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The Tamils ( /ˈtæmɪlz, ˈtɑː-/ TAM-ilz, TAHM-), also known as the Tamilar, are a Dravidian ethnolinguistic group who natively speak the Tamil language and trace their ancestry mainly to India's southern state of Tamil Nadu, to the union territory of Puducherry, and to Sri Lanka. The Tamil language is one of the world's longest-surviving classical languages, with over 2000 years of Tamil literature, including the Sangam poems, which were composed between 300 BCE and 300 CE.

Tamils constitute 5.9% of the population in India (concentrated mainly in Tamil Nadu and Puducherry), 15% in Sri Lanka (excluding Eelam Moors), 7% in Malaysia, and 5% in Singapore.

From the 4th century BCE, urbanisation and mercantile activity along the western and eastern coasts of Tamilakam -- what is today Kerala and Tamil Nadu -- led to the development of four large Tamil empires, the Cheras, Cholas, Pandyas, Pallavas, and velirs and a number of smaller states, all of whom were warring amongst themselves for dominance. The Jaffna Kingdom, and vanni chieftaincies inhabited by Eelam Tamils, was once one of the strongest kingdoms of Sri Lanka and controlled much of the north of the island. ( Full article...)

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Anbe Sivam ( transl. Love Is God) is a 2003 Indian Tamil-language slice-of-life drama film directed by Sundar C. and produced by K. Muralitharan, V. Swaminathan and G. Venugopal under the banner of Lakshmi Movie Makers. The film was written by Kamal Haasan, and Madhan provided the dialogues. Anbe Sivam stars Haasan, Madhavan and Kiran Rathod, with Nassar, Santhana Bharathi, Seema and Uma Riyaz Khan playing supporting characters. The film tells the story of Nallasivam and Anbarasu, two men of contrasting personalities who undertake an unexpected journey from Bhubaneswar to Chennai.

Produced on a budget of ₹120 million, Anbe Sivam takes on themes such as communism, atheism, and altruism and depicts Haasan's humanist views. The music was composed by Vidyasagar. Arthur A. Wilson served as the cinematographer and M. Prabhaharan served as the art director. ( Full article...)

