Antati

For the Tamil film of the same name, see Andhadhi (film).

Antati (Tamil: அந்தாதி, romanized: 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.^[2]

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

References

1. Carman, John; Carman, Research Fellow and Senior Lecturer John; Narayanan, Vasudha (1989-05-17). The Tamil Veda: Pillan's Interpretation of the Tiruvaymoli. University of Chicago Press. p. 60. ISBN 978-0-226-09305-5.
2. Selvaraj, Silambu N. (2017). "அந்தாதி LITERATURE | தமிழ் இணையக் கல்விக்கழகம் TAMIL VIRTUAL ACADEMY". www.tamilvu.org. Tamil Virtual Academy.
3. "அற்புதத் திருவந்தாதி - விக்கிமூலம்". ta.wikisource.org. Wikisource.
4. "Archived copy" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on 2008-11-21. Retrieved 2012-08-31.
5. "Archived copy" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on 2008-11-21. Retrieved 2012-08-31.
6. "Archived copy" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on 2008-11-21. Retrieved 2012-08-31.
7. "Project Madurai" (PDF). projectmadurai.org. Retrieved 4 June 2023.