Tokai and Pāṭṭu are two basic enumerations of the corpus of Sangam literature in Tamil. The tokais consist of eight anthologies, viz. Naṟṟiṇai, Kuṟuntokai, Aiṅkuṟunūṟu, Patiṟṟuppattu, Paripāṭal, Kalittokai, Akanāṉūṟu and Puṟanāṉūṟu. The Pāṭṭu group is represented by the anthology, Pattuppāṭṭu. Pattuppāṭṭu consists of ten ‘songs’. Unlike the poems of tokai group, songs in Pattuppāṭṭu are long poems.

Mullaippāṭṭu, Kuṟiñcippāṭṭu and Paṭṭiṉappālai belong to akam love theme. Tirumurukāṟṟuppaṭai, Porunarāṟṟuppaṭai, Ciṟupāṇāṟṟuppaṭai, Perumpāṇāṟṟuppaṭai, Malaipaṭukaṭām, Maturaikkāñci, Neṭunalvāṭai belong to puṟam (non-akam) theme. The first five of these belong to a typical Tamil genre called āṟṟuppaṭai where a bard is depicted as directing another bard to a munificent patron from whom he has received bountiful rewards. Nacciṉārkkiṉiyar has written a commentary on all these songs. Dr. U.V. Cāminātaiyar first published this book in 1889.

In Tirumurukāṟṟuppaṭai a devotee who was blessed with Lord Murugan’s grace is shown as directing and guiding another devotee to his shrine. Nakkīrar is the author of this long poem of 317 lines composed in akaval metre. The renowned Murugan shrines in Tamil Nadu are exquisitely described in this work. The temples of Tirupparaṅkuṉṟam, Tiruccīralaivāy, Tiruāviṉaṉkuṭi, Tiruvērakam, Kuṉṟutōṟāṭal and Paḻamutircōlai and their natural settings are described elaborately, as also prayers and festivals of the temples, and sages and other devotees who throng the temples. Philosophical interpretations of the personality of Murugan also find a place in this poem.