Antati Explained

Antati (Tamil: அந்தாதி|translit=Antāti) is a unique kind of Tamil poetry, constructed such that the last or ending word of each verse becomes the first word of the next verse.^[1]

In some instances, the last word of the series of verses becomes the beginning of the very first verse, thus making the poem "a true garland of verses". The term is a portmanteau, since in Tamil, anta(m) means "end", and ati means "beginning".^[2] The Shaiva saint Karaikal Ammaiyar was the first poet to compose an antati.

Antatis

• Arpudha Tiruvantati by Karaikal Ammaiyar^[3]
• Mutal Tiruvantati by Poigai Alvar^[4]
• Irantam Tiruvantati by Bhoothath Alvar^[5]
• Munram Tiruvantati by Peyalvar^[6]
• Tiruvaymoli by Nammalvar
• Kanninun Cirutampu by Madurakavi Alvar
• Abirami Antati by Abirami Pattar^[7]
• Saraswati antati by Kambar

See also

• Anadiplosis

Notes and References

1. Book: Carman . John . The Tamil Veda: Pillan's Interpretation of the Tiruvaymoli . Carman . Research Fellow and Senior Lecturer John . Narayanan . Vasudha . 1989-05-17 . University of Chicago Press . 978-0-226-09305-5 . 60 . en.
2. Web site: Selvaraj. Silambu N.. 2017. அந்தாதி LITERATURE தமிழ் இணையக் கல்விக்கழகம் TAMIL VIRTUAL ACADEMY. www.tamilvu.org. Tamil Virtual Academy.
3. Web site: அற்புதத் திருவந்தாதி - விக்கிமூலம். ta.wikisource.org. Wikisource.
4. Web site: Archived copy . 2012-08-31 . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20081121200054/http://www.acharya.org/divyapr/ayiram3/01-mtvant30/2082-mudhal-thiruvandhAdhi-eng.pdf . 2008-11-21 .
5. Web site: Archived copy . 2012-08-31 . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20081121193438/http://www.acharya.org/divyapr/ayiram3/02-itvant30/2182-iraNdAm-thiruvandhadhi-tml.pdf . 2008-11-21 .
6. Web site: Archived copy . 2012-08-31. dead. https://web.archive.org/web/20081121200143/http://www.acharya.org/divyapr/ayiram3/03-mtvant31/2282-mUnRAm-thiruvandhAdhi-tml.pdf . 2008-11-21 .
7. Web site: Project Madurai. projectmadurai.org. 4 June 2023.