Tamils

Tamils, also known as Tamilar, are a large ethnic group from the southern part of the Indian subcontinent. They mainly speak the Tamil language, which is one of the oldest languages in the world. Today, most Tamils live in the South Indian state of Tamil Nadu and the union territory of Puducherry, but there are also many Tamils in countries like Sri Lanka, Malaysia, and Singapore.

For thousands of years, Tamils have lived in regions that are now part of India and Sri Lanka. During ancient times, they were ruled by famous kingdoms such as the Cheras, Cholas, and Pandyas. These Tamils were skilled traders and had contacts with faraway places. Their history is rich with art, music, and literature.

Tamil culture is very diverse and includes special kinds of architecture, sculpture, music, and dance. Most Tamils follow Hinduism, but there are also Christians, Muslims, Jains, and Buddhists among them. Their food is flavorful and uses many local spices. Tamils have kept many important parts of their traditions alive.

Etymology

The word Tamil comes from the name of the language. The people are called Tamiḻar in Tamil, which is linked to the language’s name. We do not know the exact origin and meaning of the word Tamil. Some ideas suggest tamiz might come from tam, meaning "self", and -iz, meaning "unfolding sound". Another idea is that tamiz means "self-speak", or "our own speech".

We do not know if the term Tamila and similar words like Damela, Damila, or Tamira were first used by the Tamils themselves or by others. An old writing from the second century BCE in Eastern India mentions a group of Tamil rulers called T[r]amira samghata. Evidence from the same time in ancient Sri Lanka includes words like Damela or Dameda. Ancient Buddhist texts speak of a Damila-rattha (Tamil dynasty). The Greek writer Strabo from the first century BCE wrote that the Roman Emperor Augustus received a messenger from the ruler of Pandyan in Dramira. A writing from the third century CE in Amaravati mentions a Dhamila-vaniya (Tamil trader).

History

In India

See also: History of Tamil Nadu and Sources of ancient Tamil history

Pre-historic period (before 4th century BCE)

Archaeological evidence shows the region was first home to ancient people over 400,000 years ago. Artifacts found in Adichanallur by the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) show ancient burial ways, dating back to 1500 BCE. Digs at Keezhadi found a large ancient town, with the oldest item from 580 BCE, during a time when towns in the Indo-Gangetic plain were growing. Writing found at Adichanallur and Keezhadi uses Tamil Brahmi, an early form of writing from the 6th century BCE.

Sangam period (3rd century BCE–3rd century CE)

Main article: Sangam period

Further information: Tamilakam, Sangam landscape, and Economy of ancient Tamil country

The Sangam period lasted from the 3rd century BCE to the 3rd century CE. The main history from this time comes from works of Sangam literature. Ancient Tamilakam was ruled by three groups of kings called a triumvirate: the Cheras, Cholas and Pandyas. These kings are called Vāṉpukaḻ Mūvar (Three glorified by heaven) in Sangam literature. The Cheras ruled the west, the Pandyas the south, and the Cholas had their home in the Kaveri delta. They are named in writings from the Mauryan Empire from the third century BCE. Writings from Kalinga from the second century BCE name a group of Tamil kingdoms. The three kings ruled many smaller groups of people and places.

Pieces of pottery from the 1st century CE found in Arikamedu and an old grave from Suttukeni

The Sangam rulers supported many religions such as the vedic religion, Buddhism and Jainism and helped make early Tamil writing, with the oldest surviving book being Tolkāppiyam, about Tamil grammar. Purananuru describes daily life and many special ways of doing things from the time. It talks about special events done by kings for important moments and for people who had died.

Farming was a big job, and there is proof that systems of irrigation channels were made as early as the 3rd century BCE. Sangam writing describes rich lands and people sorted into groups based on their work. The land was ruled by kings, but the power of the rulers was limited by traditions and rules.

