Pattupattu
Encyclopedia
PathuPattu – The ten Idylls, is an anthology of ten mid length books and is one of the oldest surviving Tamil
Poetry. This collection is considered part of the Sangam Literature
and dated approximately between 300 BCE and 200 CE. This collection had been lost for some centuries until U.V.Swaminatha Iyer travelled around Tamil Nadu
in the late nineteenth century to collect ancient palm-leaf manuscripts
It is not known who made this collection or the exact date it was collected. Although the name PathuPattu has been in use for very long, it is unknown whether this was the intended name of this anthology when it was first collected.
These poems which are in the nature of guide-books and travelogues adopt a more credible and realistic device than those Tamil poems of a later age which utilize inanimate objects like the cloud and the wind as messengers or the media of poetic observation. The Aarruppatai is of a piece with Tamil realism and describes the journey as experienced by a human traveller, and that on terra firma.
, contains descriptions of the natural beauty of spots most beloved by him, of his immanent presence in Nature, and of the flowers, trees and animals sacred to him. Minute and interesting descriptions of the hill country, of the dawn and the setting in of evening, and of the close life of the people with Nature, occur in Malaipatukatam
, and Kapilar's famous Kurincippattu
.
Few passages can rival the description of the North Wind and its effects, and the interplay of human emotions and sentiments as found in Netunalvatai
.The conventional regions of the Chola and Pandya kingdoms, the Kaveri and Vaigai which water them.
The greatness of a sovereign was assessed also by the fertility and the diversity of regions found within his kingdom and, therefore, descriptions of the landscapes of the territory of a sovereign often form an integral part of laudatory and heroic verse.
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...
Poetry. This collection is considered part of the 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...
and dated approximately between 300 BCE and 200 CE. This collection had been lost for some centuries until U.V.Swaminatha Iyer travelled around Tamil Nadu
Tamil Nadu
Tamil Nadu is one of the 28 states of India. Its capital and largest city is Chennai. Tamil Nadu lies in the southernmost part of the Indian Peninsula and is bordered by the union territory of Pondicherry, and the states of Kerala, Karnataka, and Andhra Pradesh...
in the late nineteenth century to collect ancient palm-leaf manuscripts
It is not known who made this collection or the exact date it was collected. Although the name PathuPattu has been in use for very long, it is unknown whether this was the intended name of this anthology when it was first collected.
Aarruppatai
The PathuPattu collection contains lengthy and picturesque descriptions of the Tamil country and its seasons. Most of them are in the form of Aarruppatai, a literary device by which a bard or a minstrel who has received bountiful gifts from some wealthy patron is supposed to direct another to the same Maecenas. This gives the occasion to the poet, among other topics, to describe in great detail the natural beauty, fertility, and resources of the territory that has to be traversed to reach the palace of the patron.These poems which are in the nature of guide-books and travelogues adopt a more credible and realistic device than those Tamil poems of a later age which utilize inanimate objects like the cloud and the wind as messengers or the media of poetic observation. The Aarruppatai is of a piece with Tamil realism and describes the journey as experienced by a human traveller, and that on terra firma.
Themes of Nature
Each of the Ten Idylls contains passages relevant to the theme of Nature. The first poem on the god, MuruganMurugan
Murugan also called Kartikeya, Skanda and Subrahmanya, is a popular Hindu deity especially among Tamil Hindus, worshipped primarily in areas with Tamil influences, especially South India, Singapore, Sri Lanka, Malaysia, Mauritius and Reunion Island. His six most important shrines in India are the...
, contains descriptions of the natural beauty of spots most beloved by him, of his immanent presence in Nature, and of the flowers, trees and animals sacred to him. Minute and interesting descriptions of the hill country, of the dawn and the setting in of evening, and of the close life of the people with Nature, occur in Malaipatukatam
Malaipatukatam
Malaipatukatam, is a Tamil poetic work in the Pathinenmaelkanakku anthology of Tamil literature, belonging to the Sangam period corresponding to between 100 BCE – 100 CE. Malaipatukatam contains 583 lines of poetry in the Achiriyappa meter. The poems were written by the poet Perunkosikanaar from...
