Tamil-language literature

Tamil poet, social reformer, fighter for Indian freedom & women's rights

Cilappatikāram (, ), also referred to as Silappathikaram or Silappatikaram, is the earliest Tamil epic. It is a poem of 5,730 lines in almost entirely akaval (aciriyam) meter. The epic is a tragic love story of an ordinary couple, Kaṇṇaki and her husband Kōvalaṉ. The Cilappatikāram has more ancient roots in the Tamil bardic tradition, as Kannaki and other characters of the story are mentioned or alluded to in the Sangam literature such as in the Natṟiṇai and later texts such as the Kovalam Katai. It is attributed to a prince-turned-jain-monk Iḷaṅkō Aṭikaḷ, and was probably composed in the 5th

one of the oldest and richest literatures of the world

epic poetry of the Indian subcontinent

collection of 4,000 Tamil verses composed by the 12 Alvars

The Tevaram (, ), also spelled Thevaram, denotes the first seven volumes of the twelve-volume collection Tirumurai, a Shaiva narrative of epic and Puranic heroes, as well as a hagiographic account of early Shaiva saints set in devotional poetry. The Tevaram volumes contain the works of the three most prominent Shaiva Tamil saints of the 7th and 8th centuries: Sambandar, Appar, and Sundarar. The three saints were not only involved in portraying their personal devotion to Shiva, but also engaged a community of believers through their songs. Their work is an important source for understanding the

thumbnail|Agastya, the first Siddhar thumb|Pambatti Siddhar Sannidhi at [[Marudamalai Temple]]

thumb|right|290px|The four foremost Nayanars with Manikkavaasakar - collectively called the நால்வர்: (from left) Sambandar, [[Appar, Sundarar, Manikkavachakar.]]

The Tiruppavai () is a set of Tamil Hindu hymns attributed to the female poet-saint Andal.

Maṇimēkalai (, ), also spelled Manimekhalai or Manimekalai, is a Tamil Buddhist epic composed by Kulavāṇikaṉ Seethalai Sataṉar probably somewhere between the 2nd century to the 6th century. It is an "anti-love story", a sequel to the "love story" in the earliest Tamil epic Cilappatikaram, with some characters from it and their next generation. The epic consists of 4,861 lines in akaval meter, arranged in 30 cantos.

The Tirumantiram () or Thirumantiram is a Tamil poetic work, written either in the 2nd century BCE and 4th century CE by Tirumular. It is the tenth of the twelve volumes of the Tirumurai, the key texts of Shaiva Siddhanta and the first known Tamil work to use the term. The Tirumantiram is the earliest known exposition of the Shaiva Agamas in Tamil. It consists of over three thousand verses dealing with various aspects of spirituality, ethics and praise of Shiva. But it is more spiritual than religious and one can see the difference between Vedanta and Siddhanta from Tirumular's interpretation

Tamil epic poems (5th to 10th century)

one of five great Tamil epics, Jain

Tamil Shaivite text

Kundalakesi ( Kuṇṭalakēci, lit. "woman with curly hair"), also called Kuntalakeciviruttam, is a Tamil Buddhist epic written by Nathakuthanaar, likely sometime in the 10th century. The epic is a story about love, marriage, getting tired with the married partner, murder and then discovering religion.

250px|thumb|right|Athichudi Venpa The Athichudi () is a collection of single-line quotations written by Avvaiyar and organized in alphabetical order. There are 109 of these sacred lines which include insightful quotes expressed in simple words. It aims to inculcate good habits, discipline and doing good deeds. __TOC__ == Translations ==

Thiruvasagam () is a volume of Tamil hymns composed by the 3rd century Shaivite bhakti poet Manikkavasagar. It contains 51 compositions and constitutes the eighth volume of the Tirumurai, the sacred anthology of the Tamil Shaiva Siddhanta.

20th-century Tamil linguistic-purity movement

__NOTOC__ Agattiyam (), also spelled as Akattiyam, according to Tamil tradition, was the earliest book on Tamil grammar. It is a non-extant text, traditionally believed to have been compiled and taught in the First Sangam, (circa 300 BCE) by Agattiyar (Agastya) to twelve students. Agastya is one of the seven revered rishi of Vedic literature, mentioned in the Rigveda. A few surviving verses of Akattiyam are said to be quoted in medieval commentaries.

assemblies of Tamil scholars

Naṉṉūl () is a work on Tamil grammar written by a Jain ascetic Pavananthi Munivar between 1178–1216. It is the most significant work on Tamil grammar after Tolkāppiyam. The work credits Western Ganga vassal king Seeya Gangan of Kolar with patronising it.

Valaiyapadhi (; ), also spelled Valayapathi, is one of the five great Tamil epics, but one that is almost entirely lost. It is a story of a father who has two wives, abandons one who gives birth to their son, and the son grows up and seeks his real father. The dominant emotion of this epic is love, and its predominant object is the inculcation of Jain principles and doctrines.

The Tiruppugal (Tamil: , Thiruppugazh, IPA/Tamil: , meaning 'Holy Praise' or 'Divine Glory'), sometimes spelled Thiruppugazh, is a 14th-century anthology of Tamil religious songs dedicated to Murugan (Kartikeya), the son of Shiva, written by the poet-saint Arunagirinathar (Tamil: , '''', ). The anthology is considered one of the central works of medieval Tamil literature, both for its poetical and musical qualities, and for its religious, moral and philosophical content.