Ativiraramar

Ativiraramar, also known as Ativlraramar was a Tamil poet and a king who belonged to the Pandya dynasty and held control over a restricted region close to Tenkasi. He was more popular as a poet and scholar that a ruler; and composed numerous puranas and other poetical works. Amongst the Puranas written by him, Kacikkantam, also called Kachikantham, is perhaps the most popular in Tamil literature. The work mentions about the munificence and prominence of Kaci or Banaras or Benaras in two thousand five hundred and twenty five verses. Another work by the much venerated Tamil poet king Ativiraramar that gained tremendous popularity is the literary work of Naitatam, which is composed in the viruttam metre. Naitatam elaborately discusses about the tales related to the king of the Nisata country named Najan, based on the stories from the Sanskrit epic the Mahabharata. It is considered as one of the significant works in Tamil literature.

The opening part of the Tamil literary work of Naitatam is more elaborate and detailed than the latter parts of the work. According to regional beliefs, this imperfection was discovered by his wife, who was also a scholar in Tamil language. Naitatam is mostly renowned for Cirunkara Rasa and the over enthusiasm of the poet king Ativiraramar in narrating the scenes of romance and love is also adequately evident in the Tamil poetic work. The author Ativiraramar has also composed an ethical literary work in Tamil language which was entitled as the Naruntokai, also known as Veniverkai. The work is well renowned and is read widely. The poetic work of Tamil literature is popular for its composition and its lucidity, effortless and uncomplicated readability and presentation. Along with literary works, the poet king Ativiraramar or Ativlraramar also composed other works that contained many didactic and ethical messages which were the prominent characteristics of that era.

Varatunkarama Pantiyar, the elder brother of Ativiraramar, was also a great scholar in Tamil. He authored the Shaivite literary work known as the Piramottara Kantam. His other work includes a devotional poetic collection titled Karuvaip Patirruppattantati. It was known as the minor Tiruvacakam as it captivated the readers through its poetry.