Kapilar
Topic: Sangam Age and Early South India · NCERT: Beyond NCERT
Meaning
Kapilar was one of the most famous Sangam poets. He wrote more poems than almost any other poet of the Sangam age (c. 300 BCE – 300 CE). He was known above all for kurinji poems. Kurinji is the hill landscape, and in Sangam poetry it stands for the lovers' first meeting. His poems are spread across several Sangam anthologies. They show how poets lived close to chiefs, who supported them.
Example
Kapilar wrote the Kurinjipattu, one of the Pattuppattu (the "Ten Idylls", or ten long poems). He was a close friend of Pari, the generous Velir chieftain of the Parambu hills. After Pari died, Kapilar is said to have looked after Pari's daughters.
Don't confuse with
- Kapila: the sage linked with the Sankhya school of Indian philosophy. He has nothing to do with the Tamil poet Kapilar.
Related concepts
- Tamilakam
- Sangam age
- Sangam literature
- Tamil Sangams
- Akam and puram
- Tinai
- Ettuthokai
- Akananuru
- Purananuru
- Pattuppattu