The kingdoms traded with lands to the north and with the Romans. Roman coins and other clues from South India and bits of broken pots with Tamil writing found along the Red Sea show trade between the Romans and the old Tamil lands. Much of this trade from the Romans and Han China happened through ports like Muziris and Korkai, with spices being the most wanted goods along with pearls and silk. There are clues of messages sent to the Roman Emperor Augustus by the Pandya kings. A Greek traveler's writing from the first century CE, Periplus Maris Erytraei, describes the ports of the Pandya and Chera kingdoms and their trade in detail. It also says the main things the old Tamils sold were pepper, malabathrum, pearls, ivory, silk, spikenard, diamonds, sapphires, and tortoiseshell.

Medieval era (4th–13th century CE)

From the fourth century CE, the area was ruled by the Kalabhras, leaders from the Vellalar group, who once helped the three old Tamil kingdoms. The Kalabhra time is called the “dark time” of Tamil history, and information about it comes mainly from mentions in writings and writings from many years later. Around the seventh century CE, the Kalabhras were removed by the Pandyas and Cholas. During this time, the Pallavas came to power in the sixth century CE under Mahendravarman I, who ruled parts of South India with Kanchipuram as their home. The Pallavas were known for supporting building and art. During their rule, the Pallavas often fought with the Cholas, the Pandyas and other kingdoms like the Chalukyas of Badami and the Rashtrakutas. The Pandyas were brought back to power by Kadungon towards the end of the sixth century CE and with the Cholas not in power in Uraiyur, the Tamil country was split between the Pallavas and the Pandyas. The area west of the Western Ghats became different from the eastern parts. A new language Malayalam grew from Tamil in this area, changed more by people speaking Sanskrit from Northern India who moved there in the eighth century CE.

The Cholas came back into power in the ninth century CE under Vijayalaya Chola and the last Pallavas ruler Aparajitavarman was removed by the Chola prince Aditya I. After beating the Pallavas, the Cholas became the main kingdom with their home at Thanjavur. The Chola power grew with Rajaraja I taking over all of Southern India and parts of present-day Sri Lanka and the Maldives, and growing Chola power across the Indian Ocean in the eleventh century CE. Rajaraja made changes to how the land was run, splitting Tamil country into parts. Under his son Rajendra Chola I, the Chola empire reached its highest point and stretched as far as Bengal to the north and across the Indian Ocean. He beat the Eastern Chalukyas and the Chola navy attacked the Srivijaya Empire in Southeast Asia. The Cholas traded with the Chinese Song Dynasty and across Southeast Asia. The Cholas built many temples, with the most famous being the Brihadisvara Temple at Thanjavur. The later part of the eleventh century saw the Chola and Vengi kingdoms join under Kulottunga I. The Cholas fought off attacks from the Western Chalukyas and kept power over many kingdoms in Southeast Asia. According to historian Nilakanta Sastri, Kulottunga avoided fights when not needed and had a long and successful rule that set the base for the empire for the next 150 years.

The Chola power began to fall towards the end of Kulottunga III’s rule in the thirteenth century CE. The Pandyas took control under Maravarman Sundara I and removed the Cholas under Rajaraja III. Though the Cholas came back for a short time with help from the Hoysalas, fights between Rajaraja and Rajendra III made them weaker. With the Hoysalas later helping the Pandyas, the Pandyas took full control of the area. The Pandya empire reached its highest point in the thirteenth century CE under Jatavarman Sundara Pandyan I after he beat the Hoysalas, the Kakatiyas and took parts of Sri Lanka. The Pandyas ruled from their home of Madurai and grew trade with faraway lands. Venetian traveler Marco Polo said the Pandyas were the richest empire at the time. The Pandyas also built many temples including the Meenakshi Amman Temple at Madurai. In the fourteenth century CE, the Pandyan empire faced inner fights and attacks from the Delhi Sultanate. In 1335, the Pandyan home was taken by Jalaluddin Ahsan Khan and the short-lived Madurai Sultanate was made.

Vijayanagar and Nayak period (14th–17th century CE)

The Vijayanagara kingdom began in 1336 CE. The Vijayanagara empire took over all of Tamil country by about 1370 and ruled for almost two hundred years. In the sixteenth century, Vijaynagara king Krishnadeva Raya had to get involved in fights between their helpers, the Cholas and the Pandyas. The Nayak leaders under Raya for a short time took control of Madurai before it was given back to the empire. The Vijayanagara empire was beaten in the Battle of Talikota in 1565 by a group of Deccan sultanates. The Nayaks, who were army leaders in the Vijaynagara empire, took control of the area, with the Nayaks of Madurai and Nayaks of Thanjavur being the most important. They started the palayakkararar system and rebuilt some temples in Tamil Nadu including the Meenakshi Temple in Madurai.

