Tamil Community Research Articles

High Characteristics of Classical Literature

Classical literature helps us to understand the ancient Tamil society. The ancient Tamil community was a society that followed high characteristics. Classical literature shows that when people follow high qualities in a society where they live together, it leads to equality, development and unity of society. The so-called characteristic sing-and-run step emphasizes the idea that the world should know the state of the world and adapt to it. The uniqueness of Tamils is due to the high qualities they followed. Classical literature also highlights the need to possess the highest qualities from the individual to the king. The purpose of this article is to examine the high qualities mentioned in classical literature such as Sangam literature and Thirukkural.

Sangam literature showing about Veera Mangaiyar

Since ancient times, the Tamil community has given great value to women. It is said that in the Vedic period men had equal rights with women and husband and wife had equal rights in religious and social duties. The position of women during the Sangam period, similar to the Vedic period, was highly admirable. Women were considered to be of the highest character to household duties. Chastity is with loving virtues patience, morality, maintaining the heart, hospitality, circumference, etc., are the characteristics of the wife. The women of the sangam age considered Nanam better than the best life of all, that innocent chastity was better than that Nanam, and that their husband was life for wives. Women have maintained a good place of Nanam and chastity. She considered it is duty to give birth to the people and to be heroic. The purpose of this article is to express the heroic feelings of women in sangam literature.

Avvai- An Epistemic Advantage

Tamil world always owe its tribute to Avvai for her scholarly contribution. Desire to do virtue is an iconic statement of this great personality who perceived to be an epistemic advantage. The purpose of this article is to examine her work as a children literary creator and to explore her cognitive success in terms of Educational Philosophy. Her literary contribution plays a major role in identifying the Tamil community as an epistemic community. The pattern of knowledge construction employed by Avvai enhances the individual to explore knowledge, to discover the ultimate truth and establishing virtue. This article is known for its analysis of the literary work and social dialogues chose to add Avvai’s commitment to establishing that education is a way to subdue the senses and achieve reality. This piece of research ignites a spark to future researcher to view Avvai as a social scientist rather than a Tamil scholar with reference to the normative principles established in her work.

The Hypertension among Women with Diabetes Mellitus Patients of Single Ethnicity within 10 Years of Treatment

Background and Aim: Hypertension is often prevalent among diabetes patients. However, the risk factors of hypertension are mostly affected by age, gender, and ethnicity, which are non-modifiable. Therefore, in the present study, we have analyzed the prevalence of hypertension and various risk factors associated with it among women with diabetes mellitus from Tamilian community. Methods: We conducted a cross-sectional survey of type 2 diabetes mellitus patients in our Institute hospital. We recruited female patients with Tamil origin of three generations. The case history and personal history and basal demographic parameters were noted down. Five ml of fasting blood was collected for routine analysis. Plasma was stored for estimation of osteoprotegerin (OPG) and insulin. Results: Hypertension was associated with family history of cardiovascular disease (CVD), abdominal obesity, dyslipidemia and higher rate pressure product. Conclusion: Diabetes women of Tamil community and with family history of CVD may benefit from weight loss, lifestyle modification and monitoring of blood pressure in early part of life.

MALĒCIYA TAMIḺ EḺUTTĀḶARKAḶ MATTIYIL, MIṈṈAL PAṆPALAI VĀṈOLI ILAKKIYA NĀṬAKAṄKAḶ EḺUTUVATIL TŌYVU: ŌR ĀYVU [A LACK OF TAMIL LITERARY DRAMA ON RADIO MINNALFM AMONG MALAYSIAN TAMIL WRITERS: A STUDY

The Tamil language is primarily comprised of three elements, namely poetry, music and drama. Dubbed the mother of art, the drama element has been through so much of developments over the years. Initially, it was in a street theatre form, which then found its way to stage play and eventually becoming an integral part in the Tamil literature, widely knows as drama in literature. Drama in literature is said to be very significant as it bears the identity of the Tamil community. However, the fate and future of radio drama (or also known as audio theatre) seem to be a question mark. Apparently, there seems to be only a handful who could pen scripts for this art form. Having that said, most writers these days choose only to write about the society, mainly focusing on love, friendship and domestic life. 85% of today’s works are based on social dramas and unfortunately, only 15% consists of radio drama. The lack of knowledge and understanding in epics or ancient literature amongst young writers as well as the scarcity ot such art works are being said to be the two main reasons for this upsetting scenario. In addition, audio theatre requires a special diction which sadly not known to many and as a matter or fact, there aren’t enough writers who could provide guidance on writing this genre. These are findings from a data analytic, which also concluded that Malaysian Tamil writers, not only lack interest and guidance, but also hesitate to come up with such scripts as they feel that it is outdated.

