Tamil historical novels

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Tamil literature of South India has a long history spanning close to two millennia. Through most of its history, though, it was expressed in the form of poetry. The novel as a mode of Tamil literature is a relatively new phenomenon, appearing on the scene less than two centuries ago.

Prathapa Mudaliar Charithram ("The Life of Prathapa Mudaliar"), written in 1857 and published in 1879, was the first novel in the Tamil language. The novel does not involve historical characters or events but is set in royal times. Penned by Mayuram Vedanayakam Pillai, it was a landmark in Tamil literature, which had hitherto seen writings only in poetry. The book gave birth to a new literary genre and Tamil prose began to be recognized as an increasingly important part of the language.

Authors like Kalki Krishnamurthy wrote historical novels during the Indian independence movement to instil patriotic pride in the people. Most historical novels were serialised in Tamil magazines before being published in book form. The advent of netzines has seen new web based historical writers entering the arena.

Contents

[edit] Some Authors

[edit] Some Famous Novels

[edit] Historic Novels Available Online

[edit] References

  • Asher, R.E., “The Tamil Renaissance and the beginnings of the Tamil novel”, in Clark, Thomas Welbourne, The Novel in India: Its Birth and Development, London: Allen & Unwin, pp. 179-204 
  • Varalaru
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