Sangam and the classics
Sangam
The oldest songs of Tamil
Tradition speaks of three Sangams, assemblies of poets held at Madurai under the Pandya kings. The commentary on Iraiyanar Kalaviyal says Lord Shiva, Lord Murugan and Sage Agathiyar sat in the first of them.
The Eight Anthologies and the Ten Idylls sing of life as akam (love) and puram (valour and giving). The Ten Idylls open with Thirumurugatruppadai, in praise of Murugan. The Eighteen Minor Works teach dharma, and Thirukkural and Inna Narpathu are among them.
The Eighteen Minor Works
- Thirukkuralதிருக்குறள்Thiruvalluvar · 1330 couplets1330 verses
- Inna Narpathuஇன்னா நாற்பதுKapilar · forty things that bring sorrow41 verses
- Iniyavai Narpathuஇனியவை நாற்பதுPoothanchendhanar · forty things that bring sweetness41 verses
- Kalavazhi Narpathuகளவழி நாற்பதுPoigaiyar · forty songs of the battlefield41 verses
- Muthumozhikkanchiமுதுமொழிக் காஞ்சிMadurai Koodalur Kizhar · a hundred ancient sayings10 verses
The Eight Anthologies
- Natrinaiநற்றிணைPoems of loveComing soon
- Kuruntokaiகுறுந்தொகைShort poems of loveComing soon
- AkananuruஅகநானூறுFour hundred poems of loveComing soon
- PurananuruபுறநானூறுKings, valour and givingComing soon
The Ten Idylls
- Thirumurugatruppadaiதிருமுருகாற்றுப்படைNakkeerar · the six abodes of MuruganComing soon
Epics and grammar
- Silappathikaramசிலப்பதிகாரம்Ilango Adigal · the epic of KannagiComing soon
- Tolkappiyamதொல்காப்பியம்The oldest grammar of TamilComing soon