Interpretative Study of Mullaipattu

முல்லைப்பாட்டின் எடுத்துரைப்பியல்

Abstract

Sangam literature is the distinctive identity of Tamil culture. It is based on the thinai literary tradition defined by Tholkappiyar. The essence of the Akam (interior) tradition in Sangam literature lies in connecting the external landscape (nilam) with the temporal aspect (kaalam), and in turn linking both with human emotions. The five landscapes — Kurunji, Mullai, Marutham, Neithal, and Paalai (mountain, forest, field, seashore, and arid land) — along with the corresponding seasonal backgrounds such as Koodhir (cold), Kaar (rainy), and Veynil (summer), form the contextual framework in which human feelings are expressed. This unique integration of landscape, time, and emotion has no parallel in world literature. Classical Tamil literature is a rich body of works that not only inherited the traditional literary conventions but also assimilated their underlying philosophical and aesthetic principles. Tholkappiyam serves as the foundational text that discusses the refined literary traditions of Tamil. Sangam works, which were composed and compiled based on these traditions, stand as literary masterpieces of great depth and sophistication. The thinai literary tradition is deeply rooted in nature, emphasizing the natural world as the basis for human experience and artistic expression.