Later conflicts and European colonization (17th to 20th century CE)

In the 18th century, the Mughal Empire controlled the area through the Nawab of the Carnatic based in Arcot, who removed the Madurai Nayaks. The Marathas attacked several times and removed the Nawab after the Siege of Trichinopoly (1751-1752). This led to a short-lived Thanjavur Maratha kingdom. Europeans began to set up trading places from the 16th century along the east coast. The Portuguese arrived in 1522 followed by the Dutch and the Danes. In 1639, the British East India Company got land from the Vijayanager emperor and the French set up trading places at Pondichéry in 1693. After many fights between the British and the French, the British became the main power in the eighteenth century CE. The British took back control of Madras in 1749 through the Treaty of Aix-la-Chapelle and stopped a French attack in 1759.

The British East India Company wanted rights to collect taxes, which caused ongoing fights with local leaders and led to the Polygar Wars. Puli Thevar was one of the first to oppose them, later joined by Rani Velu Nachiyar and Kattabomman in the first series of Polygar wars. The Maruthu brothers along with Oomaithurai, joined with Dheeran Chinnamalai and Kerala Varma Pazhassi Raja, fighting the British in the Second Polygar War. In the later 18th century, the Mysore kingdom took parts of the area and fought the British, leading to the four Anglo-Mysore Wars. By the late eighteenth century CE, the British had taken most of the area and set up the Madras Presidency with Madras as the home. On 10 July 1806, the Vellore mutiny, the first large uprising by Indian soldiers against the British East India Company, happened at Vellore Fort. After the Indian Rebellion of 1857, the British Parliament passed the Government of India Act 1858, moving control of India from the East India Company to the British crown, creating the British Raj.

V. O. Chidambaram Pillai (left) and Subramania Bharati were among important Tamils who helped the Indian Independence movement

Droughts and problems with management led to two big shortages of food in the Madras Presidency, the Great Famine of 1876–78 and the Indian famine of 1896–97 which caused many deaths and made many Tamils move to other British countries, forming the current Tamil diaspora. The Indian Independence movement grew in the early 20th century with the creation of the Indian National Congress, started after a meeting of the Theosophical Society in Madras in December 1884. Many Tamils helped the Independence movement including V. O. Chidambaram Pillai, Subramaniya Siva and Bharatiyar. The Tamils made up a large part of the members of the Indian National Army (INA), started by Subhas Chandra Bose.

Post Indian Independence (1947–present)

After India gained independence in 1947, the Madras Presidency became Madras state, including present-day Tamil Nadu and parts of Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka and Kerala. The state was reorganized based on language in 1956 into its current shape. On 14 January 1969, Madras state was renamed Tamil Nadu, meaning "Tamil country". In 1965, Tamils protested against making Hindi the main language and for keeping English as an official language of India alongside Hindi. After some changes over the decades, the area has become one of the most developed parts of the country.

In Sri Lanka

Main article: Sri Lankan Tamils

Pre-Anuradhapura period (before fifth century CE)

There are different ideas from historians about Tamil people in Sri Lanka. Historian K. Indrapala says Tamil replaced an earlier language of people who lived there, who later became the Eelam Tamils and the mixing happened long before Sinhalese people arrived in Sri Lanka. Eelam Tamils see themselves as descendants of ancient Naga and Yaksha people of Sri Lanka. A snake symbol called Nakam in Tamil is still part of Tamil tradition in Sri Lanka. Remains of old homes and burial places of people similar to those in present-day Sri Lanka and Tamil Nadu in India have been found at Pomparippu on the west coast and in Kathiraveli on the east coast of the island. These discoveries have been dated between the fifth century BCE and the second century CE. Similarities in burial practices in South India and Sri Lanka go back to the start of the Iron Age around the twelfth century BCE. There were paths for travel from South India to the island. These people moved south on the island and mixed with people already there.

