Tamil culture
Tamils have migrated world-wide since the 19th century CE and a significant population exists in Sri Lanka, South Africa, Mauritius, Reunion Island, Fiji, as well as other regions such as the Southeast Asia, Middle East, Caribbean and parts of the Western World.
[9][10] In the 11th century CE, the Chola empire expanded with the conquests of parts of present-day Sri Lanka and Maldives, and increased influence across the Indian Ocean with contacts in Southeast Asia.
[30] The Tamil grammar is classified into five divisions, namely eḻuttu (letter), sol (word), poruḷ (content), yāppu (prosody), and aṇi (figure of speech).
[52] In the beginning of the middle age, Vaishnava and Shaivite literature became prominent following the Bhakti movement in 7th century CE with hymns composed by Alwars and Nayanmars.
[61][62][63] During the Indian Independence Movement, many Tamil poets and writers sought to provoke national spirit, notably Bharathiar and Bharathidasan.
[74][75][76] The Group of Monuments at Mahabalipuram, built by the Pallavas in the 7th and 8th centuries has more than forty rock-cut temples, monoliths and rock reliefs.
[77][80] These gateways became regular features in the Cholas and the Pandya architecture, was later expanded by the Vijayanagara and the Nayaks and spread to other parts such as Sri Lanka.
[103] Models made of a special mixture of beeswax and sal tree resin were encased in clay and fired to melt the wax leaving a hollow mould, which would then be filled with molten metal and cooled to produce bronze statues.
[105] Sittanavasal is a rock-cut monastery and temple attributed to Pandyas and Pallavas which consist of frescoes and murals from the 7th century CE, painted with vegetable and mineral dyes in over a thin wet surface of lime plaster.
[117][118] The Pallava inscriptions from the period describe the playing of string instrument veena as a form of exercise for the fingers and the practice of singing musical hymns (Thirupadigam) in temples.
[134][135][136] Bharatanatyam is a major genre of Indian classical dance that originated from Tamil Nadu and practiced till today.
[147][148][149] Kavadiattam is part of a ceremonial act of sacrifice, wherein the dancers bear a kavadi, an arch shaped wooden stick balanced on the shoulders with weights on both the ends.
[150][151] Kolattam is usually performed by women in which two small sticks (kols) are crisscrossed to make specific rhythms while singing songs.
[157][158] Oyilattam, a traditional war dance where few men wearing ankle bells would stand in a line with pieces of colored cloth perform rhythmic steps to the accompanying music.
[166][167] Puravaiattam involves dancers getting into a wooden frame designed like the body of a horse on his/her hips and make prancing movements.
[168][169] Other folk dances include Bhagavatha nadanam, Chakkaiattam, Devarattam, Kai silambattam, Kuravanji, Sevaiattam and Urumiattam.
[172] The performers wear elaborate wooden headgear, special costumes with swirling skirts, ornaments such as heavy anklets along with prominent face painting and make-up.
The art is performed during festivals in open public places and is usually dedicated to goddesses such as Mariamman or Draupadi with stories drawn from Hindu epics, mythology and folklore.
[180] Adimurai (or Kuttu varisai) is a martial art specializing in empty-hand techniques and application on vital points of the body.
[181][185] Tamil martial arts uses various types of weapons such as valari (iron sickle), maduvu (deer horns), vaal (sword) and kedayam (shield), surul vaal (curling blade), itti or vel (spear), savuku (whip), kattari (fist blade), aruval (mchete), silambam (bamboo staff), kuttu katai (spiked knuckleduster), kathi (dagger), vil ambu (bow and arrow), tantayutam (mace), soolam (trident), valari (boomerang), chakaram (discus) and theepandam (flaming baton).
[213] The days of week (kiḻamai) in the Tamil calendar relate to the celestial bodies in the solar system: Sun, Moon, Mars, Mercury, Jupiter, Venus, and Saturn, in that order.
[226] Sri Lankan Tamil cuisine uses gingelly oil and jaggery along with coconut and spices, which differentiates it from the other culinary traditions in the island.
As per Tamil tradition, the knowledge of Siddha medicine came from Shiva, which was passed on to 18 holy men known as Siddhar led by Agastya.
[234] Siddha practitioners believe that all objects including the human body is composed of five basic elements – earth, water, fire, air, sky which are present in food and other compounds, which is used as the basis for the drugs and other therapies.
[266] As per the Hindu epic Ramayana (7th to 5th century BCE), Rama crossed over to Sri Lanka from the Rameswaram island via the Ram setu on his journey to rescue his wife, Sita from the Ravana.
[279][53] The Bhakti movement gave rise to the 108 Divya Desams dedicated to Vishnu and his consort Lakshmi, that are mentioned in the works of the Alvars,[280] and the various Shaivite temples dedicated to Shiva including the 276 Paadal Petra Sthalams that are revered in the verses of Nayanars in the 6th-9th century CE and Pancha Bhuta Sthalams each representing a manifestation of the five prime elements of nature.
[284][285][286] In rural areas, local deities, called Aiyyan̲ār (also known as Karuppan, Karrupasami), are worshipped who are thought to protect the villages from harm.
[293] The 16th century CE Basilica of Our Lady of Good Health at Velankanni, known as the 'Lourdes of the East', was declared as a holy city by the pope and is the primary place of worship of Tamil Christians.
[295][296] Erwadi in Ramanathapuram district, which houses an 840-year-old mosque and Nagore Dargah are important places of worship for Tamil Muslims.
[303][304] Atheist, rationalist, and humanist philosophies are also adhered by sizeable minorities, as a result of Tamil cultural revivalism in the 20th century, and its antipathy to what it saw as Brahminical Hinduism.
