SINGAPORE - The country's largest Tamil literary collection, made up of 20,000 resources, including 17 translations of Thirukkural, or sacred verses, was opened to the public on Saturday (April 16).
Called Tamil Cholai (Tamil Garden), the collection is housed in Woodlands Regional Library (WRL).
As a regional library, WRL offers more space to hold a larger Tamil collection, as well as host more events and programmes for Tamil speakers that will help to cultivate greater understanding and appreciation for Singapore’s multicultural society.
Highlighting the 17 translations of Thirukkural and other resources in English, Chinese and Malay, guest of honour Josephine Teo, Minister for Communications and Information and Second Minister for Home Affairs, said at the launch: "Tamil Cholai is not only for the Tamil community. It will also be another step forward in strengthening Singapore's social cohesion - each community celebrating their own language and culture while learning about other cultures too."
Quoting a couplet from Thirukkural, Mrs Teo also highlighted three key aspects that relate to the role of libraries in Singapore - lifelong learning, learning widely from other cultures and perceiving libraries as institutions of learning.
Located in the second level of WRL, Tamil Cholai offers contemporary and classical Tamil works. Around 1,000 specially curated works in English, Malay and Chinese have also been added to it.
Non-Tamil speakers can access translated as well as original material related to Tamil history, culture and the arts at the facility.
National Library Board's (NLB) chief executive Ng Cher Pong said at the launch: "Tamil Cholai is a treasure trove of books, stories and other materials we re delighted to share with patrons as part of LAB25 (Library and Archives Blueprint). Through the collection, we hope to add on to the learning marketplace we are developing so that everyone can read more and learn, gaining a deeper understanding of our multi-cultural heritage."
NLB senior head of Tamil language Azhagiya Pandiyan hopes Tamil patrons will make full use of the materials in the collection to read and learn regularly in their mother tongue.
"This will help Singapore keep our bilingual competitive edge. At the same time, we hope patrons will gain a deeper understanding and appreciation of their Tamil heritage when they visit the space and the exhibition," he added.
At the launch, Mrs Teo also announced a partnership between NLB and the Centre for Singapore Tamil Culture to develop an online encyclopaedia on Singapore Tamils. The resource will document the history and lives of Singapore Tamils.
The launch of Tamil Cholai, which also featured a dialogue with local Tamil authors, including veteran P. Krishnan, is part of more than 40 programmes featured in the ongoing annual Tamil Language Festival organised by the Tamil Language Council.
The festival kicked off on April 1 and will end on May 1.
To complement the launch, NLB will be organising reading programmes for readers of all ages.
More details can be found here.