Anuradhapura period (4th century BCE to 10th century CE)

Black and red ware pieces found in Sri Lanka from the early time of the Anuradhapura kingdom, show a similar culture to people of South India. The Tamil Brahmi writing on them shows Tamil family names such as Parumakal, Ay, Vel, Utiyan, Ticaiyan, Cuda and Naka, which shows Tamils were present in the area. Digging at Poonakari in the north of the island found inscriptions including the word vela, a name linked to the velirs of ancient Tamil lands. Writing from the second century CE of people called Damelas (the word for Tamil people in an old language) has been found in Anuradhapura, the capital city of the northern Rajarata area.

Historical records say the three Tamil kingdoms were involved in the island’s history from the second century BCE. Chola king Ellalan took over the Anuradhapura Kingdom from 205 BCE to 161 BCE. Tamil soldiers from Tamilakam came to Anuradhapura in large numbers in the seventh century CE as local leaders and kings depended on them. In the eighth century CE, Tamil villages were set up called Demel-kaballa, Demelat-valademin, and Demel-gam-bim. In the ninth and tenth centuries CE, attacks from Pandya and Chola started in the island and ended with the Chola taking over the island.

Polonnaruwa and Jaffna kingdom (11th–15th century CE)

The Chola influence lasted until the middle of the eleventh century CE and was followed by the return of the Polonnaruwa monarchy. In 1215, after attacks from Pandya, the Tamil-led Aryacakravarti dynasty created the Jaffna Kingdom on the Jaffna peninsula and in parts of northern and upper eastern Sri Lanka. In the fourteenth century CE, the Aryacakaravarthi trying to move south was stopped by Alagakkonara, from a family in Kanchipuram who moved to Sri Lanka in the last century and turned to Buddhism. He helped the Sinhalese king Parakramabahu V (1344–59 CE) and his descendant Vira Alakeshwara later became king before the Ming admiral Zheng He removed him in 1409 CE, ending his family’s power. The way of life of the Sinhalese included people from South India, creating new groups such as the Radala, the Salagama, the Durava and the Karava.

Later conflicts and European colonization (16th–20th century CE)

See also: Portuguese Ceylon, Dutch Ceylon, and British Ceylon

The Aryachakaravarthi dynasty ruled much of northeast Sri Lanka until Europeans arrived in the sixteenth century CE. Portuguese traders came to Sri Lanka by 1505 CE and the Jaffna kingdom became important to them as a place to get to areas ruled by the Kandyan kingdom. King Cankili I fought against the Portuguese and removed Parava Catholics who were brought from India to the Mannar Island to control the valuable pearl fishing. He lost Mannar during the first attack in 1560 and was killed during the second attack in 1591. After the fights, the Portuguese took the kingdom in 1619 from the unpopular Cankili II, who was helped by the Thanjavur Nayaks. English sailor Robert Knox came to the island in 1669 and wrote about Tamil settlements in An Historical Relation of the Island Ceylon published in 1681.

The Dutch took the island later and ruled for over a hundred years. After the 1795 attack by the British and the Kandyan Wars, the island came under British control in the early nineteenth century CE. When they arrived in June 1799, Hugh Cleghorn, the island’s first British colonial secretary, wrote to the British government: "Two different nations from a very ancient period have divided between them the possession of the island. First the Sinhalese, living in the inside areas in the South and West, and secondly the Tamils who own the Northern and Eastern areas. These two nations are very different in their beliefs, language, and ways of living." Even though they were different, the British set up one government for the whole island for better control. During British rule, Tamils had important jobs in the government and were helped by the British because they knew English well. In the north highlands, land of the Sinhalese was taken by the British and Indian Tamils were brought to work on tea farms. Tamils who moved in the nineteenth century to work on tea farms were later called the Indian Tamils.

