March (2021), Impact Factor: 7.188 Online Available at Email: [email protected]
Total Page:16
File Type:pdf, Size:1020Kb
ZENITH International Journal of Multidisciplinary Research ____________ISSN 2231-5780 Vol.11 (3) March (2021), Impact Factor: 7.188 Online available at www.zenithresearch.org.in Email: [email protected] CONTRIBUTION OF TENKASI RULERS AND POETS TO THE DEVELOPMENT OF TAMIL LITERATURE Research Paper Subject : History Submitted by Dr. M. JOSEPHRAJ Assistant Professor Department of History St. John's College Palayamkottai - 627002 (Affiliated to Manonmaniam Sundaranar University, Tirunelveli, Tamil Nadu) CONTRIBUTION OF TENKASI RULERS AND POETS TO THE DEVELOPMENT OF TAMIL LITERATURE ABSTRACT Tenkasi, the historical city of the South India played an important role of the development of Tamil literature. It is surrounded by mountains and is situated within fifty four kilometers to the north west of Tirunelveli on the footsteps of Thirikoodamalai of the western Ghats near the Courtallam waterfalls in Tamil Nadu. The town spread over an area of 26.15 sq K.M. and the taluk spread over an area of 374 square miles. Tenkasi town is a taluk headquarters of Tenkasi taluk in Tirunelveli district of Tamil Nadu. It is on the northern bank of river sittar or Chitranadhi. Tenkasi contains the word Ten and kasi, Ten denotes south and Kasi means Benaras, South Benaras. Sanskrit name Dakshinakashi meaning the same. As per Thalapurana, Tenkasi bears several names under various chronological phases. It was called as, ShenbagaThottam, Sachithananthapuram, Muthuthandavanallur, Aananthakoothanur, A Monthly Double-Blind Peer Reviewed Refereed Open Access International Journal - Included in the International Serial Directories. Page | 14 ZENITH International Journal of Multidisciplinary Research ____________ISSN 2231-5780 Vol.11 (3) March (2021), Impact Factor: 7.188 Online available at www.zenithresearch.org.in Email: [email protected] Saivamoothur, Tenpuliyur, Queenkudi, Sitthavasaam, Shenbagapolil, Sivamanavoor, Sapthamatharoour, Chitramulathanam, Mayilaikudi, Palalingapadivasanthakudi and keasikai. From sangam period to Tenkasi Pandya period, Tenkasi was served as the part of Tenvari Nadu alias Courtallam as one among the thirty one Vala Nadus of Pandyas. Tenkasi Pandyas were renowned scholars. And fostered the Tamil language through literary development. Some of the Tenkasi Pandya rulers wrote many Tamil books. Thirikooda Rasappa kavirayar, and other renowned Tamil scholar were lived here. KEY WORDS Athivirarama Pandya’s Naidatham, Narunthogai, Varadungarama Pandya, Trikooda Rasappa Kavirayar INTRODUCTION Tenkasi Pandyas were also great patrons of Literature. The beautiful verses in chaste Tamil engraved on the walls of the temple. The works of royal poets Athiviraraman and Varatungaraman form a part of the rich legacy left by themi.Tenkasi pandyas not only a great ruler they are a great Tamil poetsii. Their contributions was important one to the Tamil literature during the fifteenth and sixteenth century. Athivirarama Pandya’s Naidatham was based broadly on the Sanskrit Harsha’s Nidatham. Paditrruppattanthathi was based broadly on the Sanskrit Skandapurana. Varatungarama Pandya, a Pandya king of the period was a littérateur of merit and wrote Paditrruppattanthathiiii. He also translated into Tamil the erotic book known as Kokkoha from Sanskrit. And many other Tamil work was written by Tenkasi Pandya kings and Tamil poets. ATHIVIRARAMA PANDYA He was a great litterateur. He wrote many books and translated the ‘Naidatham’ (or) Nala’s story from Sanskrit to Tamil.iv Other books written by him are Koormapuranam, Kasi kandam, Vayusankithai, Lingapuranam, etc. He was also well versed in Sanskrit. He also wrote for children teaching moralsv. ‘Narunthogai alias Vetri Verkai’ is a code of moral written by this king especially to be taught to children.vi He called ‘Vallabadevan, Pillai Pandian, Kulasekharan, Gunasekara vazhuthi, Tamil valartha Thennavan’vii A Monthly Double-Blind Peer Reviewed Refereed Open Access International Journal - Included in the International Serial Directories. Page | 15 ZENITH International Journal of Multidisciplinary Research ____________ISSN 2231-5780 Vol.11 (3) March (2021), Impact Factor: 7.188 Online available at www.zenithresearch.org.in Email: [email protected] NAIDATHAM Naidatham was one of the five epics in Sanskrit. It was written by Harsha in Sanskrit languageviii. Nidatham situated in the banks of river Bioshni. Nidatham was ruled by Nidathan, his real name Nalan son of Veerasenan.ixTenkasi king Athivirarama Pandya translated the ‘Naidatham’ (or) Nala’s story from Sanskrit to Tamilx. Naidatham divided into twenty eight chapters ( Padalam ) and 1173 songs.xiTen songs Palm leaf script was very damaged, so 1163 songs are