SOURCE: THE HINDU
A SHORT NOTE BEFORE THE READ
A peek into Sangam literature with Patthupattu has been possible with the Tamil Nadu Text Book and Education Services Corporation.
Patthuppathu, a collection of ten idylls also recalls the arduous journey undertaken by Swaminatha Iyer in search of manuscripts etched in palm leaf.
Swaminatha Iyer’s pursuit of manuscripts was often discouraged for being outdated thereby casting doubt in pulling out a favourable audience. But these apprehensions were proved wrong when texts from Sangam literature saw back-to-back editions. It put into focus the ancientness and the literary tradition of Tamil language which was pivotal in obtaining the Classical Language status.
The edition is even said to be a boon for students preparing for the civil services as Tamil Literature optional.
Sangam literature for the layman
Patthupattu, a set of ten idylls, with commentaries by scholars was launched recently
The publication of Patthuppattu, a collection of ten idylls, one of the earliest Sangam poetry collections, has been brought out by the Tamil Nadu Text Book and Education Services Corporation. With commentaries accessible even to a lay man, it harks back to the tireless journey made by the grand old man of Tamil, U.Ve. Swaminatha Iyer, in search of palm leaf manuscripts containing the ancient literary works.
En Charithiram (The Story of My Life), the autobiography of Swaminatha Iyer, gives a detailed account of his journey across Tamil Nadu, visiting the houses of Tamil scholars in Tirunelveli, Srivaikuntam, Alwarthirunagari and many other places to get a complete copy of Patthuppattu. An idyll is a short poem descriptive of some picturesque scene or incident, mainly associated with pastoral life. The poems are by various authors.
“The tears in my eyes prevented me from seeing clearly. I asked Kavirayar to look at the palm leaves one by one. The whole Patthuppattu was there, all ten poems, in due order, with their commentaries. It was a very old manuscript. I was filled with joy and great enthusiasm,” writes Swaminatha Iyer in his memoir about getting the copies in Vannarapettai in Tirunelveli.
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