சறபணறறபபடயல வணம / Charity in Sirupanatruppadai

Tamil is regarded as one of the primordial languages of the world. The Tamil people have fostered and preserved the linguistic heritage with a devotion surpassing even their own lives and establish its reputation on an international scale. Among the different disciplines, the literary arts stand as a pre-eminent achievement in Tamil culture. Tamil literature is instilled with philosophical insights intended to enhance the human experience. The Sangam literature encapsulates the cultural foundations of the Tamil region and has been categorised into the Pattupattu (Ten Idylls) and Ettuthokai (Eight Anthologies). Among the classical work Pattupattu, Sirupanatruppadai is a poem dedicated to celebrate the extraordinary philanthropy of a patron chieftain. The narrative focuses on a local chieftain named Nalliyakkodan and is structured as a guide wherein a poet directs another poet towards the king’s court by extolling his charitable nature. Such benevolent nature and philanthrophy ensured the lives of the poets and fostered the development of arts. The patronage of the chieftains was the primary means for the enrichment of Sangam literature. Their support encouraged literarture and spread the cultural values of Tamil society. Sirupanatruppadai illustrates the socio-cultural conditions that developed Tamil language, literature and its heritage. Hence, this research paper examines the generosity bestowed by the three monarchs and the seven legendary chieftains (Vallalgal) to the poets and the itinerant performers such Koothar, Porunar, Panar and Padini communities