Parimelalhagar

Parimelalhagar (Tamil: பரிமேலழகர்) (c. 13th century CE), sometimes spelled Parimelazhagar, born Vanduvarai Perumal, was a Tamil poet and scholar known for his commentary on the Thirukkural.^[1] He was the last among the canon of ten medieval commentators of the Kural text most highly esteemed by scholars.^[2][3] He was also among the five oldest commentators whose commentaries had been preserved and made available to the Modern era, the others being Manakkudavar, Pari Perumal, Kaalingar, and Paridhi. Of all the ancient commentaries available of the Kural literature, Parimelalhagar's commentary is considered by scholars as the best both in textual and literary aspects.^[4][5] The codification of the writings of Valluvar is attributed to Parimelalhagar. Parimelalhagar also remains the most reviewed, in terms of both praise and criticism, of all the medieval Kural commentators. Praised for its literary richness and clarity, Parimelalhagar's commentary is considered highly complex and exquisite in its own right that it has several scholarly commentaries appearing over the centuries to elucidate it.^[6] Along with the Kural text, Parimelalhagar's commentary has been widely published that it is in itself regarded a Tamil classic.^[7]

Although the chapter ordering, and the verse ordering within each chapter, of the Tirukkural as set by Parimelalhagar varies greatly from the original work of Valluvar, the scholars and publishers of the modern era primarily follow Parimelalhagar's ordering. Thus, it is Parimelalhagar's ordering that is used to number the Kural chapters and couplets today.^[8]