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General images

Image 1 Batu Caves temple built by Tamil Malaysians in c. 1880s. (from Tamils)
Image 2The Brihadeshswar Temple at Thanjavur, also known as the Great Temple, built by Rajaraja Chola I (from Tamils)
Image 3 Map of ancient oceanic trade, and ports of Tamilakam (from Tamils)
Image 4Sri Kamakshi Ambaal temple in Hamm, Germany (from Tamil diaspora)
Image 5One of the most popular overseas branches of Chennai-based Saravanaa Bhavan, the world's largest Indian vegetarian restaurant chain, is located in Edison, New Jersey, U.S. (from Tamil diaspora)
Image 6Distribution of Tamil speakers in South India and Sri Lanka (1981). (from Tamils)
Image 7The Tamil Chola Empire at its height, 1030 CE (from Tamils)
Image 8The Om symbol in Tamil script (from Tamils)
Image 9Grey pottery with engravings, Arikamedu, 1st century CE (from Tamils)
Image 10The Mahishasuramardhini cave bas relief at Mahabalipuram from 7th century CE (from Tamils)
Image 11 Souttoukeny jewelry, 2nd century BCE, Tamil Nadu (from Tamils)
Image 12The New York City Metropolitan Area, including Central New Jersey, as well as Long Island and Staten Island in New York, is home to the largest Tamil American population. (from Tamil diaspora)
Image 13Tamiḻakam during Sangam Period (from Tamils)
Image 14Two Tamil girls who follow Vaishnavaite Hinduism (from Tamils)
Image 15 Basilica of Our Lady of Good Health in Velankanni, Tamil Nadu (from Tamils)
Image 16The hall in front of Ranganayaki's shrine, Srirangam, where Kambar is said to have recited his works on Kamba Ramayanam (from Tamils)
Image 17 Katar, Tamil dagger which was popular throughout South Asia (from Tamils)
Image 18 Aiyanar, guardian folk deity of Tamil Nadu (from Tamils)
Image 19Celebrations of Murugan by the Sri Lankan Tamil community in Paris, France (from Tamil diaspora)
Image 20A Malbar temple in Réunion. (from Tamil diaspora)
Image 21Tamil girls dressed in traditional attire, ca. 1870, Tamil Nadu, India. (from Tamils)
Image 22Meenakshi Amman temple, dedicated to Goddess Meenakshi, tutelary deity of Madurai city (from Tamils)
Image 23 Sri Kandaswamy Temple, Brickfields, Malaysia. (from Tamil diaspora)
Image 24Erwadi durgah in Ramanathapuram district is a major pilgrimage shrine of the Tamil Muslims. (from Tamils)
Image 25Tamil people in Medan, Indonesia (from Tamil diaspora)
Image 26A 400 years old hero stone in Salem depicting the bull-taming sport Jallikattu. (from Tamils)
Image 27A Megalithic burial jar from north-western Sri Lanka, 5th-2nd century BCE, similar to South Indian and Deccan jars of the time. (from Tamils)
Image 28 Virampatnam jewelry from funerary burial, 2nd century BCE, Tamil Nadu (from Tamils)
Image 29 Bharatanatyam dancers (from Tamils)
Image 30The golden Vimana over the sanctum at Srirangam midst its gopurams, its gable with Paravasudeva image. (from Tamils)
Image 31Tamil woman in traditional attire, c. 1880, Sri Lanka. (from Tamils)
Image 32Megalithic sarcophagus burial from Tamil Nadu (from Tamils)
Image 33Sage Agathiyar, one of the contributors of Old Tamil literature. (from Tamils)
Image 34Krishna with his consorts Rukmini and Satyabhama and his mount Garuda, Tamil Nadu, India, late 12th-13th century (from Tamils)
Image 35Murugan Temple, Sydney (from Tamil diaspora)
Image 36Tamil girls in Malaysia (from Tamil diaspora)
Image 37Expatriate Sri Lankan Tamil children in traditional clothes in Toronto, Ontario, Canada (from Tamil diaspora)

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An artist's representation of Ilango Adigal

Ilango Adigal ( Tamil: இளங்கோவடிகள், Malayalam: ഇളങ്കോവടികൾ, romanized: Iḷaṅkōvaṭikaḷ) was a monk and a poet, sometimes identified as a Chera prince. He is traditionally credited as the author of Cilappatikaram, one of the Five Great Epics of Ancient Tamil literature. He is one of the greatest poets from Cheranadu (now Kerala). In a patikam (prologue) to the epic poem, he identifies himself as the brother of a famous Chera king Ceṅkuṭṭuvan ( Senguttuvan). This Chera king, as stated by Elizabeth Rosen, ruled over his kingdom in late 2nd or early 3rd century CE. However, this is doubtful because a Sangam poem in Patiṟṟuppattu – the fifth ten – provides a biography of Ceṅkuṭṭuvan, his family and rule, but never mentions that he had a brother who became an ascetic or wrote one of the most cherished epics. This has led scholars to conclude that the legendary author Ilango Adikal myth was likely inserted later into the epic. In a 1968 note, Kamil Zvelebil suggested that, "this [Adigal claim] may be a bit of poetic fantasy, practised perhaps by a later member of the Chera Dynasty [5th or 6th century] recalling earlier events [2nd or 3rd century]". ( Full article...)

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Tamil People

Tamil People Countrywide: India • Sri Lanka • Canada • Malaysia • Singapore • South Africa • England

Related Ethnic Groups: Brahui • Gond • Kannadiga • Khonds • Kodava • Oraon • Malayali • Telugus • Tuluvas

Related indigenous Groups: Badagas • Toda • Kuruba

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