In Tamil Nadu, finger millet is called “Kurakkan.”(குரக்கன்) or “Keraikadan” (கேரிகடன்) It’s not just a healthy grain there. It’s really important in Tamil culture, used a lot in farming, cooking, and even in religious ceremonies.
There’s evidence that people in Tamil Nadu have been growing finger millet for more than 3,000 years. We know this from old things they’ve found and from old Tamil poems. Tamil farmers have always been careful to grow finger millet in a way that’s good for the environment, using rainwater and keeping the soil healthy. This shows how much they value and understand this tough plant.
Finger millet is used in lots of tasty dishes in Tamil cooking. During festivals, people love to eat “Kodo Millet Pongal,” which is full of flavor. And there’s “Kuttu Kanji,” a comforting porridge that’s good for you. Finger millet can be used in many different Tamil curries too, because it goes well with spicy and tangy flavors.
In Tamil Nadu, finger millet isn’t just about eating—it’s also important spiritually. People often give finger millet dishes as offerings at temples and festivals like Pongal. This shows how much the grain means to Tamil communities, representing things like having enough to eat, doing well, and being thankful.
Lately, more people are getting interested in growing and eating finger millet in Tamil Nadu. They want to make sure everyone has enough to eat, help farmers earn more money, and keep the region’s special culture alive. Finger millet is really good for you, and it can grow in tough places, so it could help not only Tamil Nadu but also people everywhere.
References: Exploring Millet in Tamil Cuisine: Nutrition, History, & Culinary Guide [B&B Organics]: This website provides a detailed analysis of finger millet’s role in Tamil history and agriculture. Tamil Curry and Millet Grains: A Culinary Delight [thatscurry.com]: This website offers insights into the use of finger millet in various Tamil dishes.
Tamil kings were very powerful and did a lot of trading, talking with other countries, and fighting battles. Because of this, they traveled to many different places long ago. Here are some old writings that show where they went:
In Southeast Asia, Tamil kings, especially from the Chola dynasty, had important trade links by sea with kingdoms like Srivijaya, Funan, and Champa. Writings and old objects found in places such as Sumatra, Java, Cambodia, and Vietnam show that Tamils had an impact there.
In Sri Lanka, Tamil kings, particularly from the Chola and Pandya dynasties, had important relationships. Ancient Tamil poems like the Sangam poems tell about Tamil kings taking over parts of Sri Lanka. The links between Tamil Nadu and Sri Lanka are shown through sharing culture, trading, and fighting wars.
In Northern India, Tamil kings expanded their power through wars and making deals. Especially, the Chola kings are famous for conquering lands as far as the Ganges river. Inscriptions found in Northern India, like the Gangaikonda Cholapuram inscription, show that the Chola kings ruled there.
Tamil traders and sailors sailed to the Middle East and East Africa to trade goods. Historical records show that Tamil merchants set up trading spots in ports along the Arabian Sea and the eastern coast of Africa. Archaeological discoveries and written stories support these trade links.
Europe: While there isn’t direct proof of Tamil kings journeying to Europe, there are indirect effects through trade connections. Tamil merchants participated in sea trade with Roman and Greek societies, which led to cultural exchanges and the movement of goods between South India and Europe.
These historical findings show how Tamil kings traveled widely and engaged with different areas, leading to cultural, economic, and political exchanges across the ancient world.
Tamil people, like folks in many other places, use hibiscus flowers in lots of different ways for everyday stuff and special events. Here are some common ways they use hibiscus:
Hibiscus and Tamil medicine
Cooking: Tamil cooks often use hibiscus flowers to give their dishes extra flavor and color. They might put them in salads, sauces, or sprinkle them on top of food. Sometimes, they dry the petals to make teas or drinks that they believe can help keep them healthy.
Medicine: In traditional Tamil medicine, called Siddha, hibiscus is thought to be really good for you. People believe it can help cool you down and treat things like high blood pressure, tummy troubles, and even hair loss. They also use hibiscus oil or extracts on their skin and hair.
Religion and Culture: Hibiscus flowers are important in Tamil religious ceremonies and cultural traditions. They’re often used in temples, during festivals, and in decorations. The red hibiscus flower is especially meaningful and is connected to the goddess Lakshmi, bringing good luck.
Decoration: Hibiscus plants are popular in Tamil Nadu because they’re so pretty. People grow them in gardens and around their homes, and they’re used to brighten up public places too. Women sometimes wear hibiscus flowers in their hair to look special during celebrations and festivals. Coloring: The petals of hibiscus flowers can be used to dye fabrics. In Tamil Nadu, people sometimes use hibiscus flowers to give clothes a beautiful red or pink color.
Overall, hibiscus is really important in Tamil culture. It’s used for cooking, medicine, religious ceremonies, decorating, and even making clothes colorful. It’s been a big part of Tamil life for a long time!
Hibiscus and Sorrel comparison
Hibiscus and sorrel are related, but they’re not exactly the same. Hibiscus: Hibiscus is a big group of plants with really pretty, large flowers. There are lots of different kinds of hibiscus flowers, coming in all sorts of colors and shapes. Some hibiscus flowers you can eat, but not all of them.
