Ainthinai Aimpathu, also known as Aintinai Aimpattu, is an ethical poetic work of didactic character which belongs to the Patinenkilkkanakku anthology of Ethical Tamil Literature. Patinenkilkkanakku (Pathinenkilkanakku) is a compilation of 18 poetic works in Tamil which were composed in the period after the Sangam age, between 100 CE and 500 CE. Ainthinai Aimpathu was composed in the post Sangam age equivalent to between 100 CE - 500 CE. The literary work has fifty hymns and was composed by the renowned poet Kannan Koothanaar, who resided in Madurai. The ethical poetic work of Tamil literature is much revered for its manner of construction and its eloquence, graceful and simple presentation. The literary work of Ainthinai Aimpathu contains several didactic and ethical messages which were the major characteristics of that period.
The poetic work of Ainthinai Aimpathu or Aintinai Aimpattu is prescribed as text for various schools in the state of Tamil Nadu in India. The poems of Ainthinai Aimpathu are outstanding in the application of similes that assist to edify the moral codes with the use of simple instances from every day life.
Composition of Ainthinai Aimpathu
Ainthinai Aimpathu or Aintinai Aimpattu is an anthology series of ethical Tamil poems that was composed by the revered Tamil poet Kannan Koothanaar. This post Sangam work is one of the 18 minor literary works in Tamil which are comprised in the Patinenkilkkanakku collection. The numerous verses in Ainthinai Aimpathu are composed on the Agam or Akam tradition of Tamil literature of Sangam age which refers to the internal or subjective themes and concepts. The Akam tradition utilised in the Sangam literature relates to the different subject matters which are related with the intangible concepts of life such as love, human emotions and feelings, disagreement between lovers, separation, desire to meet lover etc.
The poems in the collection describe five different Tamil landscape found in poetic works of Sangam literature, known as Thinai in Tamil that depict the general idea of the literary work.. The poems of Ainthinai Aimpathu are categoriesd into ten poems for each of the five Thinais. These elaborately narrate the situations, circumstances and emotions particular to each of the landscape. The five Thinais or landscapes found in poems of Sangam literature are Kurinji (mountains), Mullai (forest), Marutham (farmland), Neithal (seashore) and Paalai (parched land).
The work of Ainthinai Aimpathu mentions, in simple and concise manner, the several moral and ethical codes that are essential for daily life of any person, as well as for the society.