The political development in Sri Lanka after civil war ended: a critical review for after Zarb-e-Azb operation in Pakistan

The Sri Lankan civil war began in 1983 and lasted until 2009. The tension stems from Sri Lanka's colonial period and subsequent post-colonial policies that harmed the Tamil people. Without viable alternatives, a part of the Tamil population resorted to the degree of brutality that precipitated a second civil war. Regional, domestic, and global attempts to bring the war to a halt have been futile, though some more local measures have been active. A ruthless military campaign brought the conflict to an end. However, nothing has been done in the aftermath of the war to try to resolve the civil war, including its roots. Sri Lanka's civil war exemplifies the uncertain existence of civil war resolution. With this in mind, the war's conclusion was unquestionably the product of a strategic triumph. However, the civil war should have ended; a unique constellation of structural, state, and national forces collaborated to allow for unrestricted military aggression. As long as the dominant forces, including the United States and significant European countries, understood that enough bloodshed had happened, the country's aggression could be brought to a stop. China and India, with India abstaining, voted to support the Sri Lankan government in its major offensive against insurgents. Internationally, the newly restored government used the full might of the forces against the rebels. As a consequence, those variables are deemed unusable in other situations.
 Tamil-Sinhala rivalry stretches all the way back to Sri Lanka's colonial period. The Tamil community took advantage of numerous market opportunities under British rule, which lasted from 1815 to 1948. Additionally, many group members attended school in colonial countries owing to a shortage of educational facilities in their home countries. With the exception of a few, the Sinhalese culture, on the other side, maintained its isolation from the British. As could be anticipated, the proportion of Tamils employing in the civil service, academia, and law increased dramatically following Sri Lanka's independence in 1948. Historically, the Sinhalese population has been hesitant to accept pluralism, having collaborated with the British to effect a shift of domination since the 1930s. When Sri Lanka's compulsory adult franchise was expanded to all citizens in 1931, there were no arrangements for minority rights. Tamil and Muslim community members shared discontent in the inconsistency with which their desires are pursued. T was dissatisfied with current political developments, and a large number of Tamils boycotted the elections conducted in compliance with this document. Also immediate liberty was abolished in 1947 by the Soulbury Constitution. The argument that no individual should be discriminated against on the grounds of racial origin or faith, though, proved to be a procedural impediment. Finally, in effect, it established a unitary and majoritarian state.

Diaspora Komunitas Tamil di Sumatera Utara: Antara Menjadi India atau Indonesia

Cultural sustainability refers to inter-and intra-generation access to cultural heritage. The sustainability of non-material culture is complex because it is related to the experiences of cultural groups and is built by actors in their daily lives. Cultural sustainability is important for the diaspora community because it is an attempt to maintain their cultural identity in their communities while not completely losing contact with cultural elements in their ancestral lands. This paper discusses the strategies used by Muslim Tamils ​​in Medan, North Sumatra, The Muslim Tamils ​​in Indonesia use mainly informal strategies in the process of preserving culture. However, technological advances that have increased the ease of travel and communication have also enhanced the communication and closeness of these two communities with other Tamil communities around the world and have helped further the sustainability of art, language, culinary and religious practices. Muslim Tamils ​​in Medan are experiencing a crisis of identity as Tamils ​​because they are Muslim and many cultural identities conflict with Islamic teachings. Cross-ethnic marriage, assimilation with the non-Tamil community is strong enough to influence changes in cultural orientation, the identity that is still embedded in the Tamil Muslim community can only be found in weddings, culinary and some cultural adaptation practices. At the same time, as citizens of descent, they face the construction of a citizenship identity, becoming Tamils ​​who live in Indonesia or become Indonesians as ethnic Tamils.

The Ethics of Care in the No Fire Zone: Anuk Arudpragasam’s The Story of a Brief Marriage

The ethics of care is a central element in the novel The Story of a Brief Marriage (2016), written by Anuk Arudpragasam in response to the slaughter which the Tamil community suffered in the final months of the Sri Lankan civil war in 2009. This article discusses the novel from this theoretical perspective, positing that care is played out as a strategy to enhance the jeopardised human condition of those involved. The narrative bears witness to the intense suffering of this community at a time when the situation was deadly for civilians, who were confined in the so-called “No Fire Zone.” Paradoxically, this area was systematically shelled, its conditions responding to what Achille Mbembe has described as necropolitics. In the midst of this horror, however, Arudpragasam’s novel finds a deeply moving ethics of care in people’s attitudes to one another, which signals a desperate attempt to keep the bereaved community together or at least maintain an essential sense of humanness. Care is also identified as intentio autoris since the novel becomes a powerful reminder of the huge toll of human lives and the immense pain that occurred in this dark episode, as well as the failure—or lack of interest—of the international community to intervene in order to save thousands of innocent lives.

