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The Tamils (/ˈtæmɪlz, ˈtɑː-/ TAM-ilz, TAHM-), also known as the Tamilar, are a Dravidian ethnolinguistic group who natively speak the Tamil language and trace their ancestry mainly to India's southern state of Tamil Nadu, to the union territory of Puducherry, and to Sri Lanka. The Tamil language is one of the world's longest-surviving classical languages, with over 2000 years of Tamil literature, including the Sangam poems, which were composed between 300 BCE and 300 CE.

Tamils constitute 5.9% of the population in India (concentrated mainly in Tamil Nadu and Puducherry), 15% in Sri Lanka (excluding Eelam Moors), 7% in Malaysia, and 5% in Singapore.

From the 4th century BCE, urbanisation and mercantile activity along the western and eastern coasts of Tamilakam -- what is today Kerala and Tamil Nadu -- led to the development of four large Tamil empires, the Cheras, Cholas, Pandyas, Pallavas, and velirs and a number of smaller states, all of whom were warring amongst themselves for dominance. The Jaffna Kingdom, and vanni chieftaincies inhabited by Eelam Tamils, was once one of the strongest kingdoms of Sri Lanka and controlled much of the north of the island. (Full article...)

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Tamil Nadu (/ˌtæmɪl ˈnɑːduː/; Tamil: [ˈtamiɻ ˈnaːɽɯ] ^ⓘ, abbr. TN) is the southernmost state of India. The tenth largest Indian state by area and the sixth largest by population, Tamil Nadu is the home of the Tamil people, who speak the Tamil language, one of the longest surviving classical languages and which serves as its official language. The capital and largest city is Chennai.

Located on the south-eastern coast of the Indian peninsula, Tamil Nadu is straddled by the Western Ghats and Deccan Plateau in the west, the Eastern Ghats in the north, the Eastern Coastal Plains lining the Bay of Bengal in the east, the Gulf of Mannar and the Palk Strait to the south-east, the Laccadive Sea at the southern cape of the peninsula, with the river Kaveri bisecting the state. Politically, Tamil Nadu is bound by the Indian states of Kerala, Karnataka, and Andhra Pradesh, and the union territory of Puducherry. It shares an international maritime border with the Northern Province of Sri Lanka at Pamban Island. (Full article...)

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General images

Image 1The Brihadeshswar Temple at Thanjavur, also known as the Great Temple, built by Rajaraja Chola I (from Tamils)
Image 2The New York City Metropolitan Area, including Central New Jersey, as well as Long Island and Staten Island in New York, is home to the largest Tamil American population. (from Tamil diaspora)
Image 3Two Tamil girls who follow Vaishnavaite Hinduism (from Tamils)
Image 4 Virampatnam jewelry from funerary burial, 2nd century BCE, Tamil Nadu (from Tamils)
Image 5Murugan Temple, Sydney (from Tamil diaspora)
Image 6Tamiḻakam during Sangam Period (from Tamils)
Image 7Distribution of Tamil speakers in South India and Sri Lanka (1981). (from Tamils)
Image 8Krishna with his consorts Rukmini and Satyabhama and his mount Garuda, Tamil Nadu, India, late 12th-13th century (from Tamils)
Image 9Tamil woman in traditional attire, c. 1880, Sri Lanka. (from Tamils)
Image 10Expatriate Sri Lankan Tamil children in traditional clothes in Toronto, Ontario, Canada (from Tamil diaspora)
Image 11 Souttoukeny jewelry, 2nd century BCE, Tamil Nadu (from Tamils)
Image 12The hall in front of Ranganayaki's shrine, Srirangam, where Kambar is said to have recited his works on Kamba Ramayanam (from Tamils)
Image 13Tamil people in Medan, Indonesia (from Tamil diaspora)
Image 14Aiyanar, guardian folk deity of Tamil Nadu (from Tamils)
Image 15The Om symbol in Tamil script (from Tamils)
Image 16A 400 years old hero stone in Salem depicting the bull-taming sport Jallikattu. (from Tamils)
Image 17One of the most popular overseas branches of Chennai-based Saravanaa Bhavan, the world's largest Indian vegetarian restaurant chain, is located in Edison, New Jersey, U.S. (from Tamil diaspora)
Image 18The golden Vimana over the sanctum at Srirangam midst its gopurams, its gable with Paravasudeva image. (from Tamils)
Image 19Katar, Tamil dagger which was popular throughout South Asia (from Tamils)
Image 20A Megalithic burial jar from north-western Sri Lanka, 5th-2nd century BCE, similar to South Indian and Deccan jars of the time. (from Tamils)
Image 21Tamil girls dressed in traditional attire, ca. 1870, Tamil Nadu, India. (from Tamils)
Image 22 Map of ancient oceanic trade, and ports of Tamilakam (from Tamils)
Image 23Erwadi durgah in Ramanathapuram district is a major pilgrimage shrine of the Tamil Muslims. (from Tamils)
Image 24Tamil girls in Malaysia (from Tamil diaspora)
Image 25Sri Kandaswamy Temple, Brickfields, Malaysia. (from Tamil diaspora)
Image 26Sri Kamakshi Ambaal temple in Hamm, Germany (from Tamil diaspora)
Image 27The Tamil Chola Empire at its height, 1030 CE (from Tamils)
Image 28Grey pottery with engravings, Arikamedu, 1st century CE (from Tamils)
Image 29A Malbar temple in Réunion. (from Tamil diaspora)
Image 30Bharatanatyam dancers (from Tamils)
Image 31Celebrations of Murugan by the Sri Lankan Tamil community in Paris, France (from Tamil diaspora)
Image 32Batu Caves temple built by Tamil Malaysians in c. 1880s. (from Tamils)
Image 33Sage Agathiyar, one of the contributors of Old Tamil literature. (from Tamils)
Image 34Meenakshi Amman temple, dedicated to Goddess Meenakshi, tutelary deity of Madurai city (from Tamils)
Image 35Basilica of Our Lady of Good Health in Velankanni, Tamil Nadu (from Tamils)
Image 36The Mahishasuramardhini cave bas relief at Mahabalipuram from 7th century CE (from Tamils)
Image 37Megalithic sarcophagus burial from Tamil Nadu (from Tamils)

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Statue of Ellāḷaṉ in the premises of Madras High Court in Chennai

Ellalan (Tamil: எல்லாளன், romanized: Ellāḷaṉ; Sinhala: එළාර, romanized: Eḷāra), also referred to as Elara the Pious, and by the honorific epithet Manu Needhi Cholan, was a member of the Tamil Chola dynasty in Southern India, who upon capturing the throne became king of the Anuradhapura Kingdom, in present-day Sri Lanka, from 205 BCE to 161 BCE.

Ellalan is traditionally presented as being a just king even by the Sinhalese. The Mahavamsa states that he ruled 'with even justice toward friend and foe, on occasions of disputes at law, and elaborates how he even ordered the execution of his son for killing a calf under his chariot wheels. (Full article...)

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Tamil People

Tamil People Countrywide: India • Sri Lanka • Canada • Malaysia • Singapore • South Africa • England

Related Ethnic Groups: Brahui • Gond • Kannadiga • Khonds • Kodava • Oraon • Malayali • Telugus • Tuluvas

Related indigenous Groups: Badagas • Toda • Kuruba

Tamil Nadu

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