Ainkurnuru
Encyclopedia
Ainkurunooru a classical Tamil poetic work, containing five hundred short poems and is part of Ettuthokai
, a Sangam literature
anthology. The poems in this book were written by numerous authors and were compiled by Kudalur Kizhar at the instance of Chera
King Yanaikkatcey Mantaran Ceral Irumporai.
This book comes under the Agam (subjective) category in its subject matter. Ancient Tamil poems was categorised into the broad categories of Agam(அகம்) - Subjective, dealing with matters of the heart and human emotions, and Puram (புறம்) - Objective, dealing with the tangibles of life such as war, politics, wealth, etc. The poems of this anthology are of the Akaval meter.
These poems deal with the various aspects of the courtship between the hero and the heroine. The poems are set in various landscapes
(Thinai - திணை) depending on the mood of the poem. The poem shown as the example in this article is of the Marutham thinai (mountainous region). The subject matter of the poem which deals with the hero speaking about his union with his lover.
Ettuthokai
Ettuthokai– 'The Eight Anthologies' - Classical Tamil poetic work - form part of the Pathinenmaelkanakku anthology series of the Sangam Literature...
, a Sangam literature
Sangam literature
Sangam literature refers to a body of classical Tamil literature created between the years c. 600 BCE to 300 CE. This collection contains 2381 poems composed by 473 poets, some 102 of whom remain anonymous The period during which these poems were composed is commonly referred to as the Sangam...
anthology. The poems in this book were written by numerous authors and were compiled by Kudalur Kizhar at the instance of Chera
Chera dynasty
Chera Dynasty in South India is one of the most ancient ruling dynasties in India. Together with the Cholas and the Pandyas, they formed the three principle warring Iron Age Tamil kingdoms in southern India...
King Yanaikkatcey Mantaran Ceral Irumporai.
Character of the poems
குன்றக் குறவன் காதல் மடமகள் வரையர மகளிர்ப் புரையுஞ் சாயலள் ஐயள் அரும்பிய முலையள் செய்ய வாயினள் மார்பினள் சுணங்கே. ஐங்குறுநூறு - 255. |
Kuṉṟak kuṟavaṉ kātal maṭamakaḷ Varaiyara makaḷirp puraiyuñ cāyalaḷ Aiyaḷ arumpiya mulaiyaḷ Ceyya vāyiṉaḷ mārpiṉaḷ cuṇaṅkē Aiṅkuṟunūṟu - 255 |
The darling-young daughter of the hill-chief is she, in complexion like the heavenly dames on mountains, in beauty, wonder-inspiring, with blossomed breasts, her mouth being red and her chest full of beauty spots— She it is! (Ainkurunooru - 255) |
This book comes under the Agam (subjective) category in its subject matter. Ancient Tamil poems was categorised into the broad categories of Agam(அகம்) - Subjective, dealing with matters of the heart and human emotions, and Puram (புறம்) - Objective, dealing with the tangibles of life such as war, politics, wealth, etc. The poems of this anthology are of the Akaval meter.
These poems deal with the various aspects of the courtship between the hero and the heroine. The poems are set in various landscapes
Sangam landscape
The Sangam landscape is the name given to a poetic device that was characteristic of love poetry in classical Tamil Sangam literature. The core of the device was the categorisation of poems into different tiṇais or modes, depending on the nature, location, mood and type of relationship...
(Thinai - திணை) depending on the mood of the poem. The poem shown as the example in this article is of the Marutham thinai (mountainous region). The subject matter of the poem which deals with the hero speaking about his union with his lover.
Authors
Five authors wrote the poems, each contributing one hundred. These authors have been identified as Orampokiyar, Ammuvanaar, Kapilar, Othalandayar and Peyanaar. Perunthevanaar, who translated the Mahabharatham into Tamil, wrote the invocation song at the start of the anthology.External links
- Aingurunuru of kudalur kizhar, Project Madurai