Kamban (poet)

Kamban's statue

Kamban ( Tamil : கம்பன் Kampaṉ [ ˈkambən ]) or Kambar ( Honorificum ; Tamil: கம்பர் Kampar [ ˈkambər ]) is a Tamil poet. He probably lived in the 12th century and wrote the Kambaramayanam , the Tamil version of the Ramayana epic. He is often considered the greatest poet in Tamil literary history and is nicknamed "Emperor of the Poets" ( kavichakravarti ). Because of the importance of Ramayana in Hinduism Kamban is also an object of religious veneration.

Little is known about Kamban's biography. Even the meaning of his name is not clear: It is probably derived from an epithet of the god Shiva in Kanchipuram . However, there is also a possible connection to a historical district in the Chola Nadu landscape called Kamba Nadu ("Kamba Land"). A common nickname for Kamban is Kambanattalvar , " Alvar (poet saint) from Kamba country". The name Kamban is also associated with folk etymology with the words kambu "corn" and kambam "column", "stake". What is certain is that Kamban was born as a member of the Uvachan caste, a community of temple drummers, in the village of Tiruvazhunthur in what is now the Thanjavur district of the Indian state of Tamil Nadu . His patron was a prince named Sadaiyappan or Sadaiyan, whom he mentions in every thousandth verse of his work.

The dating of Kamban is uncertain and is put between the 9th and 12th centuries. After a verse from the Kambaramayanam the work was written in the year 885, but an alternative interpretation of the same verse puts the work in the 12th century. Certain allusions in the text are used as references either to the Chola king Uttama (r. 973–985) or the later Kulottunga III. (1178-1218) interpreted. In one verse, Kamban refers to a king Amalan, who is identified with Kulottunga II (1132–1150). Therefore it is considered likely that Kamban did not live before Kulottunga II. The upper limit, however, is set by the author Periyavachan Pillai (first half of the 13th century), who quotes Kamban in his commentary on Divya Prabandham . Accordingly, the 12th century is considered the most likely lifetime of Kamban.

In addition to the Kambaramayanam , a number of other less important works are ascribed to Kamban. These include two hymns of praise to agriculture with the titles Erelupadu and Tirukkaivalakkam and the two religious hymns Sadagoparandadi and Sarasuvadiyandadi . With all of these, however, Kamban's authorship is in doubt.

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supporting documents

1. ↑ Kamil Zvelebil: The Smile of Murugan. On Tamil Literature of South India, Leiden: EJ Brill, 1973, pp. 207-208.
2. ↑ Zvelebil 1973, p. 208.
3. ↑ Kamil Zvelebil: Tamil Literature. Leiden: EJ Brill, 1975, p. 185.