THE SOUND · ZHA
IF YOU SAY ழ RIGHT,
YOU LISTENED
WELL AT HOME.
Somewhere between r, l and a soft “zh”: the tip of the tongue curls back without touching the palate. ழ exists only in Tamil and Malayalam – and it sits exactly where it belongs: at the end of தமிழ்.
In Tamil, vowels are called “life” and consonants “body”. Only together do they make a sound – as “life in a body”.
- 12 VOWELS · உயிர் “LIFE”
- 18 CONSONANTS · மெய் “BODY”
- 216 SYLLABLES · உயிர்மெய் “LIFE IN A BODY”
- 247 LETTERS
யாமறிந்த மொழிகளிலே தமிழ்மொழி போல் இனிதாவது எங்கும் காணோம்
YĀTUM ŪRĒ YĀVARUM KĒḶIR
“Of all the languages we know, none is as sweet as Tamil.”
உயிர் · மெய் — 12 VOWELS, 18 CONSONANTS, 247 LETTERS
(03) TAMIL COAST
ROOTED
IN LANGUAGE.
தமிழ்
From the harbours of the Coromandel Coast to every city of the diaspora: language has always been the ship that connects us.
Rooted in language. Connected across oceans.
(04) MOVEMENT
SPEAK IT.
WRITE IT.
WEAR IT.
ஒரு மக்கள். ஒரு பண்பாடு.
The word தமிழ் front and centre. No logo, no translation – if you can read it, you know. If you can't, you'll ask.