கறநதகயல அமபலம அலரம / Ambal and Alar in Kurunthogai

The life and lifestyle of the Sangam-era Tamil people were of an exemplary and refined nature. The people of that time divided their lives into Akam (inner, private life) and Puram (outer, public life) and lived accordingly. In the Sangam period, they engaged in two types of domestic life. They are Kalavu (secret love) and Kaṟpu (chaste married life). In this way of life, the relationship between the hero (Talaivan) and the heroine (Talaivi), as well as the nature of their bond remained concealed from people. Akam refers to the private joy shared between the hero and heroine who are united in mutual understanding. It is a joy that should not be revealed to others. Therefore, making a secret love (Kalavu) known to the public would be considered a disgrace (Ambalam/Ambal). When the hero and heroine are engaged in love in a manner that becomes known to the people, such open love is referred to as Alar in Sangam literature. Hence, this article aims to discuss the concepts of Ambal and Alar as found in the “Kurunthogai” and highlights their significance in the poetic tradition.