Post Sri Lankan independence (1948–present)

Sri Lanka became independent in 1948 and after the end of colonial rule, fighting started between the Sinhalese, who were the majority, and the Tamils. In 1956, a law said only Sinhala could be the official language of Sri Lanka, which made many Tamils lose their jobs because they did not speak the language well. The Tamils felt this was unfair treatment based on their language, culture and money. Attacks against Tamils called anti-Tamil pogroms in 1956 and 1958 caused many Tamil deaths and made the fighting worse. More than a million Indian Tamil farm workers were made stateless when Sri Lanka would not give them citizenship. In 1964, the Sri Lankan and Indian governments made an agreement that about 300,000 would become Sri Lankan citizens and about 975,000 Tamils would return to India over fifteen years.

A new Constitution in the 1970s treated Tamils unfairly and government plans brought Sinhalese people to live in Tamil areas. The 1977 anti-Tamil pogrom was followed by attacks on Tamils, taking away their rights. After a state of emergency in 1981, groups of Sinhalese attacked Tamils, making many leave the country as refugees to India and other places. By the 1970s, peaceful fights for an independent Tamil state in the north and east of Sri Lanka turned into a long and violent fight. This led to the Sri Lankan Civil War lasting more than thirty years. The war ended after the Sri Lankan military offensive in 2009. Since the end of the civil war, Sri Lanka has faced criticism for actions during the war including attacks on ordinary people, using big weapons, and other actions against Tamils.

Geographic distribution

India

According to the 2011 Census, about 69 million people spoke Tamil. Most Tamils live in the South Indian state of Tamil Nadu, and in the union territory of Puducherry. There are also Tamils in other Indian states such as Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh, Telangana, Maharashtra, and Kerala.

Sri Lanka

Further information: Sri Lankan Tamils, Indian Tamils of Sri Lanka, and Sri Lankan Moors

In Sri Lanka, Tamils are divided into two groups by the Sri Lankan government: Sri Lankan Tamils and Indian Origin Tamils. Sri Lankan Tamils are descendants of people from old kingdoms, while Indian Tamils are descendants of workers who came from Tamil Nadu in the 1800s to work on tea farms. Most Sri Lankan Tamils live in the northern and eastern parts of the country and near Colombo, while Indian Tamils mainly live in the central highlands.

Tamil diaspora

Main articles: Tamil diaspora and Sri Lankan Tamil diaspora

See also: Tamil Malaysians, Tamil South Africans, Tamil Canadians, Tamil British, Tamil Americans, Tamil Indonesian, Myanmar Tamils, Tamils in Réunion, and Malbars

Many Tamils began moving abroad in the late 1700s as workers and business people under British rule. They settled in places like Malaya, Burma, South Africa, Fiji, Mauritius, and the Caribbean. Today, their descendants live in these countries and keep their traditions and language alive. Large Tamil communities exist in Malaysia and Singapore. Some Tamils also moved to the Middle East and the Western World for jobs, especially since the 1900s. Many Sri Lankan Tamils left their country in the 1980s due to conflicts, with many settling in Canada.

Culture

Main article: Tamil culture

Tamil people speak Tamil, a language that belongs to the Dravidian family and is one of the oldest languages. The Tamil language has a long history with over two thousand years of written records. Modern Tamil uses words borrowed from other languages such as English. Tamils have made Tamil a key part of their identity.

Tamil culture includes many art forms. There are 64 art forms, split into beautiful arts like architecture, sculpture, painting, and poetry, and fine arts like dance, music, and drama.

Art and architecture

Dravidian architecture is a special style of building that belongs to the Tamils. A key feature of this style is the large ornate towers called gopurams at the entrance of Hindu temples. There are many old rock-cut cave-temples built by Tamil kingdoms. Tamil architecture influenced buildings in other places such as Sri Lanka. Over time, Tamil architecture mixed with Islamic and Gothic Revival styles. In the early 20th century, Art Deco style also appeared in cities. Later, modern concrete buildings became common.

Tamil sculpture includes stone sculptures in temples and detailed bronze icons. Tamil paintings often focus on nature, religion, or beauty.

Music

The ancient Tamils had their own system of music called Tamil Pannisai. From the 9th century CE, Shaivite and Vaishnavite hymns were sung with musical instruments. Carnatic music developed later. Villu Paatu is an old form of musical storytelling. Gaana, a mix of various folk musics, is mainly sung in Chennai.

