Lit

Question 1

What does muttamil mean and refer to?

Answer 1

Threefold: meaning language is to be sung, enacted and written
(Said to be introduced by now lost grammar by sage Agastya)
Tamil lit emphasizes unity and coexistence of these three

Question 2

Which are the twin epics?

Answer 2

Cilappatikaram 450 CE (Narayanan dates it earlier)
Written by: Illanko Atikal
Manimekalai 550
Written by?

Question 3

How many Nayanars are there?

Answer 3

63 (some are legendary)

Question 4

Earliest female saint?

Answer 4

Karaikkal Ammaiyar 550-600 CE

Question 5

What is the great epic composed between 9-13th century?

Answer 5

Civakancintamani

Question 6

Cekkilar’s anecdote to King Anappaya’s fondness for Civakancintamani?

Answer 6

Periyapuranam 1135
Composed in Cidambaram
Requested by

Question 7

Who is considered “the King/emperor of Tamil literature”?

Answer 7

Kampan dates range between 9-12th century (Wikipedia gives 1180-1250: penguin India gives 12th century but says Rajendra Cola (Rajendra I ruled 1016-1044; Rajendra II also ruled later part of 11th century ) gave him this epitaph; biography says 9th century
Wrote Iramavataram

Question 8

Zveblebil’s periodization?

Answer 8

Pre-devotional: both Bardic corpus150 BCE- 250 CE and
Post Classical 250-600 CE
Devotional 600-900
Post devotional early 900-1200/1400
Late 1200/1400-1750
Pre- modern 1750-1900
Modern and contemporary 1900-present