What You Missed In Tamil Class

What does Avvaiyar’s call to seek wealth reveal about ancient Tamil travellers? From poetry to Tamil-Brahmi inscriptions in Egypt, explore movement, exchange, and meaning.

The task of translating Tamil works is not simple. Tamil literature is poetry. This is because much of Tamil history, knowledge, and lived experience was preserved through oral traditions — carried in song, memory, and verse long before it was written down. Our written works today honour the poets of those times and the traditions they sustained. For storytellers and translators, this creates a unique challenge: how does one not only decode centuries-old Tamil, but also carry across its...

There is a growing interest within the Tamil community to learn more about, and reconnect with, Tamil history, language, and heritage. I often hear a sense of defeat or regret: not having learned from elders, not paying attention in school, or feeling as though the opportunity has passed. Yet, as the great Tamil poets Avvaiyar and Thiruvalluvar remind us, learning is the greatest form of wealth, and it is never too late to begin. Perhaps some of the insights found in the books below can...