a merchant or a Ve˜˜ala (landlord belonging to the agricultural
community).

     The Tamil poems, instead of being classified into eight kinds
of Vanappu, viz., ammai, a˜agu, tonmai, t†l, virundu, iyaibu, pulan
and ilaibu, according to the traditional mode as mentioned in
Tolkappiyam, became divided into PeruŒgƒppiyam (major epic) and
š)irukƒppiyam (minor epic) on the Sanskrit pattern.

     A host of topographical legends (Puranas) distorting the form
and meaning of old place-names, stigmatizing all the ancient Tamil
emperors and conquerors as asuras (demons and monsters),
exalting Sanskrit and the Sanskritists as divine language and
earthly gods respectively, gradually came into existence, to
irrationalize the Tamil masses.

     The other ways of Aryanization of Tamil were, Sanskritisation
of proper names of persons (particularly of kings) and places,
Sanskritisation of terminology in arts, sciences and grammar,
composition of Tamil works in imitation of Sanskrit Puranas, bilingual
recording of royal edicts and public grants and introduction of
Sanskrit characters into Tamil.

     (1) Arrest of Tamil development.
     (2) Abolition of the Third Tamil Academy.
     (3) Non-recognition of TirukkuŠa˜.
     (4) Estrangement of Tamil from its allied (DravidiaŒ languages.
     (5) Plagiarism of Sanskrit authors.
     (6) Antedating of Sanskrit works and postdating of Tamil
        works.
     (7) Distortion of history.
     (8) Attribution of Aryan origin to Tamil language and literature.
     (9) Attribution of Aryan origin to Tamilian cults and religions.
     (10) Tampering with Tamil texts.
     (11) Exclusion of orthodox Tamil scholars from literary
        committees.
     (12) Unemployment of orthodox Tamil scholars.