Sevalaya celebrates 11 September every year as Bharathi-Gandhi-Vivekananda
Day (BGV Day). The day was celebrated with various arts and literary programmes
on 10 and 11 Sep 2025 at Sevalaya’s Chellamma Bharathi Learning Centre, Kadayam
in Tenkasi district. Arjun Bharathi, great grandson of Mahakavi Bharathiyar,
Sorsudar Serai Balakrishnan, Writer Kadarkarai Maththavilaasa Angatham and
Meenakshi Sundaram, Librarian, Kadayam Branch Library, graced the occasion as
Chief Guests on 11 Sep 2025. A dance performance by students of Sevalaya’s Kadayam
Kalaanilayam and a musical programme by _Krishna Saki_ Narmadha Padmanabhan and
her troupe took place on 10 Sep 2025. *Yoga students of Sevalaya’s Kadayam
Kalanilayam performed various _yogasanas_ during the event on 11 Sep 2025.
11 September is a significant date in the lives of the three great leaders who
inspired the founding of Sevalaya- Mahakavi Bharathiyar, Mahatma Gandhi and Swami
Vivekananda. It marks Bharathiyar’s remembrance day, the day on which Mahatma
Gandhi coined the term Satyagraha in South Africa and the day Swami Vivekananda
delivered his iconic speech in Chicago at the World’s Parliament of Religions.
Every year, Sevalaya celebrates the day with competitions and events honouring the
legacy of these 3 great personalities. Kadayam is also the birthplace of Chellamma,
Bharathiyar’s wife. Bharathiyar himself lived at Kadayam for two years. A life-size
statue of Bharathiyar and Chellamma has been installed at the Kadayam Branch Library
by Sevalaya. In his address, Arjun Bharathi thanked Sevalaya for organising the
event and presented poems composed by well-known poets such as Kavimani Desiga
Vinayagam Pillai about Bharathiyar and his qualities. He also shared details about
Bharathiyar’s English works.Sorsudar Serai Balakrishnan in his speech, praised
Sevalaya for celebrating BGV Day for a meaningful cause and said that Sevalaya
was spreading education as envisioned by Bharathi in his _Vellaithaamarai
Poovil Iruppaal_ poem. He also explained the relevance of the teachings of Gandhi
and Vivekananda to today’s society. Kadarkarai Maththavilaasa Angatham in his speech
spoke about how Bharathiyar’s songs and opinions influenced a British visitor to
India during the colonial times. He also highlighted how Bharathi took both
devotion to God as well as patriotism to Indian citizens through his poetry.
He also shared that while Bharathi lived in rented homes all his life, today
he is being celebrated by the government and organisations like Sevalaya with
memorials all over the world. In the lead-up to the event, various competitions
were conducted, with nearly 2,300 students from 143 schools and 25 colleges across
17 districts of Tamil Nadu participating. The Chief Guests presented prizes
to winners of the various competitions. Certificates were also distributed to
students who completed the Yoga course at Sevalaya’s Kalanilayam at Kadayam.
Sevalaya’s Ravanasamudram centre employees who completed their work anniversaries
were presented with silver coins. Earlier, in his welcome address, V Muralidharan,
Founder and Managing Trustee of Sevalaya outlined Sevalaya’s activities and shared
that Sevalaya’s Kalanilayam students would be taken on an educational
tour on 7 December to various places around Kadayam such as Ettayapuram, Ottapidaram and
Panchalankurichi, home to well-known freedom fighters. Sethuramalingam, Head, Kadayam
Library Readers’ Circle and *K S Kalyani Sivagaminathan, Retired Head Master and a
prominent well-wisher and supporter of Sevalaya at Kadayam* also participated in the event. Mementos were presented to the Chief Guests.
