Spiritual leaders grace Sirpi’s 75th birthday celebrations

COIMBATORE: They say that exaggeration is a poet’s territory and it indeed was at the felicitation meeting for poet and critic Sirpi Balasubramaniam, who turned 75 on Friday. But it was also a show of strength that saw spiritual leaders turning up at the meeting on Saturday to shower blessings on the poet.
Kundrakudi Ponnambala Adigalar of Tiruvannamalai Adheenam compared Sirpi to Greek poets, whose popularity was such that they were envied by Alexander, the Great.Another spiritual leader said gods favoured Sirpi as he was serving the Tamil goddess. Santhilinga Ramaswamy Adigalar of Perur Adheenam chaired the meeting.
Poet Shaktijyoti said each of Sirpi’s works was like a pearl from an oyster (Sirpi in Tamil). Reading a poem in Tamil written in praise of Sirpi, she said, “I went deep into the sea after turning into a fish. I wandered about seeing rocks and other fish. Then I dived deep inside and met Sirpi. From him, I got pearls,” she said.
Poet Vijayakumar Kunisseri read a poem in Malayalam saying he was cutting off his thumb to honour the Dronacharya in Sirpi. Other poets compared Sirpi to a tree under which they were provided succour. Poet Puviarasu, a contemporary of Sirpi in the Vanambadi poetry movement of the 1970s, chaired the session.
Two friends of Sirpi were also honoured at the meeting. The Vanambadi poets were also honoured. The two-day event in honour of the poet will end on Sunday. Former president of India APJ Abdul Kalam is expected to attend the closing day.