Panar, Paṇar, Paṉar: 3 definitions

Introduction:

Panar means something in the history of ancient India, Tamil. If you want to know the exact meaning, history, etymology or English translation of this term then check out the descriptions on this page. Add your comment or reference to a book if you want to contribute to this summary article.

India history and geography

Source: archive.org: Journal of the Madras University, vol.28 (history)

Panar refers to a “wandering minstrel”.—In South India of this period we hear largely only about the kuthu though many varieties of it are described in the poems of the day. What was the excellence reached by the Tamil drama vis-a-vis the Western drama of the times it is not easy to compute. Still it would appear that the kuthu of the Tamils was more in the nature of the troubadour’s art than anything else. But the troubadours themselves appear to have reached a greater excellence than what was attained by the Roman minstrels of the time, if we judge from the prominence given in the Sangam poems to the panar or wandering minstrel and even more from the large royal patronage commanded by these men.

Source: Triveni: Journal (history)

Panar refers to “singers”, “royal bards”, or “panegyrists”.—The words pan and pan meaning, a piece of music, (whence padu, sing, pattu), belong to the earliest stratum of Tamil, thus proving that singing was one of the earliest recreations of the Tamils. The Panar, originally singers and after the institution of kingship in the pastoral stage of culture, royal bards and panegyrists, followed an ancient and honoured, though ill- rewarded, profession among the Tamils. The ancient panars were the friends and counsellors of kings during the long ages when the pure Tamil culture flourished, but when Aryan culture from North India mingled with that of South India during historic times, the persistence of the panar in the over-indulgence in meat-fold and drinking of ardent spirits brought about their social degradation into one of the lowest and most untouchable castes of South India.

India history book cover
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The history of India traces the identification of countries, villages, towns and other regions of India, as well as mythology, zoology, royal dynasties, rulers, tribes, local festivities and traditions and regional languages. Ancient India enjoyed religious freedom and encourages the path of Dharma, a concept common to Buddhism, Hinduism, and Jainism.

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Languages of India and abroad

Tamil dictionary

Source: DDSA: University of Madras: Tamil Lexicon

Paṇar (பணர்) noun < பணை-. [panai-.] (W.)

1. Branches; மரக்கிளை. [marakkilai.]

2. Thick branches; அடர்ந்தகொப்பு. பணர்விட்டுக் கிளைக்கிறது. [adarnthagoppu. panarvittug kilaikkirathu.]

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Paṉar (பனர்) noun cf. பணை. [panai.] Branch; கிளை. (யாழ்ப்பாணத்து மானிப்பாயகராதி) [kilai. (yazhppanathu manippayagarathi)]

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Tamil is an ancient language of India from the Dravidian family spoken by roughly 250 million people mainly in southern India and Sri Lanka.

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