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The Tamil people are a South Asian community numbering more than seventy million and living mostly in Tamil Nadu state and neighbouring areas in south-eastern India (65 million), in the north and east of Sri Lanka (three million), in Malaysia (two million), Singapore (approx 200,000) and Canada (approx 200,000, most in Toronto). There are also pockets of Tamil communities living in Madagascar, Seychelles Islands, Australia, South Africa, Mauritius, Trinidad and many European countries. The spread of Tamils around the world has occurred in two stages - emigration (often forced) within the British Empire as workers, and refugees leaving Sri Lanka due to the ethnic conflict there. Nearly all Tamils speak the Tamil language, considered by most theories to be one of the Dravidian tongues once spoken widely across the Indian subcontinent but now largely confined to its southern quarter. Tamils have a stronger ethno-linguistic identity than other Indian language groups and distinguish themselves from Indian groups speaking (Sanskrit-derived) Indo-Aryan languages. Most Tamils are Hindu, with significant minorities being Christian or Muslim.
Tamils as TamiliansUsing the term Tamil to refer to people of Tamil origin is sometimes considered Anglicised; the more popular usage among Indians being the term Tamilians; singular Tamilian. Tamilian is again an anglicised term for the more exact Tamil word தமிழன் (tamiḻan); plural தமிழர்கள் (tamiḻarkaḷ). Core culture and valuesThe important core values of Tamilians from ancient Tamil culture are hospitality and alms. Ancient Tamil histories tell about a king who gave his chariot to Jasmine plant etc. Even if you don't have anything, give the best to others is the mantra. Fame-free cultureIn ancient Tamil culture, poets were nurtured by the Kings. They played a major role; in some respects their mystical influence was considered more significant than the Kings decisions. Mythology and popular history include reports of poets stopping wars by force of their art. Ancient Tamil poets rarely ascribed a title or their own names to their work. This symbolic fame-free practice has left an important though difficult to substantiate legacy for some artists. Many works were named long after their creation: Tirukkural was named later so, as it is written with kurals; Tolkaappiyam was named later so, as it is the oldest literature (thol means old, kappiyam means literature), and so on. And even, the poets' names were added later. Because of this, the poets' names are usually associated with the titles, for example: Tirukkural->Tiruvalluvar, Tolkaappiyam->Tolkappiyar, etc. Notable ancient artsBharatanatyamThe most ancient dance-theatre dance form on earth. Tamil medicineUnique medication system. Medicine is sometimes herbals. The best of such medication system is fixing sprain in just one touch at the muscles. The faith of that medicine system is that the at least one trick should not be told to others to keep the purity of the medicine; and because of such belief, those medication system is very hard to find; however it is still surviving in few villages. SiddhaAnother medication system believed to be practiced by Siddhars in ancient Tamil Nadu and is still practiced. Varma Kalai[1] (http://perso.wanadoo.fr/varmakalai/VARMA%20KALAI%20-%20(ENGLISH)%201.htm) - Unique martial art system. The attack is mainly on the key veins/vital points; attack may not be intense, but the effect will be very hard. The original-intense art couldn't survive because of some closed beliefs; now few of tricks are taught near Nagercoil; in Kerala few and modified such art can be seen. SilambamAnother martial art. The tool is bamboo of 5.5 feet length. JallikattuTaming of the bull. It is still surviving in very few villages especially Alanganallur. KolamDecorative designs drawn in chalk usually by the female members of the family on the floor in front of the house especially at entrance. FestivalsPongalTamil New Year
Ethnic problemsIn IndiaAfter independence, Tamilians felt they and their dravidian race were ignored by the North Indians. Their major complaints were: Freedom fighters from what is now Tamilnadu were not sufficiently recognized by the ruling Indian government, Hindi was widely promoted at the expense of the regional languages, Tamilians were given less importance by the Indian government These and other incidents prompted many Tamilians to seek a separate Dravidian identity. They fought for separate dravidian land and Dravidian independence under the leadership of Annadurai. However, Annadurai and others later felt the impracticality of secession and decided to take the political route by starting the DMK, with an objective to bring about a more federal constitutional structure for India. Many of those who fought for a separate Dravidian land still feel proud for their participation. Tamilians complain of hostility in other places of India with a large Tamil expatriate population. Some conspiracy theories say the legends such as Sivaji Ganesan, Ilayaraaja were not recognised because of their Tamilian identity. Ethnic slurs against Tamilians
In Sri LankaSee: Ethnic conflict in Sri Lanka Famous TamiliansSee also: List of people from Tamil Nadu
External links
Arya Chakravati Dynasty Jaffna (Sri Lanka)]
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