First Tamil Book

Printing was known to the Human civilization as early as 220 AD. But the advent of movable printing or the modern printing revolutionized the world of printing. The products of modern printing techniques were more durable and dependable. Mass production was possible.

With Industrial revolution spread all over Europe and missionaries and merchants travelling all around the world from Europe, the printing had gained great significance as medium to spread Christian principles. It wouldn’t be surprising to know that the first book to be printed in the movable printing type in 1450 was a Bible famously known as the Gutenberg Bible.

Printed books became very important tool for the missionaries who travelled to the third world to spread Christianity. When they moved to other countries to spread their religion, some of the missionaries understood the importance of learning the local language and propagating their ideologies in the local language.

Vasco da Gama a Portuguese explorer was the first European to find sea route to India. He first landed in in Kappad, near Calicut on 20 May 1498. Six years after his arrival the process of establishing Portuguese India began. By 1510 then had strong hold along the cost in Kerala and had a permanent settlement in Goa.

With establishment of Portuguese India the Jesuits missionaries started coming to India to propagate their Ideologies. Jesuits missionaries were the first to understand the importance of understanding the local Language.

Henrique Henriques (1520-1600) is one of the first known scholars to have initiated a scientific study of Tamil Language. He had even proposed erection of a Tamil University as early as 1560 at Mannar or Punnaikayil(Tuticorin).

It would be a surprising for many to know that Tamil was the first non European Language to be printed in a modern press. The First Tamil book was printed in Lisbon on 11.2.1554 in Lisbon with Romanized Tamil script. The name of the Tamil catechism was ‘Carthila e lingoa Tamul e Portugues’, by Vincente de Nazareth, Jorge Carvalho and Thoma da Cruz. This was the first time European language was translated in Tamil. This was also the first continuous text in Indian Language to be transliterated into a western script.

First printing press was introduced in India in 1556 by Jesuits in Goa. Initial printing was done in Latin and Portuguese. The first known Tamil types were cast in 1577 in Goa by a Spanish Jesuit, Juan Gonsalves. But since they were not satisfactory, new casts were made in Quilon(Kollam) in 1578 by Father Joao da Faria.

Impressions of these Tamil letters exist in a book by Henrique Henriques called ‘Tambiran Vankkam’. This book probably the earliest available book in a Indian font.

The whole title of the book is ‘Doctrina Christam en Lingua Malauar Tamul – Tampiran Vanakam’.This 16 book of prayers and catechetical instructions were printed in Quilon on 20th October 1578.

Tamil Christians in Malabar contributed graciously and set up a press in Cochin and printed ‘Doctrina Christam’ alias ‘Kiricittiyani vanakkam’ authored Henriques in Cochin on 14.11.1579.

Around 1586, another book of Henriques, ‘Flos Sanctorum’ (Punitar varalaru of 669 pages) was printed in Punnaikayil (Tuticorin).

It would be very interesting to compare introduction modern printing in other Countries with respect to Tamil.

Language/Country - Year the first book was printed
Tamil - 1554
China - 1584
Japan - 1590
Peru - 1584
Mexico (in Spanish) - 1539
Africa - 1624
Russia - 1563
Constantinople - 1727
Greece - 1821

The scanned copy of the 1554 booklet along with other early books can be found at http://karkanirka.wordpress.com/2010/04/14/first_tamil_book/.