Tamil Literature
Tamil has been a written language since the beginning of the Christian era.
During this time, poets, bards, writers, and authors from across South India gathered in Madurai for literary assemblies known as “Sangams.”
The body of work produced at these gatherings came to be known as Sangam literature.
Notable contributions include the works of Tamil saints like Thiruvalluvar, whose renowned text Thirukkural has been translated into many languages.
Sangam literature comprises both long and short poems composed by various poets, often celebrating heroic figures and romantic themes.
These works are secular in nature and are considered to be of exceptional literary quality.
In total, three Sangam assemblies are believed to have taken place.
The Sangam corpus contains approximately 30,000 lines of poetry, organized into eight anthologies known as Ettuttokai.
These texts are further classified into two major collections: Pattuppāṭṭu (Ten Idylls) and Patiṉeṇkīḻkaṇakku (Eighteen Lesser Texts).
Apart from Sangam literature, there is the Tolkāppiyam, a foundational text on Tamil grammar and poetics.
Additionally, two great Tamil epics—Silappadikaram and Manimekalai—were composed around the 6th century AD.
Silappadikaram, often regarded as the crowning jewel of Tamil literature, narrates a poignant love story, while Manimekalai, authored by a grain merchant from Madurai, serves as its spiritual and philosophical sequel.
