Themes of Kurinji Landscape Leaders in the Kuruntokai

Among ancient literary genres, Sangam literature holds a prominent place. Sangam literature reflects both the external and internal events of people in the Sangam period, focusing on their way of life. Love and war are indispensable aspects of Tamil lifeand naturally form the core themes of Sangam poetry. Kuruntokai, one of the eight anthologies (Ettuthokai), is primarily concerned with agam (interior life, love) themes. Its content revolves around natural landscapes, locations in pastoral life, the affections of chieftains and leaders, and emotional experiences like longing and separation. The poems are closely connected to natural imagery, and scholars have classified the landscapes into five types, known collectively as the Ainthinai. Among these, the Kurinji (mountainous) landscape is particularly significant. This study examines the themes related to leaders of the Kurinji landscape in Kuruntokai, focusing on love, emotion, and natural settings as represented in these poems.