Kuruntokai (Tamil: குறுந்தொகை),a classical Tamil poetic work, is the second book of Ettuthokai, a Sangam literature anthology. Kuruntokai contains poems dealing with matters of love and separation (அகம்) content matter and were written by numerous authors. Nachinarkiniyar, a Tamil scholar living during the sixth or the seventh century C.E. has annotated this work. Sangam literature refers to a body of classical Tamil literature created between the years 200 BCE and 300 CE.[1][2] This collection contains 2381 poems written by 473 poets, some 102 of whom are anonymous authors[3]. The period during which these poems were written is commonly referred to... Sangam literature refers to a body of classical Tamil literature created between the years 200 BCE and 300 CE.[1][2] This collection contains 2381 poems written by 473 poets, some 102 of whom are anonymous authors[3]. The period during which these poems were written is commonly referred to... Agattiyam, according to mentions in Sangam Literature, was the first known book on Tamil grammar. ... The Tolkāppiyam (தொல்காப்பியம் in Tamil) is a work on the grammar of the Tamil language. ... Pathinenmaelkanakku is the collection of the oldest surviving Tamil Poetry. ... Ettuthokai (எட்டுத்தொகை)– The Eight Anthologies - form part of the Pathinenmaelkanakku anthology series of the Sangam Literature. ... Ainkurnuru (ஐங்குறுநூறு) is a book containing five hundred short poems and is part of Ettuthokai, a Sangam literature anthology. ... Akananuru (அகநானுறு) is the seventh book in the Sangam literature anthology Ettuthokai. ... Pura Nanooru or Pura Nanuru is an ancient Tamil Sangam collection of poems, dating from 900 BCE to 220 CE. It is one of the oldest Tamil anthologies. ... Kaliththokai (கலித்தொகை) is the sixth book of Ettuthokai, a Sangam literature anthology. ... Natrinai (நற்றிணை), is a book of Ettuthokai, a Sangam literature anthology. ... Paripaatal (பரிபாடல்), is the fifth book in the Ettuthokai, a Sangam literature anthology. ... Pathirruppaththu (பதிற்றுப்பத்து), is the fourth book in the Ettuthokai, a Sangam literature anthology. ... Pattupattu (பத்துப்பாட்டு) – The ten Idylls, is an anthology of ten mind length books and is one of the oldest surviving Tamil Poetry. ... Tirumurugarruppatai by Nakkirar is one of the most important works of Sangam Literature. ... Kurincippattu, is a Tamil poetic work in the Pathinenmaelkanakku anthology of Tamil literature, belonging to the Sangam period corresponding to between 100 BCE – 100 CE. Kurincippattu contains 261 lines of poems in the Achiriyappa meter. ... Malaipatukatam, is a Tamil poetic work in the Pathinenmaelkanakku anthology of Tamil literature, belonging to the Sangam period corresponding to between 100 BCE – 100 CE. Malaipatukatam contains 583 lines of poetry in the Achiriyappa meter. ... Mathuraikkanci, is a Tamil poetic work in the Pathinenmaelkanakku anthology of Tamil literature, belonging to the Sangam period corresponding to between 100 BCE – 100 CE. Mathuraikkanci contains 583 lines of poetry in the Achiriyappa meter. ... Mullaippattu, is a Tamil poetic work in the Ettuthokai anthology of Sangam literature, belonging to the Sangam period corresponding to between 100 BCE – 100 CE. Mullaippattu contains 103 lines of poetry in the Akaval meter. ... Netunalvatai, is a Tamil poetic work in the Pathinenmaelkanakku anthology of Tamil literature, belonging to the Sangam period corresponding to between 100 BCE – 100 CE. Netunalvatai is part of the Pattupattu collection, which is the oldest available collection of long poems in Tamil literature. ... Pattinappaalai, is a Tamil poetic work in the Pathinenmaelkanakku anthology of Tamil literature, belonging to the Sangam period corresponding to between 100 BCE – 100 CE. Pattinappaalai is part of the Pattupattu collection, which is the oldest available collection of long poems in Tamil literature. ... Perumpanarruppatai, is a Tamil poetic work in the Pathinenmaelkanakku anthology of Tamil literature, belonging to the Sangam period corresponding to between 100 BCE – 100 CE. Perumpanarruppatai contains 500 lines of poetry in the Achiriyappa meter. ... Porunaraatruppadai, is a Tamil poetic work in the Pathinenmaelkanakku anthology of Tamil literature, belonging to the Sangam period corresponding to between 100 BCE – 100 CE. Porunaraatruppadai contains 250 lines of poems in the Achiriyappa meter. ... Cirupanarruppatai, is a Tamil poetic work in the Pathinenmaelkanakku anthology of Tamil literature, belonging to the Sangam period corresponding to between 100 BCE – 100 CE. Cirupanarruppatai contains 269 lines of poetry in the Achiriyappa meter. ... Pathinenkilkanakku is a collection of eighteen poetic works created during the post Sangam period (between 100 - 500 CE). ... Nalatiyar is a Tamil poetic work of didactic nature belonging to the Pathinenkilkanakku anthology of Tamil literature. ... Nanmanikkatigai is a Tamil poetic work of didactic nature belonging to the the Pathinenkilkanakku anthology of Tamil literature. ... Inna Narpathu is a Tamil poetic work of didactic nature belonging to the the Pathinenkilkanakku anthology of Tamil literature. ... Iniyavai Narpathu is a Tamil poetic work of didactic nature belonging to the the Pathinenkilkanakku anthology of Tamil literature. ... Kar Narpathu is a Tamil poetic work belonging to the the Pathinenkilkanakku anthology of Tamil literature. ... Kalavazhi Narpathu is a Tamil poetic work belonging to the the Pathinenkilkanakku anthology of Tamil literature. ... Ainthinai Aimpathu is a Tamil poetic work belonging to the the Pathinenkilkanakku anthology of Tamil literature. ... Thinaimozhi Aimpathu is a Tamil poetic work belonging to the the Pathinenkilkanakku anthology of Tamil literature. ... Ainthinai Ezhupathu, is a Tamil poetic work belonging to the Pathinenkilkanakku anthology of Tamil literature, belonging to the post Sangam period corresponding to between 100 – 500 CE. Ainthinai Ezhupathu contains seventy poems written by the poet Muvathiyaar. ... Thinaimalai Nurru Aimpathu, is a Tamil poetic work belonging to the Pathinenkilkanakku anthology of Tamil literature, belonging to the post Sangam period corresponding to between 100 – 500 CE. Thinaimalai Nurru Aimpathu contains 154 poems written by the poet Kanimeythaviyaar. ... Tiruvalluvar statue at Kanyakumari Tirukkural (திருக்குறள் in Tamil) is an important work of Tamil literature by Tiruvalluvar written in the form of couplets expounding various aspects of life. ... Thirikatukam is a Tamil poetic work of didactic nature belonging to the the Pathinenkilkanakku anthology of Tamil literature. ... Acharakkovai is a Tamil poetic work of didactic nature belonging to the the Pathinenkilkanakku anthology of Tamil literature. ... Pazhamozhi Nanuru is a Tamil poetic work of didactic nature belonging to the the Pathinenkilkanakku anthology of Tamil literature. ... Siruppanchamulam is a Tamil poetic work of didactic nature belonging to the the Pathinenkilkanakku anthology of Tamil literature. ... Muthumozhikkanchi is a Tamil poetic work of didactic nature belonging to the the Pathinenkilkanakku anthology of Tamil literature. ... Elathi is a Tamil poetic work of didactic nature belonging to the the Pathinenkilkanakku anthology of Tamil literature. ... Kainnilai, and Innilai are Tamil poetic works belonging to the the Pathinenkilkanakku anthology of Tamil literature. ... Languages Tamil Religions Hinduism, Christianity, Islam, Buddhism, Jainism Related ethnic groups Dravidian people Brahui people Kannadigas Malayalis Tamils Telugus Tuluvas Gonds The Tamil people are a multi-ethnic group from the Indian subcontinent with a recorded history going back more than two millennia. ... For other uses of Sangam see Sangam (disambiguation). ... The Sangam landscape is categorisation the Tamil landscape into various Thinais depending on the nature, location and the mood of the poem. ... Early Tamil History has few authentic sources. ... Tamil literature is literature in the Tamil language which most prominently includes the contributions of the Tamil country (or Tamizhagam) history, a large part of which constitutes the modern state of Tamil Nadu and Kerala as well as some parts of Karnataka and Andra pradesh. ... The ancient Tamil music was the music of the ancient Tamil people. ... Tamil ( ; IPA ) is a Dravidian language spoken predominantly by Tamils in India and Sri Lanka, with smaller communities of speakers in many other countries. ... Ettuthokai (எட்டுத்தொகை)– The Eight Anthologies - form part of the Pathinenmaelkanakku anthology series of the Sangam Literature. ... Sangam literature refers to a body of classical Tamil literature created between the years 200 BCE and 300 CE.[1][2] This collection contains 2381 poems written by 473 poets, some 102 of whom are anonymous authors[3]. The period during which these poems were written is commonly referred to...