Women, Civil War and Struggle for Survival: A Study of Tamil Women in Ampara District of Sri Lanka

Even though the civil war in Sri Lanka officially ended in 2009, the hardship created by war is long-lasting and will take years to reconcile. This research is about the impact of war politics on women of Tamil community in the Ampara district of Sri Lanka during the period of armed conflict. The findings of this study reveal that the girls of the Tamil community were forcefully recruited to join the Tamil militant groups. Hence, parents found the only way to rescue their children and to assure their existence was to arrange teenage marriages. Most of those marriages were not legally registered. This paved the way for the male partners to abandon their spouses, often with children. The women whose children were forcefully recruited to militant forces and whose life was lost in the battle filed were given the dignity of ‘Veera Thai’ (Heroine Mother) with an allowance as gratitude for bearing such a war hero. However, it was revealed the title itself had resulted in many types of hardships. The government also deliberately denied any public assistance to those families. The study has found that the women in the numerically weakest groups during war time, irrespective of age difference, had undergone many and varied hardship. The study further has identified that the hardship experienced by these women continued even in the post-civil war context. Therefore, the study urges that these types of hardship faced by women in the post-war context need to be handled with political sensitivity to the equity and justice for women.

Status of Home Head woman from a sociological point of view

The sweetness of domestic life begins with the labor of mankind. The connection and happiness of the human relationship is due to the combination of the two hearts. The Ancient Tamil community has observed that although sexual desire is a fundamental characteristic of living organisms, morality, honesty and high character should be practiced in them. This article focuses on the sociological interpretation of the immoral attacks of the leader in tamil poems created by promoting morality, the physiological lying characteristics of the leader and the psychological implications they create.

Female Language in Malati maitri’s Sankaraparani

Morgan found that the adi from of the clans formed on the basis of maternal rights, from which the clans based on paternal rights later developed. In this way we understand that the castes we see among the people who are tired of the ancient Social civilization are based on paternal rights and before that there were Social clans with maternal rights. As important as Darwin’s theory of evolution way in biology and how important Marx’s Philosophy of surplus value was in the field of Political, Economy, so important is the discovery that there was a Primitive maternal right that preceded patriarchy in civilized populations. The Social system that forgot this historical background enslaved the woman. set her aside from production. She was stripped of her rights and made to kneel before the man the began to paint her limbs. Myths about women and literary evidence in written form spilled out of masculine thought. Thus, the women become the most physically vulnerable in the attack on the country. In his poems, he shows the way in which the Tamil community considers activities that are considered sacred and pure. Malati Maitri writes about Social liberation, questioning the sacred practices of sacrifice, family morality, domesticity, motherhood and affection.

The theory of Theosophical Structure of Ilango Adigal

The gods worshipped by the three kings of The Ilango Adigal period and the deities worshipped by various tribes and the rituals performed by them without any discrimination. Kannagi worship is an expression of the attempt to build or advance a common deity in the Tamil community, which is based on different theories and principles of Jainism, Buddhist and Vaideekam religions. The purpose of this article is to bring out the theory of the divine theory that the Ilango Adigal are trying to build from the beginning to the end of the Silappadikaram. The purpose of this article is to express the theory of the sculpture spearheaded by the Ilango Adigal by attempting to build kannagi as the deity of the entire Tamil Nadu, which is the alternative to Jainism, Buddhist and Vaideekam religions, but also created kannagi as an epic in tamil land (Worshipping Kannagi in Tamil Nadu as Mari worship in Tamil Nadu, Bhagwati worship in Kerala and Kannagai).

Sole Representatives in War and Peace: The Case of Sri Lanka’s Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam

ABSTRACT This paper examines the hitherto unexplored subject of nonstate rebels seeking the status of sole representatives. Why do nonstate armed groups seek the status of sole representatives?, What strategies do they employ to achieve the status of sole representatives?, Is the status merely symbolic, or does it fetch tangible benefits? These research questions are explored by treating Sri Lanka’s LTTE as a case study. Primary and secondary data formed the basis of the analysis. The LTTE used three strategies to achieve a hegemonic disposition within the Tamil community. They are: (1) elimination of rival groups, (2) incorporation of some groups, and (3) battlefield efficacy. The rebels used the claim of sole representation to ensure bilateral talks with the government, get the ban on it lifted, and control the proposed interim administrative structure. The strategy worked to a certain extent, but at least partially contributed to its downfall in 2009.

