Tamil Nadu is a state in southern India. Its capital and largest city is Chennai. Lying in the southern-most part of the Indian subcontinent, Tamil Nadu is bordered by the Indian union territory of Puducherry and the states of Kerala, Karnataka, and Andhra Pradesh, as well as an international maritime border with Sri Lanka. The state is bounded by the Western Ghats in the west, the Eastern Ghats in the north, the Bay of Bengal in the east, the Gulf of Mannar and Palk Strait to the south-east, and the Indian Ocean in the south. The official language is Tamil, one of the longest-surviving classical languages in the world.
The Tamil people, also known as Tamilar, or simply Tamils, are a Dravidian ethno-linguistic group who trace their ancestry mainly to India’s southern state of Tamil Nadu, union territory of Puducherry and to Sri Lanka. Tamils constitute 5.9% of the population in India, 15% in Sri Lanka, 10% in Mauritius, 7% in Malaysia and 5% in Singapore.
Pongal, is also referred to as Thai Pongal, is a multi-day Hindu harvest festival of South India, particularly in the Tamil community. It is observed at the start of the month Tai according to Tamil solar calendar, and this is typically about January 14. It is dedicated to the Hindu sun god, the Surya, and corresponds to Makar Sankranti, the harvest festival under many regional names celebrated throughout India. The three days of the Pongal festival are called Bhogi Pongal, Surya Pongal and Maattu Pongal. Some Tamils celebrate a fourth day of Pongal as Kanum Pongal.
Popularly called the "Gateway to the South India", the culture of Chennai is distinct from that of any other Indian city. Being a cosmopolitan hub, the city's culture reflects its diverse population that has resulted in a unique blend. Though a modern metropolis, Chennai continues to be traditional and conventional in certain ways. Traditional music, dance and all other art forms of Tamil Nadu are very popular in the city. One can find a peculiar cultural blend in city, from traditional foods to fast foods, from ancient temple architecture to modern high-rises, and from classical music and dance to the growing nightlife.
The Tamil diaspora refers to descendants of the Tamil immigrants who emigrated from their native lands to other parts of the world. They are found primarily in Malaysia, Arab states of the Persian Gulf, South Africa, North America, Western Europe, and Singapore.
The Sangam period or age, or the third Sangam period, is the period of history of ancient Tamil Nadu, Kerala and parts of Sri Lanka spanning from c. 6th century BCE to c. 3rd century CE. It was named after the famous Sangam academies of poets and scholars centered in the city of Madurai.
The Federation of Tamil Sangams in North America (FeTNA) is a non-profit organization of Tamil organizations in the United States and Canada. It is a registered, non-profit, tax-exempt 501(c)(3) organization and founded in 1987 by five Tamil organizations: Tamil Association of Delaware Valley, Tamil Sangam of Washington & Baltimore, New York Tamil Sangam, Ilankai Tamil Sangam and Harrisburg Tamil Sangam. In July 2018, it stated that it represents 50 Tamil organizations based in America and Canada.
Narasimhan Ravikiran is an Indian slide instrumentalist, vocalist, composer, and orator, who created the concept of melharmony. He is the son of gottuvadhyam player Chitravina Narasimhan and the grandson of Narayan Iyengar, who was also a Carnatic musician.
The South Indians in Fiji are mainly descendants of the 15,132 contract labourers who were brought to Fiji between 1903 and 1916. This represents about 25% out of a total of 60,965 contract labourers who were brought to Fiji between 1879 and 1916. They were forced in to ships from Madras and were mainly recruited in the districts of North Arcot, Madras, Krishna, Godavari, Visakhapatnam, Tanjore, Malabar and Coimbatore. More than half of the labourers from South India were recruited from North Arcot and Madras, but most of those recruited in Madras were originally from North Arcot and Chingleput.
