SANGAM AGE

The Sangam Age constitutes an important chapter in the history of South India. According to Tamil legends, there existed three Sangams (Academy of Tamil Poets) in ancient Tamil Nadu popularly called Muchchangam. These Sangams flourished under the royal patronage of the Pandyas.

1. Literature

The corpus of Sangam literature includes Tolkappiyam, Ettutogai, Pattuppattu, Patinenkilkanankku and the two epics-Silappathigaram and Manimegalai.

• Both Ettutogai and Pattuppattu were divided into two main groups: Aham (love) and Puram (Valour).
• Pathinenkilkanakku contains eighteen works mostly dealing with ethics and morals.
• The most important among them is Tirukkural authored by Thiruvalluvar.
• Silappathigaram written by Elango Adigal and Manimegalai by Sittalai Sattangar also provides valuable information on the Sangam polity and society.

• The chronology of the Sangam literature is still a disputed topic among scholars.
• The sheet anchor of Sangam chronology lies in the fact that Gajabhagu II of Sri Lanka and Cheran Senguttuvan of the Chera dynasty were contemporaries.
• This is confirmed by Silappathigaram as well as the Dipavamsa and Mahavamsa.
• The Roman coins issued by Roman emperors of the first century A.D. were found in plenty in various places of Tamil Nadu.
• Hence, the most probable date of the Sangam literature has been fixed between the third century B.C. to the third century A.D. based on literary, archaeological and numismatic evidence.

2. Political History

During the Sangam Age, Tamil country was ruled by the Chera, Chola and Pandyas. The political history of these dynasties can be traced from the literary references

• Karikala was a famous king of the Sangam Cholas. Patinappalai portrays his early life and his military conquests.
• In the Battle of Venni, he defeated the mighty confederacy consisting of the Cheras, Pandyas and eleven minor chieftains. This event is mentioned in many Sangam Poems
•  Vahapaipparandalai was another important battle fought by him in which nine enemy chieftains submitted before him. Karikala’s military achievements made him the overlord of the whole Tamil Country.
• Trade and commerce flourished during his reign period. He was responsible for the reclamation of forest lands and brought them under cultivation thus adding prosperity to the people. He also built Kallanai across the river Kaveri and also constructed many irrigation tanks.

• The Pandyas ruled over the present-day southern Tamil Nadu. Their capital was Madurai.
• The earliest kings of the Pandyan dynasty were Nediyon, Palyagasalai Mudukudumi Peruvaludhi and Mudathirumaran. There were two Neduncheliyans.
• The first one was known as Aryappadai Kadantha Neduncheliyan (one who won victories over the Aryan Forces). He was responsible for the execution of Kovalan for which Kannagi burnt Madurai.
• The other was Talaiyalanganattu Cheruvenra (He won the battle at Talaiyalanganam) Neduncheliyan. He was praised by Nakkirar and Mangudi Maruthanar.
• He wrote this title after defeating his enemies at the Battle of Talaiyalanganam, which is located in the Tanjore district. With this victory, Neduncheliyan gained control over the entire Tamil Nadu.
• Maduraikkanji written by Mangudi Maruthanar describes the socio-economic condition of the Pandya country including the flourishing seaport of Korkai.
• The last famous Pandyan king was Uggira Peruvaludhi including the flourishing seaport of Korkai. The last famous Pandyan king was Uggira Peruvaludhi.
• The Pandyan rule during the Sangam Age began to decline due to the invasion of the Kalabhras.

Minor Chieftains

• The Minor Chieftains played a significant role in the Sangam Period. Among them, Pari, Kari, Ori, Nalli, Pegan, Ay and Adiyaman were popular for their philanthropy and patronage of Tamil poets.
• Therefore, they were known as Kadai Yelu Vallalgal.
• Although they were subordinate to the Chera, Chola and Pandya Rulers, they were powerful and popular in their respective regions.

3. Sangam Polity

• Hereditary monarchy was the form of government during the Sangam period. The king had also taken the advice of his minister, court-poet and the imperial court of avai.
• The Chera kings assumed titles like Vanavaramban, Vanavan, Kuttuvan, Irumporai and Villavar, the Chola Kings like Senni, Valavan and Killi and the Pandya kings Thennavar and Minavar.
• Each of the Sangam dynasties had a royal emblem carp for the Pandyas, a tiger for the Cholas and a bow for the Cheras.
• The imperial court or avai was attended by several chiefs and officials.
• The king was assisted by a large body of officials who were divided into five councils.
• They were ministers (amaichar), Priests (anthanar), military commanders (senapathi), envoys (thuthar) and spies (orrar). The military administration was also efficiently organized during the Sangam Age.
• Each ruler had a regular army and their respective Kodimaram (Tutelary tree).
• Land revenue was the chief source of the state’s income while customs duty was also imposed on foreign trade.
• The Pattinappalai refers to the customs officials employed in the seaport of Puhar.
• Booty captured in wars was also a major income to the royal treasury.
• Roads and highways were well maintained and guarded night and day to prevent robbery and smuggling.

