The Origin, Wisdom, and Books in Tamil Literature
Tamilliteraturepossessesathrivingandprolongedliteraryconventionextendingmorethantwo thousandyears.Theoldestsurvivingliterarypiecesexhibitsymbolsofcomprehensiveworks.It indicatesanevenolderextentofTamilliteraturepractice.TheoldestevidenceofTamilliterarywork isTholkappiyam,created2350yearsago.Thisgrammartextconsistsofthree booksinTamil.The pendantofTamilliteraturehasearnedatotalof64AcademyawardstodateforvariousTamilbooks and writers.
ThescholarsofTamilliteraturearelargelyTamilpeopleresidinginvariouspartsofSouthIndia.It includesthelandpresentlyconsistingofTamilNadu,Eelam TamilsfromSriLanka,Kerala,andother Tamilzones.Asperlanguageexperts,TamilisthesecondoldestclassicallanguageofIndiaafter Sanskrit.SomeoftheancientTamilstoneinscriptionsdatingbacktothe3rdcenturyBCreflectan impressiveviewofthelanguage.However,theformalTamilliteratureworksbeganaroundthe1st century AD.
TamilliteratureisalsocalledSangamliteratureastheywerecreatedandcollectedbyunionsknown asSangams,meaningtheassociationofdignifiedpoets.TamilliteratureisaclassicDravidian languagespanningIndiaandSriLanka.Theearliestworksincludedepicandpoetryonmythological themes.However,therewassomeexceptionalagnosticcourt poetrycomposedbyfellowsofthe śaṅgam or literary academy.
Tamilisaclassiclanguageofantiquity,deliveringarichliterarytradition.Thelanguageisespecially notableforitspoeticculture,aswellasepics,philosophicaltexts,andsecularsavor.Let'sgothrough the evolution of Tamil literature and learn about various Tamil novels, epics, and other literary works.
The Evolution of Tamil literature under Various Patrons
Basedonthegrammaticalandlingualchanges,therearethreestagesinTamilliteraturenamely;Old Tamil,MiddleTamil,andModernTamil.TheoldTamilspanned from450BCEto700CE,themiddle Tamil from 700 CE to 1600 CE, and the modern Tamil started from 1600 CE.
Fromthe6th–the9thcenturies,TamilliteratureexperiencedtheBhaktimovement.Thisperiodwas influencedbyreligionandpersonaldevotion.ItstartedintheTamilregioninthenameofAlvarsand the Nayanars saints devoted to Vishnu and Shiva.
Thedurationofthe12thto16thcenturiesismarkedbythecompositionofseveralphilosophicand religious tales. The period is also significant for the classic writings of the poet Kampan.
ThegreatestpatronsofTamilliteraturewerethekingsoftheCholadynasty.Kambanwasa renownednameofthisperiodwhowasthecourtpoetofKulottungaCholaIIIfrom1178-1218A.D.His mostfamouscreationsincludeRamakataiorKambaRamayanam,whichisatranslationofValmiki’s Ramayana.Theuniquestyleandtechniquesofthecomposition madethiscreationthegreatestepic inTamilofalltime.TheothernotablecreationsofthisextentincludeUttarakandam,Mudurai, Kalladam, etc.
AnothersignificantpoetwhoblossomedduringtheCholaspan wasKuttan.HepennedfamousTamil literarytextslikeNalayirakkovai,Tukkayagapparani,Parani,Sarasvatiyandadi,and Arumbaittollayiram.OtherrecognizedwritersoftheChola extentwereTirutakadevara,whowrote JiwanaChintamani,andTalamokti,whowroteSulamani.Venkatamadhava,agreatscholarofthe period, wrote a commentary piece on Rigveda during the rule of Parantaka I.
ContemporaryTamilliteraturehasexperiencedtheinfluenceofIslamandChristianityfrom1600 onward.TheearliestfamousMuslimTamilpoetwasUmaruppulavar,activefrom1605to1703.He wrotetheSirappuranam,apoeticdescriptionofthelifeofProphetMuhammad.Anotherwriter ConstanzioBeschiwroteaclassicTembavanionthelifeofJesusChristunderthepseudonymof Viramamunivar in 1680-1747 AD.
Duringthe19thcentury,WesternstructuresandconceptsinfluencedTamilliterature.Inthelate19th century,Tamilliteraturegotanewclasswithphilosophicalandspiritualthemes.Gradually,these new styles of compositions became popular among general readers.
Scholars and Books in Tamil Literature
TheFiveGreatEpicsofTamilLiteraturecomposedofSilappatikaram,Seevaka-chintamani, Kundalakesi,Manimekalai,andValayapathi.Anothercollectionofclassictextsofthe5thcentury about kingship, love, and ethics is known as Tirukkuraḷ.
Thesocial,political,andculturalaspectsoftheTamilregionlargelyinfluencedthegrowthofTamil literature.Sangamliteratureoriginatedduringthe2ndcenturyBCEandiscomposedofcollectionsof variouspoets.Thesecreationswerebasedonvariedsocial, moral,andreligioussubjects.Theancient epicsandothermoralliteraturecreatedbytheBuddhist,Jain,andHinduscholarscontinuedtillthe 5th century CE.
ThefatherofmodernTamilliteratureisMaraimalaiAdigal, whowroteover100Tamilbooks.Mostof hiscreationsincludedramasandpoems.HealsocreatedseveralresearchpapersonTamilliterature. AnotherfamouswriteroftheModernTamillanguageisSubramanyaBharati,knownforhispatriotic and divine songs and devoted prose on current social issues.
Conclusion:
TamilisoneofthefewclassicallanguagesofIndia.Thisrichlanguagecreatedaheritageofliterature withmanyfamousepics,classics,poetries,etc.Severalancientandcontemporarywritershavetaken Tamilliteraturetoanewclass.Youcanbuyyourfavorite Tamilbooksonline asallpopularTamil literature books are now available online.