Letters in Tamil | Tamil Alphabets | Tamil Eluthukkal

Tamil letters / Tamil alphabets are known as Tamil Eluthukkal (தமிழ் எழுத்துக்கள்). Tamil letters have 12 vowels ( Uyireluttu – உயிரெழுத்து) and 18 consonants (Meyyeluttu  – மெய்யெழுத்து). These 12 vowels and 18 consonants combined to form 216 letters. It is called Uyirmey ezhuthu (உயிர்மெய் எழுத்து). It has one special letter called Aayutha ezhuthu (ஆய்த எழுத்து). Totally, 12+18+216+1=247 letters. Consonants are classified into three groups. They are Vallinam (வல்லினம்), Mellinam (மெல்லினம்) and Idayinam (இடையினம்).