Literary Application for the Cultural Heritage

This article explores the mechanism by which the literary endeavours of the numerically small communities in Eastern Sri Lanka operate as the cultural heritage of those communities. Cultural heritage refers to the behaviours, activities, materials, and traditions maintained to identify the identity and continuity of a community or race. In an environment where cultural oppression is being shaped as a political practice, it is felt necessary for a society to retain its lifestyle and identity rights. It is both essential and at the same time challenging for a small community to learn its cultural traditions in a multicultural environment. The majority culture is being generalized and the cultures of minority communities are being transformed and disappeared. In this situation, a community has to keep its heritage domains in practice to sustain its existence. Language and its art - literature, are paramount in these domains. This is because the identity and organization of a community are primarily based on the language of that community. The numerically small communities of Eastern Sri Lanka, such as the Vedar, Kuravar, Burgher and Kaffir communities, have distinctive language practices and literary works. However, in the context of the majority of Sinhala and Tamil communities of Sri Lanka, the learning of a small community remains in crisis. In this case, the article outlines how the literature of these communities is used as part of maintaining these identities. This article also highlights the use of cultural legacy for the existence of such communities.

Arab and Muslim Settlements in Sri Lanka from Pre-Islamic Periods to 16th Century A.D.

The subject matter of origin, genesis and history of Sri Lankan Muslim community has been debated by many Sinhalese and Tamil historians. Yet, little has been written by Muslim academics about their history, traditions, and customs. Muslim historical literature on the history of Sri Lankan Muslim community is meagre. It is often claimed that the Sri Lankan Muslim community has no chronicle of their own. They are people without a historical tradition. Sinhalese and Tamil communities have their historical and religious chronicles to trace their historical genesis in Sri Lanka and yet, it is claimed that the Sri Lankan Muslim community has no historical record or chronicle of their own to trace their roots in Sri Lanka. Yet, there are so many archaeological and historical documental evidence to confirm that the Arab traders settled in Sri Lanka from pre-Islamic period. Moreover, the Arab and Muslim settlements increased in Sri Lanka with the rise of Islam in the Arabian Peninsula. Why do we need to learn about the origin and history of the Muslims in Sri Lanka today? It is very much important to do this at this time of geopolitical and regional conflict. Rohingya Muslims in Rakkan of Myanmar have been recently chased out. They have been living in that region for hundreds of years and yet, they have been chased out based on some false claims. Even though they have been living for hundreds of years, they have been now chased out of their own homes, claiming that they are migrants from Bangladesh.

Hybridity and Ethnic Invisibility of the “Chitty” Heritage Community of Melaka

Migration has produced many ethnic minority communities worldwide owing to sea-borne trade, religious evangelicalism, and colonialism. For centuries, these communities have existed alongside other cultures, creating multiethnic societies. However, changes in political, economic, and sociocultural conditions have caused these communities, typically with varying degrees of social alignment and sociocultural adaptation, to re-strategize their inter-ethnic interactions. One such minority community is the “Chitty” of Melaka, a distinct Tamil community that migrated to Melaka, a coastal port city that has flourished in trade and commerce since the late 14th century. This paper investigates the historiography, its hybridity and adaptation, and the concerns of ethnic invisibility faced by this community throughout its 700-year history. Through historical analysis and ethnographic observations, the study finds that the Chitty community has contributed significantly to the sociocultural, economic, and political fabrics of Melaka in different periods of history. Secondly, the Chitty’s hybridity nature enabled them greater dexterity to socioculturally adapt to the changing surroundings and dynamics in Melaka for the last seven centuries. Thirdly, the study finds that due to their marginality in numbers and the mass arrival of new Indian migrants, the ethnic visibility of the Chitty has diminished in the new Malaysian demographic.

A COMPARISON OF MALAY AND TAMIL TRADITIONS SHADOW-PLAY

The main objective of this study is to identify the similarities and differences between Malay and Tamil tradition of shadow-play. The design of this study is qualitative in nature using descriptive analysis methods based on Comparative literature theory. The researcher had collected and studied the similarities and differences in the Malay and Tamil tradition shadow-play. The findings of the study show that Malay and Tamil tradition of shadow-play have significant similarities in terms of story and form of puppets as the shadow-play in Malaysia have Hindu influences from Java or Pattani. However, many Malay shadow-plays have also been adapted and adopted to the culture and tastes of the local community, especially with the comic relief, that is often found throughout the Malay tradition of the shadow-play, as a local element. This comparative study will further strengthen the links between the Malay and Tamil communities that have co-existed for generations. The research claims to be the first such attempt to do a comparative study in finding the similarities and differences between Malay and Tamil tradition of shadow-play.

