Tamil saint Vallalar would have blessed women's reservation bill, says PM on 200th birth anniversary

New Delhi, Oct 5: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday remembered Saint Vallalar on his 200th birth anniversary and said that the saint would have blessed the passage of the women’s reservation bill in Parliament.

In a virtual message on the occasion, the Prime Minister said, “Today, I am confident that he (Saint Vallalar) would have blessed the passage of Nari Shakti Vandan Adhiniyam (passage of Women’s Reservation Bill in Parliament) which reserves seats for women in legislative bodies.”

“When we remember Vallalar, we recall his spirit of care and compassion. He believed in a way of life based on ‘Jeeva Karunya’ which is compassion towards fellow human beings. One of his most important contributions was his strong commitment to removing hunger. Nothing pained him more than a human being going to bed on an empty stomach,” he added further.

Today is the 200th birth anniversary of the great Ramalinga Swami ji, also known as Vallalar. It is even more special that this program is being held in Vadalur, a place closely associated with Vallalar. He is one of our most respected saints. He walked this earth in the 19th century but his spiritual insights continue to inspire millions of people even today, Modi said.

The Prime Minister said that the 19th century saint’s teachings were aimed at working for an equal society by believing in ‘Sabka Saath, Sabka Vikas, Sabka Vishwas, Sabka Prayaas’.

Thiruvarutprakasa Vallalar Chidambaram Ramalingam, better known as Vallalar, was born on October 5, 1823 in Tamil Nadu. He was one of the most famous Tamil Saiva saints and also one of the greatest Tamil poets of the 19th century.

He belonged to a line of Tamil saints known as “gnana siddhars”.