T.S. Eliot
“Do I dare
Disturb the universe?
In a minute there is time
For decisions and revisions
which a minute will reverse.”
The Love Song of J. Alfred Prufrock, 1915
Eliot Forum is a collaborative collection of literature reviews with Tamil writing at its center and the whole world on its reading list. We are dedicated to Tamil literature in all its range, from ancient Sangam poetry to modern novels, and equally to the great works of world literature. Publishing in both Tamil and English, we are a meeting place for two literary worlds: a home for Tamil readers curious about global writing, and a window for global readers discovering Tamil.
How we came together
We are readers of Tamil literature who came together in America through the writer Jeyamohan. His writing connected us, and through his introduction and guidance, we shaped our shared interests into action. Some of us discovered T.S. Eliot through him, and some rediscovered him. That shared experience became the foundation for this forum.
The Vishnupuram Literary Circle, founded by Austin Soundar of Texas, has been central to making this possible. Through the Circle, Tamil readers found a space to gather meaningfully. Its digital programs, the Ka.na.su Quarterly meets and the Eliot monthly meets, brought people together across distances. Its in-person gatherings, the Boone Camp and the New York Literary Festival 2026, created opportunities to meet and share face to face. Together, these efforts laid the ground from which this forum grew, a place where Tamil literature stays alive in conversation.
Our belief
We take inspiration from T.S. Eliot, poet, critic, and reader, who believed that literature is the living voice of a civilization. In his essay “The Function of Criticism,” Eliot wrote that literary criticism is “the common pursuit of true judgment.” Like Eliot, we believe that reading closely is an act of understanding deeply. Criticism, for us, is not about delivering verdicts. It is a shared effort to read honestly, think carefully, and keep the conversation going.