சங்க இலக்கியத்தை எளிதில் சுவைக்க ஒரு பயிலரங்கம்

A Workshop on Easy Relishing of Sangam Literature

சங்க இலக்கியத்தை எளிதில் சுவைக்க ஒரு பயிலரங்கம்

(Joinly organized by FeTNA and Tamil Sangam of Greater Washington)

Would you like to relish the Tamil classic poems that were written over 2000 years ago?  

Join the workshop by Mrs. Vaidehi Herbert whose sweet style of reading Sangam literature and story-telling was appreciated even by school children at the FeTNA conference.  She is passionate about the Sangam poems and wants to share their beauty with Tamils all over the world.

2000 ஆண்டுகளுக்கு முன்பு எழுதப்பட்ட சங்கத்தமிழ்ப் பாடல்களை மிக எளிதாகப் படித்துச் சுவைக்க ஆசையா? ஹவாய்த் தீவைச் சேர்ந்த வைதேகி அம்மையார் நடத்தவிருக்கும் பயிலரங்கத்துக்கு வாருங்கள்.

பேரவை மாநாட்டில் சங்கப்பாடல்களைப் படிக்க அவர் கற்றுக்கொடுத்த இனிமையான வழிமுறை பள்ளிக் குழந்தைகளால் கூட மிகவும் போற்றப்பட்டது.

When and Where

Date & Time: Sat & Sun - August 30 & 31, 2014 (Labor Day Weekend) – 10 am to 6pm

Venue: Rotonda Building 4, B1-Party Room, 8370 Greensboro Drive, McLean VA 22102

 The Workshop Content (பயிலரங்கத்தின் உள்ளடக்கம்)

Outline of the 2-day class:  The sessions will be a combination of short lectures, questions and answers and discussions.   The goal is for the attendees to be able to read a minimum of 20 poems at the end of the two days, understanding each and every word.  Ainkurunūru, Kurunthokai, Natrinai, Akanānūru and Puranānūru poems will be taught.  The attendees will be provided with lists of books that they can use to further their knowledge. Vaidehi has put together which will help the new reader.  The class will save a year of learning by a beginner.

Session 1:  Introduction to Sangam Literature:   The time period, controversies, loss and recovery of the literature, poets, kings, the time span, the eight anthologies, the ten long songs, ancient Tamil society, oral transmission, palm leaf writings, splitting complicated words to simple words, influence of religions from the north, influence of northern languages, Tholkappiyam, epigraphical evidences etc. In addition, information about the conventions that are reflected in the poems, 5 landscapes, the fauna and flora, the associated emotions etc. will be provided.  Books of Sangam scholars like A. K. Ramanujan, Kamil Zvelebil, George Hart, Kailasapathy, Sivaraja Pillai, Takanobu Takahashi, Devapoopathy Nadarajah etc. will be discussed.  A list of words with many meanings and a list of many meanings to one word will be given and discussed.  Many easy learning clues will be provided.  Goal is to learn 10 poems.   

Session 2:  Topics will be about the style of poets, kings who wrote poems, historical information, Sangam literature’s influence on tamil bhakthi literature, commentaries – both ancient and modern etc.  We will also learn about many unique features -  ‘velan and veriyattām’, ‘madal ēruthal’, ‘bird omens’, ‘palli omens’, ‘snakes and thunder’, ‘pearls in elephant tusks’, ‘tigers not eating their prey if they don’t fall on their right side’, ‘trade with the Greeks’, etc. etc. There will be the learning of 10 poems from the anthologies and Mullaippāttu (103 line sweet poem), which is one of the Pathuppāttu songs.   Question and answers session to clarify issues.  Every person in the group will read and interpret two poems.    

This workshop will save many months to a year’s learning.  It is an opportunity to be able to learn and enjoy the poems.  Two days of learning will provide lifelong joy.

(Registration is free. All the 18 Sangam Books which are in 10 books (8 anthologies and 1 Pathuppaattu (10 long songs), a Beginner’s Guide to Sangam Literature filled with abundant information. The books will be sold as a set at the meeting, for the list price.)