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LiteratureBritish Crown rule

C. W. Damodaram Pillai publishes Tolkappiyam commentary

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C. W. Damodaram Pillai publishes Tolkappiyam commentary
Eelakesari, Public domain · Wikimedia Commons

C. W. Damodaram Pillai published the Porulatikaram of the Tolkappiyam with Nachinarkiniyar's commentary, part of his revival of ancient Tamil texts.

C. W. Damodaram Pillai (Thamotharampillai), a scholar from Jaffna who worked in the Madras Presidency, searched out and printed classical Tamil works from palm-leaf manuscripts. His editions included Viracoliyam (1881), Iraiyanar Akapporul (1883), Tolkappiyam Porulatikaram (1885) and Kalittokai (1887), the first of the Eight Anthologies to be printed. Together with the work of U. V. Swaminatha Iyer, these editions made Sangam-era literature widely available again and shaped modern Tamil identity.

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