ELK ASIA PACIFIC JOURNAL OF SOCIAL SCIENCE ISSN 2394-9392 (Online); DOI: 10.16962/EAPJSS/issn. 2394-9392/2015; Volume 4 Issue 3 (2018) www.elkjournals.com ……………………………………………………………………………………………………… HISTORY OF TAMIL CULTURAL ELEMENTS DR. K. Ramesh BT Assistant Chennai Higher Secondary School Abstract Since 3000 thousand year old Tamilan being as Tamilan without varying in their character, culture, respect, simplicity, submissiveness, compassionate ,cosmopolitan life, congenial approach, generous relationship, relaxing character, yielding character ,following philosophy life, expressing politely ,hardworking ,sincerity , faithfulness ,friendliness , peace-making thought, following secular ideology ,conducting life on de- mocracy aspects, showing interest on cultivation, making or composing agrarian cul- ture, paying concern on afforestation ,shows interest on poverty alleviation ,respecting human value ,possessing charity character ,sympathetic concern on other, merciful in- nate intentions on creating human value and sentimentalised people . On these chief characters of the Tamil people are highlighted and represented historically in Indian history, from these characters of them Tamilnadu is prouded and veneered and re- spected by all the sections of the people India. Key Words: Tamilnadu Culture, Respectful Region, Traditional life Method, respecting others, Dignity based civil life. inevitable. Basically, Tamil philosophy INTRODUCTION is a Tamil way of life, a design of living “Tamil culture” in this study is a connecting frightening between the studies of “Cultural subjects in Tamil that has been formed during the periods cinema‟ and the study of “inspiration of Tamil history. It has been trained by on Tamil society‟. Hence, a basic numerous factors like society, economy, acceptance of about Tamil culture is politics and religion. This cultural heritage of Tamils, particularly in Tamil 1 Nadu, progressed through various features of Tamil philosophy, based on phases of history including Sangam gender dynamics. It has been one of the period, reigns, alien incursions and human sentiments conspicuously dealt Indian egalitarianism. in Tamil prose. In particular, Sangam literature defines numerous kinds of As Tamil culture by itself is a massive Kaathal. Thirukkural gives one of the and detached area for study, only eight three sections for the conversation of Tamil cultural features are designated this human sentiment even today, for the purpose of an in-depth study. Kaathal is one of the protuberant These features are selected for they are themes inspiring poets for their commonly and usually referred to, and composition. As the process deliberated. These traditional elements encompasses interpersonal connexion will current the basics of Tamil culture between loving man and woman to some degree and function as indicating gender dynamics, Kaathal is variables to identify cultural subjects in treated under sex base. Tamil cinema. The following table presents certain Tamil cultural KARPU essentials, their connotations and Karpu means immaculate. It is associated cultural bases. (Ref Page- 1) generally understood as sexual behaviour of a man or woman Constituents of this table are acceptable to the moral norms and explained below. guidelines of a culture. In Tamil culture, KAATHAL originally, it is wider in its semantic field and the overarching meaning is not Kaathal generally means love. The strictly sexual. The ancient cultural English word "love" is expressions, can history of Tamils describes Karpu have a diversity of related but different simply as one of the methods of connotations in diverse backgrounds. In marriage. It is an open alliance Tamil culture, Kaathal severely means contracted with the consent of the love situation or connection between parents, as opposed to Kalavu, which is two paramours. It is one of the interior a secret marriage. Later, in Tamil 2 ELK ASIA PACIFIC JOURNAL OF SOCIAL SCIENCE ISSN 2394-9392 (Online); DOI: 10.16962/EAPJSS/issn. 2394-9392/2015; Volume 4 Issue 3 (2018) culture, it becomes a core value, functioning in the dynamics of building unity of the family. In other civilisation and one’s or co-operative words, it is a principle on which a Tamil consciousness. It has been a decisive woman leads her life and runs the characteristic of Tamil culture related to family with honour. In addition, it was socio-psychological sphere. Hence, associated with chastity based on sex Maanam is preserved under psycho- and virginity and became a moral value social base of Tamil culture. reserved more for women than men. As Karpu is placed under Aham, the MOZHI internal aspects of Tamil society focusing family, it is treated as familial Mozhi means etymologically. It is a base. major tool of