30+ Tamil Hobbies: Thrilling & Revitalizing

Hobbies are activities or pastimes that someone does for pleasure or relaxation, typically in their spare time. In Tamil, hobbies are known as பொழுதுபோக்குகள் Poḻutupōkkukaḷ. We will look at Tamil hobbies and the Tamil names for common hobbies.

The Tamils are an ancient people of South India who have a rich and vibrant heritage. Their culture is one of the oldest in the world, with a history that stretches back thousands of years. The Tamils have produced great literature, art, music, dance, architecture, and a strong religious and philosophical tradition.

You may not know this, but the Tamils also have a strong martial tradition, having fought for centuries for their independence and freedom. Today, the Tamils are a thriving community with a vibrant culture that is celebrated around the world.

Tamil Culture Reflects Tamil Hobbies

Tamil culture is reflected in the hobbies of modern Tamils. Popular hobbies include literature, music, dancing, cooking, gardening, and painting. Many Tamil families have a strong religious tradition and will often engage in spiritual activities such as performing puja, visiting temples, and participating in cultural ceremonies.

Tamils also enjoy outdoor activities such as hiking, camping, and trekking. There are also a variety of sports that are popular among the Tamil community, including cricket, football, and badminton.

Traditional dance, art, martial arts, music, and crafts came out of their culture. We’ll take a look at these which have been adopted as hobbies for modern Tamils.

Tamil Hobbies – Art & Crafts

• Veena Making: வீணை செய்தல் Vinai Ceytal is the traditional art of creating the large guitar-shaped musical instrument from a jackfruit tree.

• Bronze Statue Making: வெண்கல சிலை செய்தல் Venkala Cilai Ceytal is the creation of bronze statues that were often used in palaces as decorations because of their intricate designs.

• Silk Saree Weaving: பட்டுப் புடவை நெசவு Pattup Putavai Necavu The saree has been around for thousands of years, making its weaving a true art. Creating these silk textiles is the work of a master weaver; their creation is very valuable indeed.

• Clay Pottery: களிமண் மட்பாண்டங்கள் Kaliman Matpantankal Used long ago for utensils and holding water, clay pottery is an ancient art of Tamil people; also used to make statues.

• Kolam Making: கோலம் போடுதல் Kolam Potutal It is drawn very early in the morning as a spiritual art form using rice flour to attract birds, joining the internal to the external and often at the entrance or walkway into the home. Nowadays, people use white chalk to draw it.

• Gold Painting: தங்க ஓவியம் Tanka Oviyam Dating as far back as the 16th Century, Hindu gods and goddesses are painted, and gold leaves are added as a 3D effect. The art was done for royalty and the wealthy as a status symbol.

Tamil Hobbies – Dance

There are 14 different dance styles traditional to Tamil Nadu, with பரதநாட்டியம் Bharatnatyam being the most important and popular. It was first performed for Lord Shiva, the Hindu god, and it is considered the mother of all dances.

கரகாட்டம் Karagattam is another traditional dance that was first performed for the worship of the goddess Amman. Dancers place metal pots on their heads, balancing up to four pots stacked one on top of the other!

Tamil Hobbies – Music

The playing of traditional instruments as well as interest in traditional music, is still highly favored by Tamils. Tamil folk music is currently being reformed by many enthusiasts, bringing many folk songs back to life.

Sangam music dating back to the 6th and 10th centuries, post-Sangam and Pann or Carnatic music are examples of traditional Tamil music liked by many.

Tamil Hobbies – Sport

Traditional sports enjoyed by Tamils are கபடி Kabaddi, சேவல் சண்டை Savel Sandai, ஜல்லிக்கட்டு Jalikkattu, and கோ-கோ Kho-kho.

Varma Kalai, Kuttu Varisai, Malyutham, Silambam, and Adithada are parts of Martial arts famous in Tamil Nadu. They are pressure point attacks, hand-to-hand combat, wrestling, weapons fighting, and kickboxing respectively.

Today, Tamils are known for cricket, tennis, chess, and hockey.

List of Tamil Hobbies

This is a list of the common hobbies found all over the world, including those in Tamil Nadu. The meaning is given as well as the Tamil word and pronunciation. There are many advantages to this. It will help you improve your vocabulary; you will understand when hobbies are shared and learn to share more about yourself by talking about a common topic – hobbies!

Some hobbies are common to the Asian subcontinent, which include origami, calligraphy, collecting antiques, and martial arts.

Learn The Tamil Language With Ling App

Hopefully, these hobbies have made you curious about Tamils and interested in trying their traditional hobbies by yourself!

To immerse yourself in learning the Tamil language, check out more of our blog posts. There is a huge amount of information about the language, culture, and traditions. There are also a lot of movies, jokes, slang, etc.

Further on, you may also consider learning the language from the very start. If so, consider the Ling App as your teacher and friend. Not only does it have voice recognition to improve audio pronunciation, but it also helps you work on your accent and understand reading, writing, vocabulary, phrases, and much more.

For additional information, click here or directly download the Ling app from the Apple Store or Google Play Store.