Did You Know (Series)
This section brings together relatively unknown and stimulating information relating to various aspects of Tamil culture and history.
The recent movie adaptation of Kalki Krishnamurthy’s Ponniyin Selvan (1955), a renowned historical novel set in the late 10th century, has generated much hype about the Cholas. The political, artistic and architectural feats of the Cholas have ensured that they have a permanent foothold in Tamil cultural memory. But memory and fiction do not count as history. Some characters in Kalki’s novel like the Pazhuvur princess Nandini and the boat woman Punguzhali are entirely fictional. Who exactly were the medieval Cholas? This series unmasks bits of the history behind the fictionalised portrayals of the Cholas which have now, through the medium of film, become familiar across and beyond the Tamil-speaking world. (Dr Sureshkumar Muthukumaran)
On this happy occasion of our 56th National Day, 9 August 2021, we are pleased to launch the second series. This series explores the pre-modern history of Tamil-speakers in northern Sri Lanka through the lens of art and architectural remains. As with the first series, this is compiled by Dr. Sureshkumar Muthukumaran, from the National University of Singapore and a member of CSTC.
The first series focuses on Tamil connections with early modern Europe. The "Europe and the Tamil World Series" is compiled by Dr Sureshkumar Muthukumaran, from the National University of Singapore and a member of CSTC.