announcement between one another. It is used to preserve and MAANAM carry culture and cultural ties. Hence, the connection between Mozhi and Maanam means honour. It institutes a culture is extremely rooted. As far as personality, which replicates Tamils are concerned, Mozhi is an admiration, truthfulness and self- integral part of their philosophy. The respect. It is one’s status for good ethnicity of Tamils is definite in relation behaviour judged by others. It is to the Tamil Mozhi. In other words, the extremely appreciated and accredited as word Tamil means together Tamil one of the highest features of Tamil Mozhi and the ethnic group which uses culture. It is also vulnerable to offence, Tamil language. It has historically been, misgiving, chatter, defamation and and to large extent still, is central to defamation. The equivalence of Tamil exclusivity. Tamils revere Tamil Kavarimaan (a deer) is popular among language as "Tamilannai", connotation Tamils, which describes that Maanam is Tamil mother. The history and advanced than one’s life. The abundance of literatures have intelligence of Maanam is appropriate considerably contributed to the growth to both single and society. It is of Tamil Mozhi. In fact, the linguistic 3 and literary aspects are devoted. Thus, relationship with God, as articulated in Mozhi becomes a literary and language Tamil manuscripts and socio-cultural base of Tamil culture. traditions in Tamil Nadu. It is one of the fundamental frameworks for the study NILAM of Tamil heritage. Social life has been Nilam means land. It is moderately interrelated with the instructions of natural for human beings to project their Samayam. Productiveness cult, life style and cultural heritage based on Nadukal worship, predecessor worship, their land. In Sangam age, the culture Amman worship etc. have been some of the was related to geographical divisions. outmoded languages of Samayam. In Hence, Tamil culture has been known as Sangam age, each topographic region Thinai culture. In addition, Thaai Mann, had importance to its special deity. Thaai Nilam, Thaai Naadu and Nila Historically, Tamil culture has lodged Magal are common phrases commonly all general faiths including Buddhism, used to denote the motherly and Jainism, Christianity, and Islam. The feminine expressions of land. Tamils word „Kadavul‟ has been used to mention to Tamil land as Tamilagam. It represent both the mystical being initially stood for the entire Tamil without any gender identity and speaking land and now it severely particular deity. Temples, carnivals, means Tamil Nadu. In classical worships and philosophy are the related economics, land is treated as one of the elements of Samayam. Thus, Samayam three factors of constructions. The other is treated under religious base. two are capital and labour. In this context, Nilam is dealt as property in VEERAM general, and is largely treated as a Veeram means courageousness material base of Tamil culture. representation the characteristics of strength, will, capacity to challenge and SAMAYAM jeopardy taking. In Tamil tradition, it Samayam means religion. In Tamil it has been one of the qualities of denotes to the worldview or leadership and measured by physical „wholeness‟ of people in their ability, success and power. Sangam 4 ELK ASIA PACIFIC JOURNAL OF SOCIAL SCIENCE ISSN 2394-9392 (Online); DOI: 10.16962/EAPJSS/issn. 2394-9392/2015; Volume 4 Issue 3 (2018) literature defines that Veeram and war awareness of the Tamils. It is known as have been life base of Tamils and a congenital characteristic of Tamil everyday events, and there was no philosophy and it is even said that there private section of people prearranged is no superior sin than to disrespect the for war. Wound on the chest was a guests. Under social base, Sangam symbol of Veeram and wound on back literature defines the features and values was representation of cowardice. of Virunthompal. Thirukkural defines Fearlessness and courageous death the ethics of Virunthompal leading to were highly appreciated. Festivals were broader worldview and open systematized to honour the death of relationship. Even today, it is claimed to audacious warriors. The concept of be a prominent cultural expression of Veeram has been very much associated Tamils. As it indicates the process of with mannishness. For instance, relationship or communication with the Sangam literature indicates that it is the other, adventure the border of a family, duty of the son to determine his it is deliberated under social base in exceptional bravery in war. It is an Tamil philosophy. element of Puram, the external aspect of Tamil society, involving politics. As CONCLUSION Veeram is executed in the context of Thus, Kaathal, Karpu, Maanam, Mozhi, establishing or displaying