Madurai Tamil Sangam
Encyclopedia
Madurai Tamil Sangamalso known as 4th Tamil Sangam was a language
academy
founded by Prince
Paandi Thurai Thevar and other Tamil language
scholars to promote the use of Tamil language
and Tamil culture in the late 19th century in British
held India
.
It was modeled after the legendary Sangams of Madurai
city
as mentioned in ancient Tamil literature
. As there were three Tamil Sangams before, this one was considered to be the fourth one. It held exams to confer Tamil
Pandithar degree on those who passed. Swami Vipulananda
a noted Sri Lankan Tamil social reformer was one of the earlier Tamil Pandithars as recognized by the academy. It also published a scholarly journal called Centamil.
In the late 19th century, there was a great awakening of the Tamils
and U. V. Swaminatha Iyer
, S. V. Damodaram Pillai, and others brought to light many of the ancient Tamil works which had hitherto remained in obscurity.Madurai Tamil Sangam is still functioning in the Tamil sangam road, Madurai.
Language
Language may refer either to the specifically human capacity for acquiring and using complex systems of communication, or to a specific instance of such a system of complex communication...
academy
Academy
An academy is an institution of higher learning, research, or honorary membership.The name traces back to Plato's school of philosophy, founded approximately 385 BC at Akademia, a sanctuary of Athena, the goddess of wisdom and skill, north of Athens, Greece. In the western world academia is the...
founded by Prince
Prince
Prince is a general term for a ruler, monarch or member of a monarch's or former monarch's family, and is a hereditary title in the nobility of some European states. The feminine equivalent is a princess...
Paandi Thurai Thevar and other Tamil language
Tamil language
Tamil is a Dravidian language spoken predominantly by Tamil people of the Indian subcontinent. It has official status in the Indian state of Tamil Nadu and in the Indian union territory of Pondicherry. Tamil is also an official language of Sri Lanka and Singapore...
scholars to promote the use of Tamil language
Tamil language
Tamil is a Dravidian language spoken predominantly by Tamil people of the Indian subcontinent. It has official status in the Indian state of Tamil Nadu and in the Indian union territory of Pondicherry. Tamil is also an official language of Sri Lanka and Singapore...
and Tamil culture in the late 19th century in British
British Empire
The British Empire comprised the dominions, colonies, protectorates, mandates and other territories ruled or administered by the United Kingdom. It originated with the overseas colonies and trading posts established by England in the late 16th and early 17th centuries. At its height, it was the...
held India
India
India , officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country with over 1.2 billion people, and the most populous democracy in the world...
.
It was modeled after the legendary Sangams of Madurai
Madurai
Madurai is the third largest city in the Indian state of Tamil Nadu and one of the oldest continuously inhabited cities in the world. It served as the capital city of the Pandyan Kingdom. It is the administrative headquarters of Madurai District and is famous for its temples built by Pandyan and...
city
City
A city is a relatively large and permanent settlement. Although there is no agreement on how a city is distinguished from a town within general English language meanings, many cities have a particular administrative, legal, or historical status based on local law.For example, in the U.S...
as mentioned in ancient Tamil 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...
. As there were three Tamil Sangams before, this one was considered to be the fourth one. It held exams to confer Tamil
Tamil language
Tamil is a Dravidian language spoken predominantly by Tamil people of the Indian subcontinent. It has official status in the Indian state of Tamil Nadu and in the Indian union territory of Pondicherry. Tamil is also an official language of Sri Lanka and Singapore...
Pandithar degree on those who passed. Swami Vipulananda
Swami Vipulananda
Swami Vipulanada , also known as Vipulananda Adigal, was a Sri Lankan Tamil Hindu social reformer, literary critic, author, poet, teacher and ascetic from the Eastern Province of Sri Lanka. Vipulanada was an early pioneer associated with the Indian-based Ramakrishna Mission in Sri Lanka...
a noted Sri Lankan Tamil social reformer was one of the earlier Tamil Pandithars as recognized by the academy. It also published a scholarly journal called Centamil.
In the late 19th century, there was a great awakening of the Tamils
Tamil people
Tamil people , also called Tamils or Tamilians, are an ethnic group native to Tamil Nadu, India and the north-eastern region of Sri Lanka. Historic and post 15th century emigrant communities are also found across the world, notably Malaysia, Singapore, Mauritius, South Africa, Australia, Canada,...
and U. V. Swaminatha Iyer
U. V. Swaminatha Iyer
U. V. Swaminatha Iyer , 1855–1942 C.E., was a Tamil scholar and researcher who was instrumental in bringing many long-forgotten works of classical Tamil literature to light...
, S. V. Damodaram Pillai, and others brought to light many of the ancient Tamil works which had hitherto remained in obscurity.Madurai Tamil Sangam is still functioning in the Tamil sangam road, Madurai.