye of the storm when Pondichery government installed Sivaji's statute. "It is years since the Nadigar Sangam President Vijayakanth promised to build Sivaji's memorial. But no effort has been taken in that direction up to now," complains Sivaji fans with anger.
As the elections are approaching a political party is taking up the issue of Sivaji's memorial and criticizing Vijayakanth. Sivaji's elder son Ram Kumar has claimed that even without the financial help of Nadigar Sangam, the Memorial can be built.
What is the problem in building the Memorial for Sivaji. Who are the people creating the problem? When will it be done?
On behalf of the Nadigar Sangam a proposal was given to the Government requesting allocation of land for Sivaji's Memorial some months after his demise on July 21 2001. The Government accepted this proposal and announced the allocation of land of 0.65 acre in September 2002. The land lies opposite Sathya Studios.
After the allocation of land, the fans were hopeful that efforts will begin soon. But the Memorial work was lying untouched. Arguments followed…discussions took place.
It was reported that the land was lying on the way leading to the residences of Judges and Ministers. When this issue was raised in the Assembly, it was demanded that Nadigar Sangam should bear the cost of laying a diversion. Nadigar Sangam had also made the payment. The road issue was also resolved.
The work of building the Memorial was taken up. On May 22 last year, the land was consecrated on behalf of Nadigar Sangam. Speaking on that occasion Vijayakanth claimed that the Memorial work would be taken on hand and that it will be completed in four months.
This announcement is now years old. But not even one brick is in place at the Memorial. Why is this delay?
Sivaji fans openly accuse that Vijayakanth is a fan of M.G.R. and that he never liked Sivaji. That is the reason behind delaying the Memorial project.
When Vijayakanth assumed office, he was very involved in the Nadigar Sangam activities, which is not the case now. Since starting the political party his focus has turned to politics. He is not participating in discussions on important issues in the Sangam.
Though all the above may be true, Vijayakanth alone cannot be blamed for the delay in building the Sivaji Memorial. If only all the members of Nadigar Sangam were eager to build the Memorial, the likes and dislikes of the President of Nadigar Sangam is of no consequence. By now the Memorial would be standing.
The first reason was is that the dedication was missing among those who had love and respect for Sivaji in turning them into concrete action. The second reason, of course, is money. The fund required for that is yet to be collected by the Sangam. Even for that, there seems to be a solution. In this context, it is important to take notice of the interview given by Sivanji's elder son Ram Kumar.
"There are thousands of my father's fans all over the world who are waiting to donate funds to raise the Memorial. We are prepared to donate Rs.1 crore from our family for this project."
Raising the fund alone will not start the project. Because the complete plan for the Memorial is not in place. Many think that it was enough to build a memorial with a marble arch like those of Anna and M.G.R. memorials. But Sivaji family thinks that more than an arch, it was important that the Memorial should have more facilities for visitors.
Ram Kumar says "it should be thought of as a museum with a library, Sivaji photo gallery, space for display of memorabilia, awards and trophies."
He also says that both Rajini and Kamal have different take on how the Memorial should be.
Now that the Pondichery Government had established a statue for Sivaji, it has revived discussions on the Memorial project that was almost dumped sometime ago. A group is trying to take advantage by terming this as the failure of Vijayakanth.
But it is an insult to the great institution called Sivaji who served art until his last breath. Nadigar Thilagam has been treated like the village deities only to be remembered on the days of his birth and death. Every body is hoping that there will soon be a resolution to this issue.
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-22.02.2006
