Pathirruppaththu (பதிற்றுப்பத்து), is the fourth book in the Ettuthokai, a Sangam literature anthology. The name ‘’Pathirruppaththu’’ means ‘Ten Tens’ – one hundred. However the first and the last ten songs are now lost beyond recovery. Several verses have been lost and for some few lines are still missing. The poems extol the richness of the Chera country. Sangam Literature is the collective name for the Tamil literature created over 1800 years ago. ... Agattiyam, according to mentions inSangam 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. ... Kuruntokai (குறுந்தொகை) is the second 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. ... Pattupattu (பத்துப்பாட்டு) – The ten Idylls, is an anthology of ten mind length books and is one of the oldest surviving Tamil Poetry. ... Tiruvalluvar statue at Kanyakumari Tirukural (திருக்குறள் in Tamil) is an important work of Tamil literature by Tiruvalluvar written in the form of couplets expounding various aspects of life. ... Manimegalai, Seevaga Sindhamani, Valayaapathi, Kundalakesi and Silapadhigaaram constitute the Five Great Epics of Tamil Literature. ... Cilappatikaram (The Anklet) also spelled as Cilappadhikaram or Silappadhigaram, is one of the five great epics of ancient Tamil Literature. ... Manimekalai is one of the masterpieces of Tamil literature and belongs to The Five Great Epics of Tamil Literature. ... The Sangam is a collection of Tamil literature composed between 1,500 and 2,000 years ago. ... 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. ... Ettuthokai (எட்டுத்தொகை)– The Eight Anthologies - form part of the Pathinenmaelkanakku anthology series of the Sangam Literature. ... Sangam Literature is the collective name for the Tamil literature created over 1800 years ago. ... The Cheras were one of the three ancient Tamil dynasties who ruled the southern peninsula of India at the beginning of its recorded history. ...

Contents of the book

First Ten

This is now extinct

Second Ten

These ten poems are written by Kumattur Kannan on the Chera king Imayavaramban Nedunceralaathan. The poet received as reward the revenue rights from some crown land for the period of thrity-eight years (உம்பற்காட்டு ஐந்நூறூர் பிரமதாயம்கொடுத்து முப்பத்தெட்டுயாண்டு தென்னாட்டுள் வருவதனிற் பாகம் கொடுத்தான்.)

Third Ten

Paalai Gauthamanaar composed these ten poems on Celkezhukkuttuvan. According to the annotations to the poem, the king asked the poet to ask for whatever he wanted as reward for his compositions. The poet requested a way to go to heaven. The king conducted a series of ten Vedic sacrifices. At the tenth sacrifice the poet and his wife disappeared.

Fourth Ten

The poet Kappiyatru Kaapiyanaar sang these songs on the king Nanmudi Cheral and ‘received 40,000 gold coins and a part of his kingdom’.

Fifth Ten

Baranar sang these ten songs on Chera king Cenguttuvan and ‘received the prince Kuttuvan Ceral’.

Sixth Ten

King Aadukotpattu Ceralathan rewarded the poet Kakkaipatiniyar Nacchellayar with gold and land and made him his court poet.

Seventh Ten

The famous poet Kapilar sang these poems on Cheran Celvakkadungo Vazhi Aathan. The king presented the poet ‘a town named ‘Sirupuram’ and give him all the land the poet could see from the top of a hill’.

EighthTen

Chera king Perunceral Irumporai was the king who was the subject of these ten poems. Poet Arasikizhar received ‘much land and the administrative rights of a number of temples’.

Ninth Ten

Chera king Perunceral Irumporai (possibly the brother of the king in the previous ten poems was eulogised by Perunkunrurkizhar.

Tenth Ten

This is now extinct.

See also

• Ancient Tamil country
• Tamil language
• Tamil Literature
• Sangam
• Sangam Literature
• Sangam landscape

The ancient Tamil country of the classical era extended from River Krishna to the Cape Comorin(Kanyakumari). ... Tamil (தமிழ் ) is a classical language and one of the major languages of the Dravidian language family. ... 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 Sangam is a collection of Tamil literature composed between 1,500 and 2,000 years ago. ... Sangam Literature is the collective name for the Tamil literature created over 1800 years ago. ...

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/ory:Tamil|Literature, Tamil]]