Red earth and pouring rain

A beautiful poem from Kuruntokai is the famous Red earth and pouring rain by the Sangam age poet Sembula Peyaneerar. This poem is the verse 40 in the Kuruntokai anthology. The image of "red earth and pouring rain" evokes pictures of the first monsoon rains falling on the red-earthed hills typical of the Tamil lands to mingle with the dry, parched soil forming a cool, damp clay, and of the flowers blooming in the rain. The mood created is that of lovers, clandestinely meeting in the hills, their hearts waking suddenly, unexpectedly, to each other.

A second level of meaning is created by the imagery of progression. The poem opens with the possible bonds of friendship, and then kinship, between the parents. Then, it moves to bonds formed by two people learning and getting to know each other. From these abstractions, it comes to concreteness with the picture of red earth in the rain, drawing a parallel with the lover's journey from aloneness to union.

Finally, there is the image of the kurinji flower itself. Though never mentioned in the poem, it is nonetheless present as a fundamental part of a landscape of hills. A kurinji flower only blooms once in twelve years,^[1] the period associated in Tamil tradition with the coming of a girl to sexual maturity. Unspoken, but present, in the poem through the image of the flower is a sense of a woman awakening to herself and to union. Species See text. ...

References

• Mudaliyar, Singaravelu A., Apithana Cintamani, An encyclopaedia of Tamil Literature, (1931) - Reprinted by Asian Educational Services, New Delhi (1983)
• http://www.tamilnation.org/literature/
• Project Madurai Kuruntokai eText - http://www.tamilnation.org/literature/ettuthokai/pm110.pdf