Puram

Puram (Tamil: புறம், puṟam, Lit. exterior) is one of two genres of Classical Tamil poetry. The concept of the lifestyle of human beings falls in two categories: personal and public. The genre dealing with poems about love affairs is called Akam (அகம்), while Puram concerns many subjects including wars, kings, poets and personal virtues.^[1]

Tolkāppiyam, the earliest work of Tamil grammar and literature available in Tamil, divides each genre into seven strands (Thinai), comparing and connecting the two categories of lifestyle.^[2]

Works in the Puram genre reflect on different people's lifestyles, especially that of kings. The works identify personal names, unlike in the Akam genre.^[3] Because they include the names of kings, poets, and places, Tamil literary scholars consider them a historical record.^[4]

See also

• Sangam literature