Editing Tamil Nadu (section)

==Etymology==
The name is derived from [[Tamil language]] with ''nadu'' meaning "land" and Tamil Nadu meaning "the land of Tamils". The [[Tamil language#Etymology|origin]] and precise etymology of the word Tamil is unclear with multiple theories attested to it.<ref name="Zvelebil">{{cite book|first=Kamil V.|last=Zvelebil|year=1973|title=The smile of Murugan: on Tamil literature of South India|publisher=Brill|location=Leiden|isbn=978-3-447-01582-0|pages=11–12}}</ref> In the ancient [[Sangam literature]], [[Tamilakam]] refers to the area of present-day Tamil Nadu, [[Kerala]] and parts of [[Karnataka]] and [[Andhra Pradesh]]. ''[[Tolkāppiyam]]'' (2nd to 1st century BCE) indicates the borders of Tamilakam as [[Tirumala]] and [[Cape Comorin|Kanniyakumari]].<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.dinamani.com/weekly-supplements/tamilmani/2011/Jan/02/%E0%AE%B5%E0%AE%9F%E0%AE%B5%E0%AF%87%E0%AE%99%E0%AF%8D%E0%AE%95%E0%AE%9F%E0%AE%AE%E0%AF%81%E0%AE%AE%E0%AF%8D-%E0%AE%A4%E0%AF%86%E0%AE%A9%E0%AF%8D%E0%AE%95%E0%AF%81%E0%AE%AE%E0%AE%B0%E0%AE%BF%E0%AE%AF%E0%AF%81%E0%AE%AE%E0%AF%8D-291655.html|title=Venkadam to Kumari|work=[[Dina Mani]]|date=January 2011|language=ta|access-date=1 December 2023}}</ref> The name ''Tamilakam'' is used in other Sangam era literature such as ''[[Puṟanāṉūṟu]]'', ''[[Patiṟṟuppattu]]'', ''[[Cilappatikaram]]'', and ''[[Manimekalai]]''.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.tamilvu.org/courses/degree/a031/a0311/html/a0311332.htm|title=History of Ancient Tamilakam|language=ta|work=[[Tamil Virtual University]]|access-date=1 December 2023|archive-date=8 May 2024|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240508065803/https://www.tamilvu.org/courses/degree/a031/a0311/html/a0311332.htm|url-status=live}}</ref> ''Cilappatikaram'' (5th to 6th century CE) and ''[[Ramavataram]]'' (12th century CE) mention the name ''Tamil Nadu'' to denote the region.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.tamilvu.org/slet/l3100/l3100uri.jsp?slno=2700&subid=2700026|title=Cilappatikaram|work=[[Tamil Virtual University]]|language=ta|access-date=24 February 2023}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://temple.dinamalar.com/news_detail.php?id=8344|title=Cilappatikaram|work=[[Dinamalar]]|language=ta|access-date=24 February 2023|archive-date=24 February 2023|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230224143527/https://temple.dinamalar.com/news_detail.php?id=8344|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://tamilconcordance.in/TABLE-KAMBAN-4-TEXT.html|title=Kambaramayanam|work=Tamil Concordance|language=ta|access-date=1 December 2023|archive-date=8 May 2024|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240508064327/http://tamilconcordance.in/TABLE-KAMBAN-4-TEXT.html|url-status=live}}</ref>