, and Kapilar's famous Kurincippattu
Kurincippattu
Kurincippattu, is a Tamil poetic work in the Pathinenmaelkanakku anthology of Tamil literature, belonging to the Sangam period corresponding to between 100 BCE – 100 CE. "Kurincippattu" contains 261 lines of poems in the Achiriyappa meter. Kurincippattu tells the story about the love affair...
.
Few passages can rival the description of the North Wind and its effects, and the interplay of human emotions and sentiments as found in Netunalvatai
Netunalvatai
Netunalvatai, is a Tamil poetic work in the Pathinenmaelkanakku anthology of Tamil literature, belonging to the Sangam period corresponding to between 100 BCE – 100 CE. "Netunalvatai" is part of the Pattupattu collection, which is the oldest available collection of long poems in Tamil literature....
.The conventional regions of the Chola and Pandya kingdoms, the Kaveri and Vaigai which water them.
The greatness of a sovereign was assessed also by the fertility and the diversity of regions found within his kingdom and, therefore, descriptions of the landscapes of the territory of a sovereign often form an integral part of laudatory and heroic verse.
Contents of the Anthology
- TirumurugarruppataiTirumurugarruppataiTirumurugarruppatai by Nakkirar,a Tamil poetic work, is one of the most important works of Sangam Literature. It is the first poem of the Pattupattu anthology. Tirumurugarruppatai follows the Arruppadtai style, a device used by most of the books in the Pattupattu anthology...
- KurincippattuKurincippattuKurincippattu, is a Tamil poetic work in the Pathinenmaelkanakku anthology of Tamil literature, belonging to the Sangam period corresponding to between 100 BCE – 100 CE. "Kurincippattu" contains 261 lines of poems in the Achiriyappa meter. Kurincippattu tells the story about the love affair...
- MalaipatukatamMalaipatukatamMalaipatukatam, is a Tamil poetic work in the Pathinenmaelkanakku anthology of Tamil literature, belonging to the Sangam period corresponding to between 100 BCE – 100 CE. Malaipatukatam contains 583 lines of poetry in the Achiriyappa meter. The poems were written by the poet Perunkosikanaar from...
- MathuraikkanciMathuraikkanciMathuraikkanci, is a Tamil poetic work in the Pathinenmaelkanakku anthology of Tamil literature, belonging to the Sangam period corresponding to between 100 BCE – 100 CE. Mathuraikkanci contains 583 lines of poetry in the Achiriyappa meter...
- MullaippattuMullaippattuMullaippattu, is a Tamil poetic work in the Ettuthokai anthology of Sangam literature, belonging to the Sangam period corresponding to between 100 BCE – 100 CE. "Mullaippattu" contains 103 lines of poetry in the Akaval meter...
- NetunalvataiNetunalvataiNetunalvatai, is a Tamil poetic work in the Pathinenmaelkanakku anthology of Tamil literature, belonging to the Sangam period corresponding to between 100 BCE – 100 CE. "Netunalvatai" is part of the Pattupattu collection, which is the oldest available collection of long poems in Tamil literature....
- PattinappaalaiPattinappaalaiPaṭṭiṉappālai, is a Tamil poetic work in the Pathinenmaelkanakku anthology of Tamil literature, belonging to the Sangam period corresponding to between 100 BCE – 100 CE. Pattinappaalai is part of the Pattupattu collection, which is the oldest available collection of long poems in Tamil literature....
- PerumpanarruppataiPerumpanarruppataiPerumpanarruppatai, is a Tamil poetic work in the Pathinenmaelkanakku anthology of Tamil literature, belonging to the Sangam period corresponding to between 100 BCE – 100 CE. Perumpanarruppatai contains 500 lines of poetry in the Achiriyappa meter. The poems were written by the poet Kadiyalur...
- PorunaraatruppadaiPorunaraatruppadaiPorunaraatruppadai, is a Tamil poetic work in the Pathinenmaelkanakku anthology of Tamil literature, belonging to the Sangam period corresponding to between 100 BCE – 100 CE. Porunaraatruppadai contains 250 lines of poems in the Achiriyappa meter. The poems were written by the poet...
- CirupanarruppataiCirupanarruppataiCirupanarruppatai, is a Tamil poetic work in the Pathinenmaelkanakku anthology of Tamil literature, belonging to the Sangam period corresponding to between 100 BCE – 100 CE. Cirupanarruppatai contains 269 lines of poetry in the Achiriyappa meter...