Hibiscus and Sorrel
Sorrel: Sorrel is a special kind of hibiscus called Roselle (scientific name: Hibiscus sabdariffa). People grow it mainly for its fleshy calyces, which are like the outer part of the flower bud. These calyces are used to make a tangy, cranberry-like drink that’s also called sorrel sometimes.
The old-time Tamils got really good at studying stars and planets because they worked hard and watched the sky a lot. They became experts in this because of a few reasons:
Tamil culture has lots of old books and texts that are really important. One of these is called the Tolkapiyam, which has some really useful information about stars and planets. Tamil culture has many old books, like the Tolkappiyam, with information about stars and planets, by looking in books written by smart people who study Tamil literature and history. These books might talk about ancient Tamil writings or the history of studying the stars in India.
Tamil astronomers watched the sky really closely for many years. They even made special tools like astrolabes and sundials to keep track of how stars, planets, and groups of stars moved. Tamil astronomers watched the sky carefully for a long time and made special tools like astrolabes and sundials to track stars, planets, and groups of stars by reading books or articles written by smart people about ancient Tamil astronomy. These sources could be academic papers, books about the history of studying stars in India or Tamil Nadu, or articles about how smart ancient Tamils were in science.
The Tamils got really good at math, which helped them learn more about stars and planets. They made up number systems and math ideas that helped them do hard math stuff about the sky. Tamils became good at math, which helped them understand stars and planets better, by reading smart people’s books or articles about ancient Tamil math. These sources could be academic papers about math history in Tamil Nadu, books about old Indian math, or articles about how Tamils helped with math for studying the sky.
Tamil astronomers made smart calendars like the Tamil solar calendar and the Tamil lunar calendar. They used math about the sky to make these calendars. People used these calendars to know when to plant crops and when to celebrate religious holidays. Tamil astronomers created clever calendars, such as the Tamil solar calendar and the Tamil lunar calendar, by reading books or articles about ancient Tamil astronomy and calendars. These sources could include papers written by smart people about Tamil calendars, books talking about the history of studying stars in Tamil Nadu, or articles about the scientific achievements of ancient Tamil civilization, especially about keeping track of time.
Some really old Tamil temples were built very carefully to match the stars and planets. They were like big science buildings where people could watch the sky. The buildings were set up to match special times in the sky, like when the sun is directly over the equator or when it’s farthest north or south. Astronomers could use these temples to figure out stuff about the sky really accurately. Some really old Tamil temples were built carefully to match the stars and planets by reading smart people’s books or articles about ancient Tamil buildings and sky stuff. These sources could be academic papers about temple buildings in Tamil Nadu, books about the history of studying stars in India, or articles about how ancient Tamil temples were important for studying the sky.
In Tamil culture, people really respected studying stars and planets. They thought it was super important. Because of this, lots of smart people kept learning about the sky and getting really good at it. Tamil culture, people thought studying stars and planets was very important, so many clever folks learned a lot about the sky and became experts, by reading books or articles written by smart people about Tamil culture and sky stuff. These sources could be academic papers, books about Tamil culture and beliefs, or articles about why studying the sky was important in ancient Tamil society.
Tamil smart folks talked to other smart folks from different places like Greece, Persia, and China. They shared ideas about stars and planets, which helped them learn even more about the sky. So, the ancient Tamil folks got really good at studying stars and planets because they did a bunch of things. They had lots of old books, watched the sky closely, were good at math, made smart calendars, built cool temples, respected the subject a lot, and talked to smart people from other places.
Tamil people talked to other smart people from places like Greece, Persia, and China, and shared ideas about stars and planets to learn more about the sky, by reading books or articles written by smart people about the history of talking and sharing knowledge in ancient times. These sources could be academic papers, books about the history of studying stars in India or Tamil Nadu, or articles about how ancient Tamil folks connected with others from different places.
திருக்குறள், தமிழ் மொழியின் மாபெரும் நூல்களில் ஒன்று. இது அறம், பொருள், இன்பம் என்ற மூன்று அதிகாரங்களைக் கொண்டது. திருவள்ளுவர் எனும் கவிஞரால் இயற்றப்பட்டது.
அறம் – நல்லொழுக்கம், மனித இயல்புகள், சமுதாய நெறிமுறைகள் பற்றிய கருத்துக்கள்.
பொருள் – செல்வம் சேர்ப்பது, அதனை ஈட்டுவதற்கான வழிகள், செல்வத்தை சரியாக பயன்படுத்துவது பற்றிய கருத்துக்க.
இன்பம் – காதல், இல்வாழ்க்கை, துறவு பற்றிய கருத்துக்கள்.
திருக்குறள் அதன் சுருக்கமான அமைப்பிலும், நடைத்திறத்திலும், சொல்லின் ஆழத்திலும் சிறந்து விளங்குகிறது. இது உலகப் பொதுமறைகளை எடுத்துரைப்பதால், காலத்தால் அழியாத இலக்கியமாக போற்றப்படுகிறது.
