Who wrote the Tamil epic 'Silappadikaram'?

"Silappadikaram" ("The Tale of an Anklet") is the first of the five great epics of Tamil literature. It was written by Ilango Adigal, probably around the 5th-6th century CE (some scholars place it earlier).

About Ilango Adigal:

According to tradition, he was a Chera prince, the younger brother of the Chera king Senguttuvan, who renounced his claim to the throne and became a Jain monk ("Adigal" means a revered ascetic).

About Silappadikaram:

It tells the story of Kovalan, a wealthy merchant of the Chola port city of Puhar (Kaveripattinam), and his devoted wife Kannagi.

Kovalan falls in love with the dancer Madhavi and spends all his wealth on her. He later returns to Kannagi.

The couple goes to Madurai, the Pandya capital, to start a new life. Kovalan tries to sell one of Kannagi's anklets, but a goldsmith falsely accuses him of stealing the queen's anklet, and the Pandya king orders his execution.

Kannagi proves Kovalan's innocence by breaking her anklet, which contains rubies, while the queen's contained pearls. The king dies of shock, and Kannagi's curse burns Madurai.

King Senguttuvan later builds a temple to Kannagi as the goddess of chastity (Pattini).

It is divided into three books (kandams), named after the capitals of the three Tamil kingdoms: Puhar (Chola), Madurai (Pandya) and Vanji (Chera).

It combines poetry, music and dance, and is a valuable source on the society of early Tamil Nadu.

The five great epics of Tamil (Aimperumkappiyangal):

• Silappadikaram (Ilango Adigal).
• Manimekalai (Sattanar), its sequel, about the daughter of Kovalan and Madhavi.
• Civaka Cintamani (Tiruttakkatevar).
• Valayapathi and Kundalakesi (mostly lost).

Other Tamil classics:

• Tirukkural: Tiruvalluvar.
• Tolkappiyam: Tolkappiyar.

Why not the other options?

• ✗Sattanar wrote "Manimekalai".
• ✗Tiruvalluvar wrote "Tirukkural".
• ✗Tolkappiyar wrote "Tolkappiyam".