Many of the poetic works in Tamil rank with the best anywhere in can the world. However, the lovers of litera ture who do denied works. not know the language are the pleasure Perhaps, of enjoying these some Tamil knowing people themselves would need assistance to comprehend the full meaning of these works composed several centuries ago. It was to Government meet of these Tamil ambitious project in needs that Nadu launched 1988 to bring translations in English of selected It was decided by the Experts I had the appointed translations in order that the the an out Tamil classics. Committee for this should be of purpose that in verse exquisite artistic appeal of the original. may be brought out in adequate measure.

I do not particularly want to be known and pointed out as a translator of classical Tamil poetry. I happened to do a book the Squirrel in the Courtyard, I was invited to do a second - The Ten Decads and before. I knew it, I had contracted a habit. It is not bad as habits go and this certainly keeps me out of the public houses. And some charitable critics for, contrary to the prevailing view there do exist some charitable minded people among this tough breed assured me they have read worse passages. And, as they helpfully add, they do enable one to make sense out of the extraordinarily recondite Sangam lyrics composed within the frame work of conventions unique to that epoch.

Hence, to start with, I have furnished quite a detailed introduction explaining the Sangam literary conventions, without a knowledge of which these lyrics cannot be enjoyed. I appologise for the length of this part, but I know I shall be forgiven at the end of its perusal by the intelligent reader who may most likely have missed acquainting himself with this uniqu literature during the course of his apprenticeship as a literary dilettante.

**Contents and Sample Pages**