Announcement

Roja Muthiah Research Library
presents

Lecture on


THE REPRODUCTION OF CLASSICAL TAMIL LITERATURE
IN COLONIAL TAMILNADU, C. 1800-1920

by
V. Rajesh

on
Date: 25th March 2010
Time: 5.00 p.m.

Venue:
Roja Muthiah Research Library
3rd Cross Road, Central Polytechnic Campus
Taramani, Chennai 600 113
Telephone: 2254 2551 / 2254 2552

Abstract

Beginning with the publication of a chapter from Tolkappiyam in 1847 by Malavai Mahalinga Aiyar, all the classical Tamil literary works were published before 1920. The period from 1847 to 1920 constitute one of the important phase in the history of Tamil literature where for the first time the classics were printed and thrown open to the wider public. Moving beyond the 'literary history' I attempt to reconstruct the socio-cultural history of the reproduction of classics during the 19th and early 20th century colonial Tamilnadu. Today efforts are being made to publish the definitive critical editions of classical Tamil literature following the official recognition of Tamil as a classical language. At this juncture it is necessary to resort to and remind about the 'social' history of the first editions of classics published during the 19th and early 20th century Tamilnadu.

About the Speaker

Rajesh has submitted PhD dissertation titled 'The Reproduction and Reception of Classical Tamil Literature in Colonial Tamilnadu, 1800-1920' at the Department of Humanities and Social Sciences, IIT Madras. His research interest are history of Tamil literature, social history of print and publishing in colonial Madras. He was awarded Jan Gonda Advanced Study Grant by Jan Gonda Foundation, The Netherlands in 2008 for his research on classical Tamil literature.