Ilanko Atikal
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Ilanko Atikal was a Tamil prince and writer credited with composing the Silappathikaram (also known as Chilappatikaram), considered the earliest epic poem in Tamil literature. This epic, written in the 5th–6th century CE, tells the tragic story of Kovalan, a merchant whose marriage to the virtuous Kannaki is disrupted by his love for a courtesan, Matavi.12
Kovalan is unjustly executed in Maturai after being framed for theft by a goldsmith. Kannaki, seeking to prove his innocence, confronts the king and, in her grief and rage, tears off a breast, causing the city to burn. The epic concludes with Kannaki being deified as a goddess of chastity. The Silappathikaram is a rich tapestry of Tamil culture, blending ancient Tamil poetic traditions with Sanskrit rhetoric, and offering insights into religion, social life, and the arts of dance and music.12
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- South Asian artsEpics
The Cilappatikāram, by Iḷaṅkō Aṭikaḷ, is in three books, set in the capitals of the three Tamil kingdoms: Pukār (the Cōḻa capital), Maturai (i.e., Madurai, the Pāṇṭiya [Pāṇḍya] capital), and Vañci (the Cēra capital). The story is not about kings but about Kōvalaṉ, a young Pukār merchant, telling…
Read MoreThe Cilappatikāram, by Iḷaṅkō Aṭikaḷ, is in three books, set in the capitals of the three Tamil kingdoms: Pukār (the Cōḻa capital), Maturai (i.e., Madurai, the Pāṇṭiya [Pāṇḍya] capital), and Vañci (the Cēra capital). The story is not about kings but about Kōvalaṉ, a young Pukār merchant, telling…
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…attributed to the Jain prince Ilanko Atikal, in three books, set in the capitals of the three Tamil kingdoms—Pukar (the Chola capital), Maturai (i.e., Madurai, the Pantiya [Pandya] capital), and Vanchi (the Chera capital). It dates to the age of the Pallavas (c. 300–900 ce).
Read More…attributed to the Jain prince Ilanko Atikal, in three books, set in the capitals of the three Tamil kingdoms—Pukar (the Chola capital), Maturai (i.e., Madurai, the Pantiya [Pandya] capital), and Vanchi (the Chera capital). It dates to the age of the Pallavas (c. 300–900 ce).
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