Context: The Prime Minister said that the Thiruvalluvar statue in Cergy, France is a beautiful testament to the shared cultural bonds between France and India.

About Thiruvalluvar

• Thiruvalluvar commonly known as Valluvar  was an Indian poet and philosopher.
• Thiruvalluvar stands tall as a symbol of wisdom and knowledge.
• He is the author of the Tirukkuṟaḷ which is a collection of couplets on ethics, political and economic matters, and love.
  • Tirukkural  is an all-inclusive ethical that focuses on the avoidance of killing and the avoidance of falsehood.
  • Its 133 sections of 10 couplets each are divided into three books: aram (virtue), porul (government and society), and kamam (love).

Associated Places: Tiruvalluvar

• Tiruvalluvar temple : Tiruvalluvar temple was constructed in the early 16th century at Mylapore, Chennai which is a part of the Ekambareswarar temple complex. 
• Temple memorial : One of Asia’s largest auditoriums is located in Valluvar Kotam, a temple-memorial constructed in Chennai in 1976.
• Statue : Kanyakumari also has a 133-foot-tall statue of Thiruvalluvar.

Impact on India-France Cultural Relations

• Cultural Links: The Thiruvalluvar statue serves as a guide, inspiring individuals to follow Thiruvalluvar’s noble thoughts and further strengthening the cultural links between India and France.
• Deep-rooted ties: The statue serves as a symbol of the deep-rooted ties that bind the two nations ie India and France

News source: PIB