Devaneya Pavanar was a prominent Tamil scholar who wrote over 35 research volumes. Additionally, he was a staunch proponent of the "Pure Tamil movement" and initiated the Etymological Dictionary Project primarily to bring out the roots of Tamil words and their connections and ramifications with Nostratic studies.
Tamil culture is the culture of the Tamil people. Tamil culture is rooted in the arts and ways of life of Tamils in India, Sri Lanka, Malaysia, Singapore, and across the globe. Tamil culture is expressed in language, literature, music, dance, theatre, folk arts, martial arts, painting, sculpture, architecture, sports, media, comedy, cuisine, costumes, celebrations, philosophy, religions, traditions, rituals, organizations, science, and technology.
The World Tamil Conference is a series of occasional conferences to discuss the social growth of the Tamil language. Each conference is attended by thousands of Tamil enthusiasts around the world. Conferences are hosted in various cities in India, as well as world cities with a significant Tamil population. The conference aims in promoting the heritage of Tamil language.
Tamil Americans are Americans who are of Tamil origin. The majority of Tamil Americans come from the Indian state of Tamil Nadu and as well as other Indian states. The Tamil diaspora is prevalent in other countries such as Sri Lanka, Malaysia and Singapore.
The parai is a frame drum about 35 centimeters in diameter. It consists of a shallow ring of wood, covered on one side with a stretched cow hide that is glued to the wooden frame. The preferred wood is neem wood although other types may be used. The shell is made up of three separate pieces of wood each in the shape of an arc. These pieces are held together by three metal plates. The parai is played with two sticks: one long, thin flat bamboo stick called 'Sindu/ Sundu Kuchi' and a short, thick stick called 'Adi Kucchi' that can be made from any variety of wood
Dindigul I. Leoni also known as Dindigul Leoni or simply known as Leoni is a pattimandram anchor, social debates anchor, school teacher, orator, actor, television personality and political activist. He received the adjective Dindigul which refers to his birthplace. He is well known for his political satire and humorous speech and also for his tongue-in-cheek remarks. He currently serves as a talk show moderator in a pattimandram program telecast in Kalaignar TV. His son-in-law C. S. Amudhan is a filmmaker.
Poovulagin Nanbargal is an environmental organisation based in Tamil Nadu, India. It spearheaded a legal battle against Kudankulam Nuclear Power Plant.
Kamaraj College is one of the oldest Arts & Science Colleges in Tamil Nadu. It is located in the southern city of Thoothukudi. It was established in the year 1966 by The Tuticorin Education Society. The College has been named after the former Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu K. Kamaraj as a tribute to the invaluable service rendered by him to the nation, particularly to the cause of education. The college is affiliated with Manonmaniam Sundaranar University. The college offers different courses in Arts, Commerce and Science.
The North American Bengali Conference (NABC) is an annual Bengali culture conference held in the United States and Canada, typically around the weekend of July 4. It was established in 1981 by the Cultural Association of Bengal in New York, and is hosted by a different organization every year. The conference includes performances, readings, discussion, networking, and class reunions.
Valluvar year, also known as the Thiruvalluvar year, is an officially recognized Tamil calendar system for use in Tamil Nadu. It is calculated on the basis of the supposed year of birth of the Tamil poet-philosopher Valluvar. When comparing it with the widely used Gregorian calendar, Thiruvalluvar year will have an additional 31 years. For instance, the year 2021 in Gregorian calendar way is 2052 in the Thiruvalluvar year.
Rajan Somasundaram, best known as Composer Rajan, is a composer, drummer, violinist and music producer based in Raleigh. He is known for making the first ever music album on Tamil Sangam period poetry in association with Durham Symphony and prominent international musicians. The album became Amazon's Top#10 bestseller under 'International Music albums' category in July 2020. The album was called a "A Major event in the world of Music" by The Hindu Music review. He composed the theme song of the 10th World Tamil Conference with many international musicians as a tribute to Sangam period poet Kaniyan Pungundranar.
