Suicide behaviour in the ancient civilizations with special reference to the tamils.

Suicide behaviour has attracted attention not only from the professionals but also from writers, poets and philosophers of all times and all cultures.In this paper the author describes the suicide behaviour found in the great Tamil classic of the 'Sangham' period, PURANANURU, an anthology of the 11 century A. D. The incidents relate to the self immolation of Perun Koppendu on the death of her husband, the fast unto death of the Chera king when insulted by the prison guard and the suicides of important kings and poets after bereavement.