Ainkurunuru is a classical Tamil poetic work and traditionally the third of the Eight Anthologies (Ettuthokai) in the Sangam literature. It is divided into five groups of 100 short stanzas of 3 to 6 lines, each hundred subdivided into 10s, or pattu. The five groups are based on tinai (landscapes): riverine, sea coast, mountain, arid and pastoral. According to Martha Selby, the love poems in Ainkurunuru are generally dated from about the late-2nd-to-3rd-century-CE. According to Takanobu Takahashi – a Tamil literature scholar, these poems were likely composed between 300 and 350 CE based on the linguistic evidence, while Kamil Zvelebil – another Tamil literature scholar – suggests the Ainkurunuru poems were composed by 210 CE, with some of the poems dated to 100 BCE.
The Paripādal is a classical Tamil poetic work and traditionally the fifth of the Eight Anthologies (Ettuthokai) in the Sangam literature. According to Tolkappiyam, Paripadal is a kind of verse dealing only with love (akapporul) and does not fall under the general classification of verses. It has a minimum of 25 lines and a maximum of 400 lines. It is an "akam genre", odd and hybrid collection which expresses love in the form of religious devotion (Bhakti) to gods and goddesses predominently to Maha Vishnu and Murugan. According to Kamil Zvelebil, a Tamil literature and history scholar. This is the only anthology in the Eight Anthologies collection that is predominantly religious, though the other seven anthologies do contain occasional mentions and allusions to gods, goddesses and legends.
Nāṉmaṇikkaṭikai is a Tamil poetic work of didactic nature belonging to the Eighteen Lesser Texts (Patiṉeṇkīḻkaṇakku) anthology of Tamil literature. This belongs to the 'post Sangam period corresponding to between 100 and 500 CE. Nanmanikkatigai contains one hundred songs written by the poet Vilambi Naganaar. This poetic work is famous for its clarity and easy readability and is often a prescribed text for schools in Tamil Nadu. The poems of Nanmanikkatigai are written in the Venpa meter.
Iniyavai Narpathu a classic Tamil poetic work of didactic nature belonging to the Eighteen Lesser Texts (Pathinenkilkanakku) anthology of Tamil literature. This belongs to the post Sangam period corresponding to between 100 and 500 CE. Iniyavai Narpathu is a collection of 40 poems written by the poet Putham Sernthanar describing the most desirable things in life. The poems of Iniyavai Narpathu are written in the Venpa meter.
Thirikatukam is a Tamil poetic work of didactic nature belonging to the Eighteen Lesser Texts (Pathinenkilkanakku) anthology of Tamil literature. This belongs to the 'post Sangam period' corresponding to between 100 and 500 CE. Thirikatukam contains 100 poems written by the poet Nallathanaar. The poems of Thirikatukam are written in the Venpa meter.
Ciṟupañcamūlam (Siruppanchamulam) is a Tamil poetic work of didactic nature belonging to the Eighteen Lesser Texts (Pathinenkilkanakku) anthology of Tamil literature. This belongs to the 'post Sangam period' corresponding to between 100 – 500 CE. Siruppanchamulam contains 100 poems written by the poet Kariyaasaan. He was probably a Jain by religious persuasion. This and the fact that he was a student of one Makkayanaar is known from the introductory poem of this book. The poems of Siruppanchamulam are written in the Venpa meter.
Paḻamoḻi Nāṉūṟu is a Tamil poetic work of didactic nature belonging to the Eighteen Lesser Texts (Pathinenkilkanakku) anthology of Tamil literature. This belongs to the 'post Sangam period' corresponding to between 100 and 500 CE. Paḻamoḻi Nāṉūṟu contains 400 poems written by the poet Munrurai Araiyanaar, a Jain. The poems of Paḻamoḻi Nāṉūṟu are written in the Venpa meter.
Muthumozhikkanchi is a Tamil poetic work of didactic nature belonging to the Eighteen Lesser Texts (Pathinenkilkanakku) anthology of Tamil literature. This belongs to the 'post Sangam period' corresponding to between 100 and 500 CE. Muthumozhikkanchi contains 100 poems written by the poet Mathuraikkoodalaar Kilaar who must have lived in Madurai.
Kalavazhi Narpathu is a Tamil poetic work belonging to the Eighteen Lesser Texts (Pathinenkilkanakku) anthology of Tamil literature. This belongs to the 'post Sangam period' corresponding to between 100 and 500 CE. Kalavazhi Narpathu contains forty poems written by the poet Poigayaar.
