Tamil Philosophy

• Tirukkural
  • It is a book on secular philosophy
  • It is part of the eighteen lesser texts of Sangam Literature
  • All major Indian religions and sects, including Shiva Worshippers, Vishnu Worshippers, Jainism, and Buddhism, have greatly celebrated the Kural text, many of which incorporated Kural's teachings in both their religious and non-religious works, including the Silappathikaram, Manimekalai, Tirumurai, Periya Puranam, and Kamba Ramayanam.

Tamil Literature

Time Periods

• Sangam age
• Post-Sangam period
  • Didactic age
  • Devotional period
  • Narrative epics
• Medieval literature
• Vijayanagar and Nayak period
• Modern era

Sangam literature

• Sangam literature (சங்க இலக்கியம் / Caṅka Ilakkiyam)
  • Historically known as "poetry of the noble ones" (சான்றோர் செய்யுள் / Cāṉṟōr Ceyyuḷ)

Early Books

• Agattiyam (Earliest non-extant book on Tamil grammar)
• Tolkāppiyam (Earliest extant book on Tamil grammar)

Eighteen Greater Texts

• Eight Anthologies / Ettuttokai
  • Aiṅkurunūṟu
  • Akanāṉūṟu
  • Puṟanāṉūṟu
  • Kalittokai
  • Kuṟuntokai
  • Natṟiṇai
  • Paripāṭal
  • Patiṟṟuppattu
• Ten Idylls / Pattuppattu
  • Tirumurukāṟṟuppaṭai
  • Kuṟiñcippāṭṭu
  • Malaipaṭukaṭām
  • Maturaikkāñci
  • Mullaippāṭṭu
  • Neṭunalvāṭai
  • Paṭṭiṉappālai
  • Perumpāṇāṟṟuppaṭai
  • Poruṇarāṟṟuppaṭai
  • Ciṟupāṇāṟṟuppaṭai

Eighteen Lesser Texts

• Nālaṭiyār
• Nāṉmaṇikkaṭikai
• Iṉṉā Nāṟpatu
• Iṉiyavai Nāṟpatu
• Kār Nāṟpatu
• Kaḷavaḻi Nāṟpatu
• Aintiṇai Aimpatu
• Tiṉaimoḻi Aimpatu
• Aintinai Eḻupatu
• Tiṇaimālai Nūṟṟaimpatu
• Tirukkuṟaḷ
• Tirikaṭukam
• Ācārakkōvai
• Paḻamoḻi Nāṉūṟu
• Ciṟupañcamūlam
• Mutumoḻikkānci
• Elāti
• Kainnilai

Bhakti Literature

• Naalayira Divya Prabandham
• Ramavataram
• Tevaram
• Tirumuṟai

Post-Sangam Period

Didactic age

Devotional period

Narrative epics

Medieval literature

The medieval period was the period of the Imperial Cholas when the entire south India was under a single administration. The period between the 11th and the 13th centuries, during which the Chola power was at its peak, there were relatively few foreign incursions and the life for the Tamil people was one of peace and prosperity.

Vijayanagar and Nayak period

The period from 1300 CE to 1650 was a period of constant change in the political situation of Tamil Nadu. The Tamil country was invaded by the armies of the Delhi Sultanate and raided the Pandya kingdom.

Modern Period

During the 18th and the 19th century Tamil Nadu witnessed some of the most profound changes in the political scene.