Thirukkural API & Web App

This project is a Flask-based REST API and Web Application that allows users to search for Thirukkural verses, retrieve detailed explanations, and explore random Kurals. It supports both GET URL-based searches and POST JSON requests for flexibility in web and app integrations.

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⭐️ Features

• 🔍 Search Thirukkural by number or keyword (Tamil & English support).
• 🎲 Fetch random Kurals with full explanations.
• 🌐 API endpoints for seamless integration with apps and websites.
• 💻 Web-based UI for direct searching and viewing Kurals.
• 🗄️ SQLite database backend for storing Kural data.

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🚀 Installation & Setup

1. Clone the Repository

git clone https://github.com/your-repo/thirukkural-api.git
cd thirukkural-api

2. Create a Virtual Environment

python -m venv venv
source venv/bin/activate  # On Windows: venv\Scripts\activate

3. Install Dependencies

pip install -r requirements.txt

4. Set Up Database

• Make sure you have thirukkural_data.csv in your project directory.
• Run the Flask app once to initialize the SQLite database:

python app.py

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📡 API Endpoints

1. Search for Kurals or Get by Number

Endpoint: GET or POST /api/chat

a. Search using GET (query param):

GET /api/chat?query=love

b. Search using POST (JSON):

POST /api/chat
Content-Type: application/json
{
  "query": "love"
}

✅ Response Example:

{
  "type": "search",
  "query": "love",
  "results": [
    {
      "kural_no": 80,
      "kural_tamil": "அன்பும் அறனும் உடைத்தென்பர் ஆற்றின்...",
      "kural_english": "They say love and virtue dwell together...",
      "explanation_tamil": "...",
      "explanation_english": "..."
    }
  ]
}

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2. Get a Random Kural

Endpoint: GET /api/random

✅ Example:

GET /api/random

✅ Response Example:

{
  "kural_no": 45,
  "kural_tamil": "அறவாழி அந்தணன் தாள்சேர்ந்தார்...",
  "kural_english": "Those who have reached the feet of the virtuous...",
  "explanation_tamil": "...",
  "explanation_english": "..."
}

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🌍 Web Interface (Optional)

You can also search and read Kurals through a simple web interface.

Run the app:

python app.py

Open in browser:

http://127.0.0.1:5000

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🎨 Improving the UI

• HTML Templates: templates/index.html
• CSS Styling: static/style.css

You can customize these files to improve user experience.

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🧑‍💻 Author

Praveen Manoharan
Zerrowtech

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🤝 Contributions

• Fork this repository and create a pull request for improvements.
• Feel free to suggest additional features and report issues!

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📜 License

This project is licensed under the MIT License — free for personal and commercial use.

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🔗 Example API Call Using Fetch (Frontend JavaScript)

fetch('http://127.0.0.1:5000/api/chat?query=love')
  .then(response => response.json())
  .then(data => console.log(data));