Dravidian literature

Written by

The Information Architects of Encyclopaedia Britannica

Last updated

June 25, 2026

Quick Summary

Dravidian literature refers to the body of writings in Dravidian languages, with Tamil being the oldest recorded. Tamil literature, dating back to the 3rd century BCE with inscriptions and the 1st century CE for literature proper, predates classical Sanskrit literature in India. Early Tamil poetry often focused on religion or epic themes, with notable secular works from the Sangam period.1

Key works include the twin epics Cilappatikaram and Manimekalai, and the Tirukkural, a collection of aphorisms on ethics, love, and governance. The 6th to 9th centuries saw the rise of bhakti poetry, celebrating personal devotion. While other Dravidian languages like Kannada, Telugu, and Malayalam also have literary traditions, they have been more significantly influenced by Sanskrit models compared to Tamil's classical heritage.12

Summary created from Britannica articles using AI. AI can make mistakes, so verify using Britannica articles.

4 Britannica Sources

Ask Britannica AI about this topic

Britannica doesn't have a full article on this topic, so we've curated a list of our relevant coverage.

South Asian arts
Dravidian literature: 1st–19th century
Of the four literary Dravidian languages, Tamil has been recorded earliest, followed by Kannada, Telugu, and Malayalam. Tamil literature has a classical tradition of its own, while the literatures of the other languages have been influenced by Sanskrit models.
Read More
Of the four literary Dravidian languages, Tamil has been recorded earliest, followed by Kannada, Telugu, and Malayalam. Tamil literature has a classical tradition of its own, while the literatures of the other languages have been influenced by Sanskrit models.
Read More

Hinduism
Vernacular literatures
Of the four primary Dravidian literatures—Tamil, Telugu, Kannada, and Malayalam—the oldest and best-known is Tamil. The earliest preserved Tamil literature, the so-called Sangam poetry anthologies, dates from the 1st century bce. These poems are classified by theme into akam (“interior,” primarily love poetry) and puram (“exterior,” primarily about war,…
Read More
Of the four primary Dravidian literatures—Tamil, Telugu, Kannada, and Malayalam—the oldest and best-known is Tamil. The earliest preserved Tamil literature, the so-called Sangam poetry anthologies, dates from the 1st century bce. These poems are classified by theme into akam (“interior,” primarily love poetry) and puram (“exterior,” primarily about war,…
Read More