Tamil Nadu Timeline

LiteratureBritish Crown rule

First Tamil novel, Prathapa Mudaliar Charithram, published

· Chennai

Samuel Vedanayagam Pillai published Prathapa Mudaliar Charithram, regarded as the first novel in the Tamil language.

Prathapa Mudaliar Charithram was written by Samuel Vedanayagam Pillai in 1857 and published in 1879. It is regarded as the first novel in Tamil. The first-person narrative presents its heroine as the equal of the hero in wisdom and virtue. Its success encouraged other writers, and it was followed by novels such as Kamalambal Charitram by B. R. Rajam Iyer. The novel is still reprinted and has been translated into English.

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