4. Sangam Society

Tolkappiyam refers to the five-fold division of lands-Kurinji (Hill tracks), Mullai (pastoral), Marudam (agricultural), Neydal (coastal) and Palai (desert).

The people living in these five divisions had their respective chief occupations as well as gods for worship.

1. Kurinji: Chief Deity was Murugan-Chief occupation, hunting and honey collection.
2. Mullai: Chief deity Mayon (Vishnu) chief occupation, cattle-rearing and dealing with dairy products.
3. Marudam: Chief deity Indira's chief occupation, agriculture.
4. Neydal: Chief deity Varunan chief occupation is fishing and salt manufacturing.
5. Palai: Chief deity Korravai, Chief occupation robbery.

Tolkappiyam also refers to four castes namely Arasar, Anthanars, vanigar and Vellalar.

1. The ruling class was called Arasar.
2. Anthanars played a significant role in the Sangam Polity and religion.
3. Vanigars carried on trade and commerce.
4. The vellalas were agriculturists.

Religion

Women’s position

• There is plenty of information in the Sangam literature to trace the position of women during the Sangam age.
• Women poets like Avvaiyar, Nachchellaiyar and Kakkaipadiniyar flourished in this period and contributed to Tamil literature.
• The courage of women was also appreciated in many poems.
• Karpu or Chaste life was considered the highest virtue of women.
• Love marriage was a common practice.
• Women were allowed to choose their life partners.
• However, the life of widows was miserable.
• The practice of Sati was also prevalent in the higher strata of society.
• The class of dancers was patronized by the kings and nobles.

Fine Arts

• Poetry, Music and dancing were popular among the people of the Sangam age.
• Liberal donations were given to poets by the kings, chieftains and nobles.
• The royal courts were crowded with singing bards called Panar and Viraliyar.
• They were experts in folk songs and folk dances.
• The arts of music and dancing were highly developed.
• A variety of Yazhs and Drums are referred to in the Sangam literature.
• Dancing was performed by Kanigaiyar.
• Koothu was the most popular entertainment of the people.

Economy

• Agriculture was the chief occupation and Rice was the common crop.
• Ragi, sugarcane, cotton, pepper, ginger, turmeric, cinnamon and a variety of fruits were the other crops.
• Jack fruit and pepper were famous in the Chera Country.
• Paddy was the chief crop in the Chola and Pandya countries.
• The handicrafts of the Sangam period were popular.
• They include weaving, metal works and carpentry, shipbuilding and making of ornaments using beads, stones and ivory.
• There was a great demand for these products, as the internal and external trade was at its peak during the Sangam period.
• Spinning and weaving of cotton and silk clothes attained a high quality.
• The poems mention the cotton clothes as thin as a cloud of steam or a slew of a snake.
• There was a great demand in the Western world for the cotton clothes woven at Uraiyur.
• Both internal and foreign trade was well organized and briskly carried on in the Sangam Age.
• The Sangam literature, Greek and Roman accounts and the archaeological evidence provide detailed information on this subject.
• Merchants carried the goods on the carts and animals back from place to place.
• Internal trade was mostly based on the barter system.
• External trade was carried between South India and the Greek kingdoms.
• After the ascendancy of the Roman Empire, the Roman trade assumed importance.
• The port city of Puhar became an emporium of foreign trade, as big ships entered this port with precious goods.
• Other ports of commercial activity include Tondi, Musiri, Korkai, Arikkamedu and Marakkanam.
• The author of Periplus provides the most valuable information on foreign trade.
• Plenty of gold and silver coins issued by the Roman Emperors like Augustus, Tiberius and Nero were found in all parts of Tamil Nadu.
• They reveal the extent of the trade and the presence of Roman traders in the Tamil country.
• The main exports of the Sangam age were cotton fabrics, spices like pepper, ginger, cardamom, cinnamon and turmeric, ivory products, pearls and precious stones.
• Gold horses and sweet wine were the chief imports.

5. End of the Sangam Age

• Toward the end of the third century A.D., the Sangam period slowly witnessed its decline.
• The Kalabharas occupied the Tamil country for about two and a half centuries.
• We have little information about the Kalabhra rule.
• Jainism and Buddhism became prominent during this period.
• The Pallavas in northern Tamil Nadu and Pandyas in Southern Tamil Nadu drove the Kalabharas out of the Tamil country and established their rule.