Kaar Narpathu is a Tamil poetic work belonging to the Eighteen Lesser Texts (Pathinenkilkanakku) anthology of Tamil literature. This belongs to the 'post Sangam period' corresponding to between 100 – 500 CE. Kar Narpathu contains forty poems written by the poet Kannankoothanaar, who lived in Madurai.
Ainthinai Aimpathu is a Tamil poetic work belonging to the Eighteen Lesser Texts (Patiṉeṇkīḻkaṇakku) anthology of Tamil literature. This belongs to the 'post Sangam period' corresponding to between 100 – 500 CE. Ainthinai Aimpathu contains fifty poems written by the poet Kannankoothanaar, who lived in Madurai.
Tiṉaimozhi Aimpatu is a Tamil poetic work belonging to the Eighteen Lesser Texts (Pathinenkilkanakku) anthology of Tamil literature. This belongs to the 'post Sangam period' corresponding to between 100 and 500 CE. Tiṉaimozhi Aimpatu contains fifty poems written by the poet Kannan Chenthanaar.
Kainnilai (Tamil:கைந்நிலை), and Innilai (Tamil:இன்னிலை) are Tamil poetic works belonging to the Eighteen Lesser Texts (Pathinenkilkanakku) anthology of Tamil literature. These two books together form the eighteenth book in the anthology, belonging to the 'post Sangam period' corresponding to between 100 and 500 CE. Kainnilai contains sixty poems written by the poet Pullangkaathanaar(புல்லங்காட) and Innilai contains 45 poems and was written by the poet Poigayaar(பொய்கையார).
Aintinai Eḻupatu, is a Tamil poetic work belonging to the Eighteen Lesser Texts (Patiṉeṇkīḻkaṇakku) anthology of Tamil literature, belonging to the post-Sangam period corresponding to between 100–500 CE. Aintinai Eḻupatu contains seventy poems written by the poet Muvathiyaar.
Tiṇaimālai Nūṟṟaimpatu is a Tamil poetic work belonging to the Eighteen Lesser Texts (Patinenkilkanakku) anthology of Tamil literature, belonging to the 'post Sangam period' corresponding to between 100 and 500 CE. Tiṇaimālai Nūṟṟaimpatu contains 154 poems written by the poet Kanimeytaviyar.
Maha Vidhwan Rao Sahib Mu Raghava Iyengar (1878–1960) was a well known Tamil scholar and researcher of Tamil literature.
A.Singaravelu Mudaliar was an Indian encyclopedist and academic. He studied Tamil, Telugu and Sanskrit languages. He was a professor of Tamil at Pachaiyappa's College in Madras.
Maha vidhwan Thirumaaligai Appan Narayana Iyengar was born to Thirumaaligai Appan Iyengar and Shenkamalavalli Ammal on 31 Oct 1861 in EthirkOtai near Srivilliputhur. He was a great literary scholar of his time and was well versed in both Tamil and Sanskrit languages. He has done many works in these languages and has won many accolades for his works and for the development of these languages. He also worked tirelessly for the development of the Tamil language and was instrumental in its spread through his publication of the Senthamizh magazine as part of the Madurai Tamil Sangam and through his other educational efforts. After having learnt the basics of Tamil literature and grammar from his father Appan Iyengar and other scholars near his home town during his formative years, he moved to Ramanathapuram and then to Madurai when the Madurai Tamil Sangam was established in 1901.
Panditha.M.Gopala Krishna Iyer (1878–1927), popularly known as Ma.Ko, served the cause of development of the Tamil language during the first quarter of the twentieth century. Ma.Ko. was a poet, translator, essayist, dramatist, editor of literary journals and above all a patriot.
Vallal Pon Pandithurai Thevar, born Ukkira Pandian, also known as Pandi Durai Thevar, was the Zamindar of Palavanatham, Tamil Nadu, India. A scholar and poet belonging to the royal house of the Sethupathis of Ramanathapuram, Pandithurai Thevar contributed greatly to the revival of the Tamil language by establishing the Fourth Tamil sangam in Madurai, restoring rare Tamil texts, and becoming a patron of Tamil-language scholarship. He published the magazine Senthamizh as part of the Fourth Tamil sangam.
