Tamils have made key contribution to the Indian literature and to the Indian freedom movement, and every other important movements from then on. Read the blog to know more about their importance. 

Tamil is one of the world’s oldest languages and holds a unique place in the global landscape. It prides itself on having a rich heritage and is fondly called “the mother of all languages”. It is spoken by more than 80 million people around the world. Tamil is one of the 22 languages listed as national language by the eighth schedule of the constitution of India. 

The blog captures some of the important facts of Tamil language, significance of Tamil language learning, and the importance it has in the Indian ecosystem. 

Tamil is one of the oldest surviving languages in the world

There are more than 7000 languages in the world. They have evolved over hundreds of thousands of years. Some of them survived invasions that 23 out of those 7000 languages have more than 50 million native speakers at the moment. More than half the planet speak one of these 23 languages and Tamil prides itself being one among them. Inscriptions unearthed from 500 BC at Adichanallur signifies the age of the Tamil language. It is one among the oldest languages being spoken in the world even today.

Tamil language is worshipped as a God

Tamil cultures places enormous importance on the Tamil language. That Tamil people personify Tamil language and call it ‘Tamil Thai’ meaning mother reveals the significance of the attachment Tamils have with the language.

The term ‘Tamil Thai’ was first coined by Manonmaniam Sundaram Pillai, a renowned Indian scholar known for his “Manonmaniyam” drama.

Tamils have built a temple for Tamil Thai at Karaikudi where the presiding deity is Tamil Thai. 

Tamil is the official language of three countries

Tamil is recognized as one of the national languages amidst 22 other languages by the Indian constitution. Tamil is the official language and mother tongue of people living in Tamil Nadu and Pondicherry. Beyond India, it is also the official language of two other countries including Sri Lanka and Singapore. It is also spoken by more than 3 million people in USA, UK, and Canada. More than 1.2 million people in Malaysia speak Tamil. It is also one of the primary language of education in Malaysia, and one must note that there are more than 500 schools that function on Tamil as a medium of instruction. 

Tamil is declared as one of the classical languages

In India, for a language to be recognized as classical, it must meet the following criteria.

• It should be having an ancient origin
• It should have an independent tradition
• It should have an original literature. 

Tamil has met all of these criteria to be declared as a classical language by the Indian government in 2004. It has also been added to the ‘Memory of the World Register’, part of UNESCO’s global programme. 

Importance of Tamil in India

If you are exploring why is it important to learn Tamil, this section provides the right answer. 

Prominence of Tamil literature

Tamil literature is vast and extensive and some of the works are renowned across the world. It has served to communicate the thoughts, ideas, and uniqueness of the lives of the Tamil people. 

Tholkappiyam penned by Tholkappiyar is a famous book on Tamil grammar. It was written around 200 BC and contains sutras on a variety of subjects including phonology, morphology, vocabulary, sentence structure, and spotlights the significance of grammar in the Tamil language learning. 

Thirukkural from Tiruvalluvar have stood test of time to emerge as one of the most renowned work in Tamil literature. It signifies the art of living and has 133 chapters and each of them have 10 kurals making upto 1330 kurals in total. It talks about human virtues and serves as a code of conduct for Tamils and Indians no matter where they live. 

It is said that Mahatma Gandhi considered to be the father of our nation wanted to learn Tamil so he can read Thirukkural in its original form. Such is the prominence of Thirukkural in Indian culture. 

The Tamil literature has produced five great epics as to what we call ‘Aimperum kappiyam’ in Tamil – Silapathikaram by Ilango Adigal in 1st century CE describes the tragic love story of Kannagi and her husband Kovalan; Manimekalai emphasizes love and charity as the most important quality of human life; Seevaka Chintamanu by Thiruthakka Devar, a Jain monk describes the forms of music, dance and other arts persistent during the era; Valayapathi is a renowned Jain work of the 9th century CE and Kundalakesi talks about the upperhand of Buddhism over Shrauta and Jainism.

Tamil literary works placed a significant importance on enhancing the lives of women centuries back. There were several women poets like Avvaiyar, Ponmudiyar, Velli Vitiyar and many others during the Sangam period and this reveals the kind of importance that Tamils and the literature attached to women. 

If you lack the basic knowledge of the Tamil language and are looking for ways to learn Tamil online, there are a plethora of online Tamil classes and resources available. Powerkid Tamil Academy offers one-on-one online Tamil classes to support Tamil learners and the diaspora carry forward the legacy of Tamil language.

Freedom movement of India

Tamils had played an important role in the freedom movement of India. Marudhu brothers, Puli Thevar, Velu Nachiyar, Veeran Sundharlingam, Dheeran Chinnamalai, Veera Pandiya Kattabomman were some important people who participated in rebellious movements against the British occupation in India. Subramania Bharathi, Si Su Chellappa and many others evoked the sentiments of freedom among the Tamil minds through their literary works. VO Chidambaram Pillai, Kamaraj, Satyamurthi, and Rajagopalachari were other prominent leaders from Tamil Nadu who lead the movement from the front. 

So, Tamils have played an important role in leading several movements in India. Their contribution to literature will stand good for ages unknown. 

Tamil people are naturally hard working and contribute to a significant share of the country’s GDP. The entrepreneurial spirit complemented by their hard work has created an industrial revolution in Tamil Nadu. 

Why is it important to learn Tamil?

The Tamil diaspora is spread across the world and to bond with them as a community, it becomes important to know the essence of Tamil language learning. The bond is always stronger when it involves conversations in the native language. If you do not have a strong foothold in Tamil language, learn common words in Tamil so you can participate in the conversation. 

Beyond bonding with fellow Tamils, learning Tamil widens the exposure to the rich Tamil literature. From code of conduct to the science and maths understanding, Tamils hold a prominent place in the society. Their literature is rich and learning Tamil opens a wide door of possibilities. 

Tamil culture is significant and as native Tamils, it becomes important to carry forward its legacy no matter where we live. It is a duty to enrich our children and the next generation of kids with the intricacies of Tamil language. 

Where I can learn Tamil?

If you are looking for a reliable online Tamil classes for yourself or for your children so they can learn Tamil online, Powerkid Tamil Academy is the right place. From basic and beginner level classes to intermediate and advanced classes, Powerkid Tamil Academy offers online Tamil classes in levels. If you are looking to just learn common words in Tamil, our classes can be customized to suit that. Or otherwise, you wish to learn the intricacies of the Tamil grammar, our classes can be customized to meet the requirements of the learner. 

If you are exploring how to learn Tamil from native Tamil teachers, we are sure you will love the online Tamil classes from Powerkid Tamil Academy because all our classes are handled by native Tamil speaking teachers. Our teachers are child friendly and exercise utmost patience in educating the children. With Powerkid Tamil Academy, Tamil language learning is easier than ever before. 

Sign up to our online Tamil classes and learn Tamil online from anywhere, anytime.