The Position of Women in the Military: Ethnic Tamil Female Combatants in the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE)

This paper discusses various factors behind the ethnic Tamil women who decided to join the terrorist militia group, Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE), in the northern and southeastern parts of Sri Lanka. In this discussion it is known that there are three factors that affect the decision of Tamil women ​​to join the LTTE, namely: first, the existence of the Tamil community as an ethnic minority. Second, the occurrence of mass sexual violence and abuse among Tamil women, perpetuated by the Sri Lanka’s majority ethnic group. Finally, the decision of Tamil women to join LTTE is due to the pressure that structurally and culturally appears in communities in conflictual areas. Through these three factors, Tamil women ​​then chose to leave their comfort zone and reconstructed their identity by joining the LTTE terrorist militia group. In this case, the involvement of female LTTE combatants in Sri Lanka is not only an attempt to eradicate negative views regarding femininity through military activities, but also a symbol of successful self-liberalization from the practice of gender oppression in conflict situations

Prevalence and aetiology of anaemia in pregnant women attending a tertiary care unit in sri lanka, and its effect on the mother and newborn

Introduction: Anaemia is a major complication during pregnancy and is a contemporary problem in the South Asian region. Objectives: To identify the prevalence, and aetiology of anaemia in pregnancy, and determine its effects on maternal and neonatal outcome. Methodology: This is a cross sectional study. 382 pregnant women were recruited from the antenatal clinic and the maternal wards of the Teaching Hospital Peradeniya, Sri Lanka from May 2017 to December 2017 in their first trimester and followed up until delivery to assess the maternal and neonatal outcome. Anthropometric measurements and blood investigations were done in 157 and 146 women in second and third trimesters respectively. Results: 382 pregnant women were recruited at the booking visit. Among them 79 (20.7%) were anaemic in the first trimester, 43 (27.38%) in the second trimester and 42 (28.76%) in the third. A high prevalence of anaemia was seen in the Tamil community (34.78%) and women with a monthly income less than Rs.10,000. The prevalence of anaemia decreased in women who frequently consumed eggs and green leaves (P Conclusion: A high prevalence of anaemia is observed among the Tamil ethnic group and women with low monthly income. There was no association between anaemia in pregnancy and the maternal and neonatal outcome. Consumption of eggs and green leaves can minimize anaemia.

Mother as Witness: Poetry by Tamil Women in Sri Lanka

In the three decade long civil war between the LTTE and the Sri Lankan government terrible atrocities were committed on the minority Tamil community by both the parties involved. This period of Tamil nationalism saw constructions of Tamil nation which were grounded on the construction of an ideal “Tamil Woman.” The period also witnessed a variety of cultural responses, including those by women poets. This paper broadly tries to elucidate how poetry was used to act as a witness to the experiences of the Tamil women during the Sri Lankan Civil War and how they responded to the Tamil nation making process. This paper will argue that the witnessing of war is “gendered” as can be evidenced in the critical reading of poetry written by Tamil women in Sri Lanka. Specifically the paper will look at how the figure of the mother has been used in this gendered witnessing. Different kinds of motherhoods were mobilized in Sri Lanka through the course of the war, namely the valiant mother who encourages her children to die for the country, the suffering mother and the mother who resists power for the sake of her children. One of the key constructs of women in Tamil nationalism in Sri Lanka was of the figure of the “Veerathayar” – the brave mother, who is the reproducer of the nation. In the context of a war fought over competing nationalisms, the figure of Veerathayar was constructed through reimaginations of the mythic characters from the old legends and classics. A much more radical positioning of the mother figure was seen in the 1980s with the construct of “social motherhood.” Even though social motherhood appealed to the naturalized and essentialized construction of women as mothers, it also revealed the transgressions of the Sri Lankan State and the LTTE which otherwise valorized the nurturance role of mothers. Set against this context, the paper will examine how the figure of the “mother” has been used by Tamil women in their poetry to write their experience of the conflict. This is done through a critical reading of their poetry by giving attention to the ways through which they have used the construct of mother to subvert the dominant notions of being an ideal “Tamil Woman” as perpetuated by Tamil nationalism.