Why in News? The BJP’s manifesto for the Lok Sabha election declares to establish Thiruvalluvar Cultural Centres across the globe to showcase Bharat’s rich culture.

Who was Thiruvalluvar? Thiruvalluvar (referred to as Valluvar by Tamils) was an ancient Indian saint, poet and philosopher. He is best known as the author of the Tirukkural, a collection of couplets on ethics, which is considered an exceptional and widely cherished work of Tamil literature. He has been identified as both a Hindu and a Jain sage, while Dravidian groups consider him as a saint with no religious identifiers except his Dravidian roots.

Why does Thiruvalluvar Matter? Thiruvalluvar has long been regarded as a Tamil cultural and moral icon, who is revered by Tamils cutting across lines of caste and religion. The ‘Thirukkural’, a collection of 1,330 couplets (‘kurals’ in Tamil), is an essential part of every Tamil household.

What is Exactly Known About the Thiruvalluvar? From whatever little evidence is left on Thiruvalluvar’s life, several scholars have concluded that most likely he was a Jain sage (neither a Hindu nor a Dravidian).

Why Political Parties Claiming the Legacy of Thiruvalluvar? Both national and regional parties have been making political endeavors for a number of years to seize Thiruvalluvar. For example, BJP’s comparatively thin presence at the grassroots has been their handicap in Tamil Nadu, and attempts to appropriate or co-opt Tamil saints and icons have been part of their efforts to make up.