The 136th birth anniversary of Tamil poet ‘Mahakavi’ C. Subramania Bharathi was celebrated at his birth place in Ettayapuram on Monday.
As many as 136 students clad in white turban, black jacket and dhoti, resembling Bharathi, took out a rally.
The students proceeded from Ettayapuram Samasthanam (Ettayapuram Maharaja's Palace), where Mr. Bharathi was the court poet. With patriotic fervour, they sang Bharathi’s songs and raised slogans 'Vande Mataram' .
Subsequently, the children walked to Bharathiar’s birth house and garlanded his statue. Ettayapuram, a selection grade town panchayat, wore a festive look as many children and Tamil scholars visited the poet’s birth place to pay their tributes.
Prior to the rally flagged off by Inspector of Ettayapuram Police, Ramaiah, the children took an oath to strive for education for all children, women’s education, emancipation of women, abolition of child labour and promoting patriotism.
The students, who participated in the programme organised by Bharathiar Memorial Trust, Kovilpatti, and presided over by P. Muthu Murugan, founder of trust, were from Tamil Baptist Primary School, Ettayapuram, and Mariappa Nadar Middle School.
Besides, members of the All India Tamil Writers’ Association organised a literary programme at Ettayapuram to mark the legendary poet’s birth anniversary.
Tamil scholars recalled the significant contribution of the poet to Tamil literature. U. Kaja Mydeen, president, Umaru Pulavar Sangam, Ettayapuram, R. Govindaraja Perumal, former president, Ettayapuram Panchayat, and others also took part in the programme.