Astronomical Thoughts of the Ancient Tamils

Abstract

Scientific information is abundantly found in the grammatical and literary works that originated two thousand years ago. It is possible to understand through these literary works that daily life events such as timekeeping and observing auspicious signs were based on the planets and stars in the sky and their movements. These constitute traditional science and serve as a driving force for today’s modern scientific discoveries. The 11th poem of Paripadal, composed by Nallanthuvanar, reveals the subtle knowledge of ancient Tamils regarding astronomy. Without Parimelazhagar’s commentary on this poem, understanding these aspects in the present day would be impossible.