You will never look at the Tamil language the same way again.
Here is my opening article from our 1st Newsletter (launched April 2024)
When you look at learning Tamil you are met with two paths:
இலக்கணம் (ilakkanam) - Grammar and இலக்கியம் (ilakkiyam) - Literature.
We often neglect grammar, however, I believe both Literature and Grammar can tell us a lot about what ancient Tamils knew, and how they lived.
For example, take the Tamil alphabet. Its composition explains existence. (This is one of my earlier videos, so excuse the awkwardness lol)
Or take the grammar concept திணை (thinai) with its two divisions:
உயர்திணை (uyarthinai) and அஃறிணை (agrinai)
This difference between the two groups is translated as things that fall in the உயர்திணை (uyarthinai) category are living things and things that fall in the அஃறிணை (agrinai) category are nonliving things. But as per the grammar rule, animals fall under அஃறிணை (agrinai). So, this translated definition doesn't make sense.
I learned that anything with 6 senses or more such as humans or divine beings, falls under உயர்திணை (uyirthinai). And anything with 5 senses or less such as animals or objects fall under அஃறிணை (agrinai).
Wait, a 6th sense?!
According to the Tholkappiyam, the oldest surviving Tamil text, after touch, taste, smell, sight, and hearing, we have the mind. Our understanding is that this grammar text is speaking to intuition or an extrasensory perception that humans have.
The over 3000 year old Tholkappiyam is said to have the first ever written record of a sixth sense. Researchers are only now exploring (and perhaps accepting) this idea of a sixth sense under names like interoception, or proprioception.
It must make you wonder, what other ancient wisdom is hidden within the grammar rules of Tamil?
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