அற இலககயஙகளல வரநதமபல / Hospitality in Didactic Literature

The people who ruled the Tamil country during the decline of the Sangam period were Kalabraras. This period is called the dark period of Tamils. The literature that appeared during this period is called as ‘Pathinenkeelkanakku Noolkal’. In this, there are eleven books on ethics (aram), six books on conscience (agam) and one book on external life (puram). These books contain valuable ideas that rejuvenate the sullen minds with wisdom. They are also didactic also. Even at the times of repression, the Tamil writers wrote valuable wisdom and the culture of the Tamil society. Hospitality is seen as a fundamental principle of Tamil life. It is also a symbol of Tamil culture. The welcoming of the guests with joy is associated with hospitality. In the “Thirukkural”, Thiruvalluvar emphasizes that guests should be respected. Many Tamil proverbs also explain this. Thus, the article examines hospitality in the didactic literature in Tamil life.