available in Chennai Tamil Suvadi library. Palm leaf script length thirty seven Centimeters and width three Centimeters, wrote in two sides with six lines each pagexii. Naidatham is one of the great grammatical book in Tamil, so the new proverb rise in “Naidatham Pulavaruku Ovudatham”xiii( Naidatham is the medicine for the Poets). KASI KAANDAM Kasi kaandam was written by Athivirarama pandya. This work was based broadly on the Sanskrit Skandapurana’s. fourth Kaandam (chapter) Kasi kaandam. Kasi kaandam contains 2526 songs. Forty one chapters from Poorva kaandam with 1209 songs, fifty nine chapters from Uthrakaandam with 1317 songs. KOORMA PURANAM Koorma puranam was written by Athivirarama Pandya Koorma puranam contains two Kaandams there are Poorva kaandam and Uthira kaandam. Forty eight chapters (Aththiyayam) from Poorva kaandam with 2729 songs. Forty seven chapters from Uthira kaandam with 3717 songs in beautiful Tamilxiv. MAHAPURANAM Mahapuranam wrote about Masi Mahamagam. Mahapuranam was based broadly on the Sanskrit Padmapuranam. Mahapuranam contains twenty eight chapters (Sarukkam) and 1424 songs (Seiyul). This poem change into book format and published in 1904. A Monthly Double-Blind Peer Reviewed Refereed Open Access International Journal - Included in the International Serial Directories. Page | 16 ZENITH International Journal of Multidisciplinary Research ____________ISSN 2231-5780 Vol.11 (3) March (2021), Impact Factor: 7.188 Online available at www.zenithresearch.org.in Email: [email protected] NARUNTHOGAI (VETRI VERKAI) Athivirarama Pandya also wrote for children teaching morals. ‘Narunthogai alias Vetri Verkai’ is a code of moral written by this king especially to be taught to children. Narunthogai contains Eighty two proverbs (Neethimozhigal) with hundred and twenty lines. In early period, Vetri Verkai was one of the Tamil School syllabus subject in Tamil Nadu. VARADUNGARAMA PANDYAN Varadungarama pandya was the second son of Parakrama Kulasekharan. A Tenkasi inscription mentions that he was crowned in the year A.D.1588xv. He ruled the portion in and around Karivalamvanthanallur in the later Tirunelveli district. He was also a poet. He wrote verses of Shiva, the presiding deity of Karivalamvanthanallur and the collection is known as Pathitrupathu Anthathi, Kalithurai Anthathi and Venba Anthathixvi. He wrote also Pramothra kaandam, Sivakavasam and Kokkokam. TIRUKARUVAI PATHITRUPATHU ANTHATHI Tirukaruvai pathitrupathu Anthathi verses wrote about Lord Shiva, the presiding deity of Karivalamvanthanallur. Anthathi means, End of the poem’s line Eluthu (word), Asai, Seer, Adi (Grammar) from the first poem, if came to the first of Second poem, called as Anthathi. Pathitrupathu means, hundred songs. This poem here same to Tiruvasagam, so Tirukaruvai pathitrupathu Anthathi otherwise called as “Kutti Tiruvasagam”xvii.Kalithurai Anthathi and Venba Anthathi each hundred songs. PRAMOTHRA KAANDAM Pramothra kaandam was written by Varadungarama pandya. Pramothra kaandam was third chapter of Skandapuranam. Translated from Sanskrit to Tamil.pramothra kaandam contains twenty two sub chapters with 1323 songs. Sivakavasam was one of the part of Pramothra kaandam. A Monthly Double-Blind Peer Reviewed Refereed Open Access International Journal - Included in the International Serial Directories. Page | 17 ZENITH International Journal of Multidisciplinary Research ____________ISSN 2231-5780 Vol.11 (3) March (2021), Impact Factor: 7.188 Online available at www.zenithresearch.org.in Email: [email protected] KOKKOKAM Kokkokam was written by Varadungarama pandya, translated from Sanskrit to Tamil. Kokkokam was sexual work. Kokkokam contains six chapters with three hundred and thirty one songs with two hundred and ten pages. VARAGUNARAMA PANDYA Varagunaraman ascended the throne in 1615-1616 A.Dxviii. He was said to be the brother of Adhiveerarama pandya.the pandyas, as a ruling clan, preserved the Tamil culture and literature, right from the 17th century. Varagunarama pandya wrote Linga puranam, Vayusangithai and Ambigai malai. LINGA PURANAM Linga puranam was Varagunarama pandya’s first work. Linga puranam contains two kaandams there are poorva kaandam and Uthira kaandam. Poorva kaandam contains Hundred and eight chapters with 1955 songs. Uthira kaandam contains forty five chapters with five hundred and fifty one songs. VAYUSANGITHAI Shiva puranam contains Twelve sangithai, Vayusangithai was last chapter. Varagunarama pandya translated the last chapter Vayusangithai. This work divided into two kaandams there are Poorvakaandam and Uthirakaandam. Poorva kaandam contains thirty chapters with five hundred and thirty seven songs. Uthirakaandam contains thirty chapters with seven hundred and ninety seven songsxix. AMBIGAI MALAI Ambigai malai was a praise work. Thirty kattalai