This lexicon is a reference tool designed for students and scholars of Tamil literature in particular and Indian literature in general. It covers the Tamil literature of South India from its early beginnings more than 2000 years ago until approximately 1980. It includes names and short biographies of authors, lists of their works, anonymous literary works and matters of Tamil prosody, rhetoric and poetics. Wherever possible, bibliographic data are given with individual entries. Brief contents and evaluative statements are given with literary works of greater importance, whether ancient or modern.

