Were Ancient Tamils the first to Write about a 6th sense?!

Newsletter Issue 1 | April 2025

Long before modern science explored intuition or interoception, ancient Tamils wrote about a “sixth sense” in the Tholkappiyam.

For anyone looking to learn Tamil, they are met with two paths: இலக்கணம் (ilakkanam) Grammar and இலக்கியம் (ilakkiyam) Literature.

We often neglect grammar. However, I believe both literature and grammar can tell us a lot about what ancient Tamils knew and how they lived.

For example, take the Tamil alphabet. Its composition explains existence.

Or consider the grammar concept திணை (thinai) with its two divisions:

• உயர்திணை (uyarthinai)

• அஃறிணை (agrinai)

  
  

The traditional translation tells us that உயர்திணை (uyarthinai) refers to living things and அஃறிணை (agrinai) refers to non-living things.

But here's where it gets interesting: animals fall under அஃறிணை (agrinai) according to the grammar rule.

If agrinai means "non-living," why would living animals be classified there? The translation doesn't add up.

So, what's the actual distinction?

In basic Tamil grammar, we learn that anything with 6 senses or more, such as humans or divine beings, falls under உயர்திணை (uyarthinai). And anything with 5 senses or less, such as animals or objects, falls under அஃறிணை (agrinai).

Wait... a sixth sense?!

According to the Tholkappiyam, the oldest surviving Tamil text (dating back over 2,000 years), after touch, taste, smell, sight, and hearing, we have the mind.

Now, mind in this context couldn't just mean the ability to make decisions and problem-solve, since we know animals can do this too.

Nor could it mean emotions since we know animals also possess this.

So what did Tholkappiyar mean?

I believe "mind" in this context speaks to intuition or an extrasensory perception that humans possess.

And this is just my guess considering all the other philosphies and traditions held by Tamils.

But let's just stop and think about this for a second, a sixth sense unique to humans was understood by ancient Tamils thousands of years ago.

Considering we learn there are only five senses in elementary school, we may be missing something. Something that was possibly common knowledge amongst our ancient ancestors.

Researchers are only now exploring (and perhaps accepting) this idea of  a sixth sense under names like interoception, or proprioception over the past few decades.

It makes you wonder: What other ancient wisdom is hidden within the grammar rules of Tamil?

This was from the opening article of my very first newsletter.

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