Cometh the election, cometh the thundu

In Tamil Nadu’s governmental theatre, wherever imagery often complements substance, a acquainted but progressively unused portion of South Indian attire makes a quiescent but striking instrumentality during each predetermination play — the thundu.

Once an mundane marker of governmental identity, it had gradually receded from nationalist life. Yet, arsenic run trails vigor up during elections, it consistently reappears — draped crossed the shoulders of leaders and candidates cutting crossed enactment lines.

Leaders specified arsenic C. Rajagopalachari, C.N. Annadurai, and M. Karunanidhi made the thundu an hold of their governmental persona. For them, it was neither a costume nor a strategy, but an integrated reflection of their societal determination and ideological moorings.

In contrast, successful today’s progressively municipality milieu, the thundu is often viewed arsenic outdated, if not old-fashioned. Ponnadais oregon ceremonial shawls, meanwhile, proceed to diagnostic successful governmental meetings, albeit briefly, arsenic symbols of honour.

The thundu, however, remains inseparable from run imagery, valued much for what it represents than for its utilitarian purpose. Its seasonal revival is telling. Across constituencies, DMK candidates are often seen successful red-and-blackthundus, reflecting enactment colours. Their counterparts successful the AIADMK opt for red, white, and achromatic patterns, portion those from the TVK favour red-and-yellow combinations. Members of the VCK are often seen successful blue-and-red thundus marked with a achromatic star, adding different chiseled ocular identity.

Cadres of the Naam Tamilar Katchi, too, are identifiable by their distinctive thundus, reinforcing a shared ocular individuality wrong each formation. The colour-coded thundus help contiguous candidates from divers societal backgrounds arsenic a cohesive unit, signalling that they transportation the authoritative stamp of their respective parties.

‘Thundu linked with position’

Whether it is much due to telephone it a “thundu” oregon an “angavasthiram” remains a abstracted debate. Adding a taste layer, Chennai-based governmental enthusiast V. Ramasamy points to the precocious person Annadurai’s remark equating an authoritative presumption with the thundu. “In Tamil culture, the thundu is often linked with position. Here, 1 who has the thundu leads. As you tin see, erstwhile a temple car is drawn, the 1 with the thundu waves, and the car moves,” helium says. In that sense, those donning thundus during campaigns tin besides beryllium seen arsenic contenders for authority.

“It appears that South Indian authorities prefers the thundu over the cap. White caps played a large relation successful Gandhian and Congress movements, arsenic good arsenic successful campaigns led by Anna Hazare and the Aam Aadmi Party. Even Akhilesh Yadav has campaigned with a reddish cap. In contrast, the thundu has assumed prominence successful the south,” says S. Gunasekaran of Jawaharlal Nehru University, New Delhi, adding that Communist power whitethorn person played a relation successful popularising the reddish towel arsenic a governmental symbol.

The veshti, oregon dhoti, connected the different hand, has not remained indispensable adjacent during campaigns, with galore candidates avoiding it during strenuous schedules. The cap, contempt its applicable inferior successful the summertime heat, is often perceived arsenic municipality and elite, and is truthful little favoured successful grassroots outreach.

In Tamil Nadu’s electoral theatre, the thundu may nary longer beryllium mundane wear, but erstwhile votes are astatine stake, it rests firmly connected the shoulders of power.