Akam (Tamil: அகம், akam) is one of two genres of Classical Tamil poetry that concerns with the subject of love, the other (puṟam) concerns the subject of war. It can also be translated as love and heroism. It is further subdivided into the five thinai. The type of love was divided into seven ranging from unrequited love to mismatched love.
Initially an oral tradition, 400 early Akam dating to the 1st century BCE to 2nd century CE were first compiled in the third century into an anthology known as Akananuru.[1] Each poem was in aciriyam meter consisting of 13 to 31 lines.[1] Some of the poems were contemporary for the time, and historians have suggested the poems were written as a means of preserving the tradition in the face of rising literacy among the elite,[1] and the simultaneous decline of power among tribal leaders.[2]
As power shifted away from Jain and Buddhist chieftains to Hindu ones, poems began to be contextualized and appropriated, including Akam poetry, which increasingly included the names of Hindu gods and even began to cast Buddhist and Jain saints negatively, or included commentaries that recontextualized their presence.[1]
Themesedit
Natural worldedit
Akam poetry typically explains the background of the lovers' story around three concepts: time and place (mudal), natural setting (karu) and their actions (uri). The poems often rely on these natural settings as metaphors for the lovers' actions, blending seasonal changes, the external natural features, and interior states.[3] The concept of place and emotion were also connected, with poets drawing on a set of symbols from a specific regions' "gods, food, fauna, flora, music" and other local landmarks or symbols of the region.[3][4] Murali has suggested that this is can be interpreted as an early poetic for the "ecosystem" concept.[3]
Landscape
தினை
Concept
kuṟiñci
குறிஞ்சி
Sexual union
Mullai
முல்லை
Yearning
marutam
மருதம்
Sulking
neital
நெய்தல்
Pining
pālai
பாலை
Separation
The playmateedit
As poems concerning courtship, they often relied on an intermediary figure, "the playmate," to cultivate the relationship or serve as an early go-between amongst the woman and her suitor. Often a maid or servant of the love interest, the playmate's role grants her greater freedom of movement, which she uses to arrange trysts between lovers and to advance their relationship toward marriage.[5]
^ abcdRajesh, V (2006). "The making of the ancient Tamil literary canon". Proceedings of the Indian History Congress. 67: 154. JSTOR 44147932.
^Subbiah, G. (1983). "King, Kingship and King-poets in early Tamilakam". Proceedings of the Indian History Congress. 44: 86–100. JSTOR 44139825.
^ abcMurali, S. (1998). "Environmental Aesthetics Interpretation of Nature in "Akam" and "Puram" Poetry". Indian Literature. 42 (3 (185)): 155–162. JSTOR 23338503.
^Nayagam, Thani; S., Xavier (1966). Landscape and Poetry: A Study of Nature in Classical Tamil Poetry (2nd ed.). Bombay:Asia. p. 86.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: location missing publisher (link)
^Chellappan, K.; Prabakaran, M.S. (1980). "The 'Playmate' in Tamil Akam Poetry". Indian Literature. 23 (5): 76–85. JSTOR 23339419.
Further readingedit
Ilakkuvanar, S. (1963), Tolkappiyam in English with Critical Studies, Madurai: Kural Neri Publishing
akam, poetry, akam, tamil, அகம, akam, genres, classical, tamil, poetry, that, concerns, with, subject, love, other, puṟam, concerns, subject, also, translated, love, heroism, further, subdivided, into, five, thinai, type, love, divided, into, seven, ranging, f. Akam Tamil அகம akam is one of two genres of Classical Tamil poetry that concerns with the subject of love the other puṟam concerns the subject of war It can also be translated as love and heroism It is further subdivided into the five thinai The type of love was divided into seven ranging from unrequited love to mismatched love Contents 1 History 2 Themes 2 1 Natural world 2 2 The playmate 3 See also 4 References 5 Further reading 6 ReferencesHistory editInitially an oral tradition 400 early Akam dating to the 1st century BCE to 2nd century CE were first compiled in the third century into an anthology known as Akananuru 1 Each poem was in aciriyam meter consisting of 13 to 31 lines 1 Some of the poems were contemporary for the time and historians have suggested the poems were written as a means of preserving the tradition in the face of rising literacy among the elite 1 and the simultaneous decline of power among tribal leaders 2 As power shifted away from Jain and Buddhist chieftains to Hindu ones poems began to be contextualized and appropriated including Akam poetry which increasingly included the names of Hindu gods and even began to cast Buddhist and Jain saints negatively or included commentaries that recontextualized their presence 1 Themes editNatural world edit Akam poetry typically explains the background of the lovers story around three concepts time and place mudal natural setting karu and their actions uri The poems often rely on these natural settings as metaphors for the lovers actions blending seasonal changes the external natural features and interior states 3 The concept of place and emotion were also connected with poets drawing on a set of symbols from a specific regions gods food fauna flora music and other local landmarks or symbols of the region 3 4 Murali has suggested that this is can be interpreted as an early poetic for the ecosystem concept 3 Landscape த ன Conceptkuṟinci க ற ஞ ச Sexual unionMullai ம ல ல Yearningmarutam மர தம Sulkingneital ந ய தல Piningpalai ப ல SeparationThe playmate edit As poems concerning courtship they often relied on an intermediary figure the playmate to cultivate the relationship or serve as an early go between amongst the woman and her suitor Often a maid or servant of the love interest the playmate s role grants her greater freedom of movement which she uses to arrange trysts between lovers and to advance their relationship toward marriage 5 See also editSangam Literature SangamReferences edit a b c d Rajesh V 2006 The making of the ancient Tamil literary canon Proceedings of the Indian History Congress 67 154 JSTOR 44147932 Subbiah G 1983 King Kingship and King poets in early Tamilakam Proceedings of the Indian History Congress 44 86 100 JSTOR 44139825 a b c Murali S 1998 Environmental Aesthetics Interpretation of Nature in Akam and Puram Poetry Indian Literature 42 3 185 155 162 JSTOR 23338503 Nayagam Thani S Xavier 1966 Landscape and Poetry A Study of Nature in Classical Tamil Poetry 2nd ed Bombay Asia p 86 a href Template Cite book html title Template Cite book cite book a CS1 maint location missing publisher link Chellappan K Prabakaran M S 1980 The Playmate in Tamil Akam Poetry Indian Literature 23 5 76 85 JSTOR 23339419 Further reading editIlakkuvanar S 1963 Tolkappiyam in English with Critical Studies Madurai Kural Neri Publishing Zvelebil Kamil 1973b The Smile of Murugan On Tamil Literature of South India Leiden E J Brill ISBN 90 04 03591 5 Zvelebil Kamil 1974 Tamil literature Volume 10 Part 1 Leiden Otto Harrassowitz Verlag ISBN 978 3 447 01582 0References edit Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Akam poetry amp oldid 1148249987, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