Traditional instruments include parai, tharai, yazh, and murasu. Nadaswaram, a reed instrument often played with the thavil drum, is used in temples and weddings. Melam is a group of percussion instruments.

Performance arts

Bharatanatyam is a major classical dance form that started from the Tamils. There are also many folk dance forms in the region. These include Karakattam and Kavadiattam. Kolattam and Kummi are usually performed by women while singing. In dances like Mayilattam, Puravaiattam, and Puliyattam, dancers dress up as peacocks, horses, or tigers. Other traditional dances include Oyilattam and Paraiattam.

Koothu is a street theater form that includes dance, music, narration, and singing. Bommalattam is a type of puppetry.

Martial arts

Silambam is a martial art that uses a long bamboo staff. Adimurai is a martial art focusing on empty-hand techniques. Varma kalai combines alternative medicine and martial arts. Malyutham is a traditional form of combat wrestling.

Modern arts

The Tamil film industry, known as Kollywood, is one of the largest film industries in India. Tamil film production also started outside India in places like Sri Lanka, Singapore, Canada, and western Europe. The first silent film in South India was made in Tamil in 1916, and the first Tamil talkie film was Kalidas, released on 31 October 1931.

Clothing

Ancient records describe the different clothes worn by Tamil people. Tamil women traditionally wear a sari, a long piece of cloth wrapped around the waist with one end over the shoulder. Men wear a dhoti, a white piece of cloth wrapped around the waist and legs. In the countryside, men commonly wear a colorful lungi. In cities, people wear tailored clothing.

Calendar

The Tamil calendar is a sidereal solar calendar. The calendar follows a 60-year cycle. There are 12 months in a year, starting with Chithirai. The new year starts after the March equinox in mid-April.

Food and hospitality

Hospitality is very important in Tamil culture. Offering food to guests is considered a high virtue. Rice is the main staple and is served with sambar, rasam, and poriyal. Meals are often served on banana leaves.

There are regional varieties of Tamil cuisine, such as Chettinadu, Kongunadu, Nanjilnadu, Pandiyanadu, and Sri Lankan Tamil cuisines. Chettinadu cuisine is known for meat dishes and generous use of spices. Kongunadu cuisine uses less spices and includes coconut. Nanjilnadu cuisine is milder, based on fish and vegetables. Sri Lankan Tamil cuisine uses gingelly oil and jaggery with coconut and spices. Biryani, Idli, and dosa are popular dishes.

Medicine

Siddha medicine is a traditional form of medicine from the Tamils. It believes that all objects, including the human body, are made of five basic elements: earth, water, fire, air, and sky.

Festivals

Pongal is a major harvest festival celebrated by Tamils. Puthandu marks the Tamil New Year and falls in April. Other important festivals include Karthikai Deepam, Thaipusam, Panguni Uthiram, and Vaikasi Visakam. Other festivals include Ganesh Chaturthi, Navarathri, Deepavali, Eid al-Fitr, and Christmas.

Sports

Jallikattu is a traditional event where a bull is released into a crowd. Kabaddi is a traditional contact sport that originated from the Tamils. Chess started as Sathurangam in the 7th century CE. Traditional games like Pallanguzhi, Uriyadi, Gillidanda, and Dhaayam are also played. In modern times, Cricket is the most popular sport.

Religion

See also: Religion in ancient Tamil country, Dravidian folk religion, and Vaishnavism in Ancient Tamilakam

The Tamils have many beliefs and traditions. In the past, they linked parts of nature to gods. For example, hills were connected to the god Murugan, forests to Thirumal, and plains to Indiran. Murugan is very important to many Tamils and is called the "God of the Tamils."

Tamils also respected mother goddesses and local protectors. They built special stones to honor heroes. Over time, they also followed Jainism and Buddhism. Later, Christianity and Islam became part of Tamil life.

Today, most Tamils practice Hinduism, and many worship Murugan. Tamil communities have built temples to keep their traditions alive. Some Tamils also have different ways of thinking, such as atheism or rationalism.

Notable people

Main article: List of Tamil people

Many well-known people are from the Tamil community. They have done great work in areas like arts, science, and sports. Their successes show the rich culture and long history of the Tamil people.