Tamilakam

Tamilakam refers to the historical region of southern India inhabited by the Tamil people. This region was historically dominated by three major kingdoms: the Chera, Chola, and Pandya dynasties. These kingdoms engaged in trade with distant lands, including the Greeks and Romans, as evidenced by ancient literature and archaeology.123

The Tamil people have a rich literary tradition dating back to the early Christian era, with Tamil being one of the oldest cultivated Dravidian languages. The region was a center for Hinduism, with important schools of devotion and literature. Buddhism and Jainism also had a significant presence.3

Tamilakam was later integrated into the Vijayanagar empire in the 14th century, and subsequently came under British rule. The modern state of Tamil Nadu is the successor to this historical region, preserving its distinct language and culture.42