இரவண கவயததல அறம / Virtue in Ravana Kaviyam

“Ravana Kavyam” is a modern Tamil epic written by Pulavar Kuzhandhai. He reinterprets the Ramayana by centring Ravana as a tragic hero symbolising Tamil cultural ideals of Aram (righteousness). Unlike the traditional narratives that vilify Ravana, “Ravana Kavyam” presents Ravana as a just ruler, warrior and protector of Tamil culture. This epic also aligns his actions with ancient Tamil morals such as justice (Neethi), ethical warfare (Porum Aram), hospitality (Virunthombal) and loyalty (Karpu) to challenge Aryans. Ravana’s kingship represents Aram through unbiased governance and defends his people against external domination. His war ethics are more ethical in contrast to Rama’s tactics. Ravana fights openly, but Rama’s killing of Vali from hiding violates Tamil martial honour. The epic also criticises Rama’s exile of Sita as hypocritical in contrast to Ravana’s Tamil hospitality norms over Sita. Furthermore, Ravana’s scholarly competence and devotion to Lord Shiva highlight his intellectual and spiritual nobility. Ravana’s boldness against Aryan hegemony is seen in “Ravana Kavyam” and reclaims Ravana as a symbol of Tamil identity. His defeat becomes tragic at the cost of keeping Aram against oppressive forces. The work redefines Aram through a Tamil way of virtue by celebrating Ravana’s legacy as a Tamil cultural icon with Tamil pride and sacrificial leadership. Hence, the study investigates the role of Aram “Ravana Kavyam.”