Avvaiyar was a Tamil poet who lived during the period of Kambar and

Ottakoothar Ottakoothar (c. 12th century CE) was a Tamil people, Tamil court poet and minister to three Later Cholas, Later Chola kings, namely Vikrama Chola, Kulothunga Chola II, Kulotunga II and Rajaraja Chola II, Rajaraja II. He wrote poems in praise of t ...

during the reign of the

Chola dynasty The Chola dynasty () was a Tamil dynasty originating from Southern India. At its height, it ruled over the Chola Empire, an expansive maritime empire. The earliest datable references to the Chola are from inscriptions dated to the 3rd cen ...

in the twelfth century. She is often imagined as an old and intelligent lady by

Tamil people The Tamils ( ), also known by their endonym Tamilar, are a Dravidian ethnic group who natively speak the Tamil language and trace their ancestry mainly to the southern part of the Indian subcontinent. The Tamil language is one of the longe ...

. Many poems and the Avvai Kural, comprising 310 kurals in 31 chapters, belong to this period. She is most widely known for her ' Aathichoodi', ' Kondrai Vendhan', ' Nalvazhi' and ' Moodhurai'. The name Avvaiyar means a 'respectable good woman', hence a generic title; her personal name is not known.

Biography

Avvaiyar was the court poet of the Chola monarch and was a contemporary of Kambar and

Ottakkuttar Ottakoothar (c. 12th century CE) was a Tamil court poet and minister to three Later Chola kings, namely Vikrama Chola, Kulotunga II and Rajaraja II. He wrote poems in praise of these three kings. The poet's memorial is believed to be still in ...

. She found great happiness in the life of small children. Her works,

Ātticcūṭi The Athichudi () is a collection of single-line quotations written by Avvaiyar (12th-century poet), Avvaiyar and organized in alphabetical order. There are 109 of these sacred lines which include insightful quotes expressed in simple words. It a ...

and Konraiventhan, written for young children, are even now generally read and enjoyed by them. Her two other works, Mooturai and Nalvali were written for older children. All the four works are

didactic Didacticism is a philosophy that emphasises instructional and informative qualities in literature, art, and design. In art, design, architecture, and landscape, didacticism is a conceptual approach that is driven by the urgent need to explain. ...

in character—they explain the basic wisdom that should govern mundane life.

Quotes

The following quotes from Aathichoodi illustrate the simplicity of her style and profoundness of the messages: ''"Thol Ulagil Nallaar Oruvar Ularael Avar Poruttu Ellarkum Peiyum Mazhai"'' – The rain falls on behalf of the virtuous, benefitting everyone in the world. ''"Nandri Oruvarukku Seithakkal An Nandri Endru tharum kol ena vaenda nindru Thalara valar thengu Thaanunda Neerai Thalaiyaalae Thaan Tharuthalal"'' -Don't wait for a return benefit as to when a good deed done will pay back, but be just like that tall and erect coconut tree that drank water from its feet gives the benefit of giving that sweet water by its head."

Translation into English

In 2009,

Red Hen Press Red Hen Press is an American non-profit press located in Pasadena, California, and specializing in the publication of poetry, literary fiction, and nonfiction. The press is a member of the Community of Literary Magazines and Presses, and was a fin ...

published a selection of Avvaiyar's poetry from the twelfth century, entitled ''Give, Eat, and Live: Poems by Avviyar''. The poems were selected and translated into English by Thomas Pruiksma, a poet and translator who discovered Avviyar's work while on a

Fulbright scholarship The Fulbright Program, including the Fulbright–Hays Program, is one of several United States cultural exchange programs with the goal of improving intercultural relations, cultural diplomacy, and intercultural competence between the people ...

The American College in Madurai The American College, often referred to as American College, is one of the oldest colleges in India, located in Madurai, Tamil Nadu. It was founded in 1881 by American Christian missionaries. The red-brick buildings, in the Saracenic style, b ...

, Tamil Nadu, India.

Literary Tribute

Letitia Elizabeth Landon Letitia Elizabeth Landon (14 August 1802 – 15 October 1838) was an English poet and novelist, better known by her initials L.E.L. Landon's writings are emblematic of the transition from Romanticism to Victorian literature. Her first major b ...

pays tribute to Avvaiyar in her poem in Fisher's Drawing Room Scrap Book, 1836.

Notes

References

* * Krishnamurti, Dr. C.R. (Professor Emeritus, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, B.C. Canada) Thamizh Literature Through the Age

* Project Madurai – Purananuru eText – http://tamilnation.org/literature/ettuthokai/pm0057.pdf * Project madurai – Avvaiyar works in PDF – http://tamilnation.org/literature/auvaiyar/pm002.pdf * http://www.aathithamizharperavai.com/home.html * https://web.archive.org/web/20110308182216/http://www.tn.gov.in/policynotes/archives/policy2004_05/hrce2004-05-3.htm

External links

Project Madurai Homepage

- Translated into English {{authority control Hindu poets Chola poets Indian women poets Hindu female religious leaders Tamil epic poets Tamil Hindu saints 12th-century Indian poets 12th-century women writers