THE SANGAM PERIOD

 The Sangam Era

1. The first detailed description of the South Indian states is found in Sangam literature.

2. Tamil is the oldest among the spoken and literary languages of South India. 

3. Sangam is the Tamil version of the Sanskrit word Sangha, meaning a group of persons or an association. The term Sangam was an academy of poets. The three ancient kingdoms of the Cholas, were known as Tamilakha or the Tamil Realm. 

Sangam Age Sources

Literary Sources works like Tolkappiyan Ettuthogai/Ettuhogal and Pattuppattu provide valuable information to know the history of the Sangam age. 

Archaeological

The archaeological sources for the Sangam period are limited. They may be classified into: 

(I)   Epigraphy 

(II)  Excavation

(III) Coins 

Epigraphy

The Ashokan edicts refers to the Chera, Chola and Pandya kingdoms. The Kalugumalai inscription help us to know about ancient Tamil script called Tamil Brahimi. 

Excavation

During the excavation at Adhichanallur, large number of articles made of iron, bronze and gold were found, which depicts the life of the ancient Tamil. A Buddhist Vihara was found at Kilaiyur near Kaveri Poompattinam. It belonged to the Post-Sangam period. 

Coins 

The Tamil kings of the Sangam period issued gold and silver coins, but they are not found in large numbers. Roman coins made of gold and silver are found all over Tamil Nadu. These coins further confirms the trade relations between Tamil country and Rome, during the Sangam age. 

Early Kingdoms 

The AD 1st century witnessed the formation of three states respectively under Cholas, Cheras and Pandyas. 

Important Factors Behind their Rise 

1. Spread of iron technology. 

2. Monetization of economy. 

3. Development of North-South trade. 

4. Flourishing trade with the roman empire.

The Chola Kingdom 

1. Capital of the Chola kingdom was at Kaveripattinam.

2. The kingdom which later came to be known as Cholamandalam was situated between the Pennar and the Vellar rivers. Their chief centre of political power was at Uraiyur, a place famous for cotton trade. 

3. Earlier their capital was at Uraiyur. 

4. In the middle of the 2nd BC a Chola king named Elara conquered Sri Lanka and ruled over it for nearly 50 years. 

5. The real foundation of the kingdom was laid down in AD 2nd century by their famous king Karikala . He founded the city of Puhar and constructed 160 km of embankment along the Kaveri river. 

6. He defeated a confederacy of about a dozen of rulers headed by Cheras and Pandya kings in the Great Battle of Venni, near Tanjavur. Karikala maintained a powerful navy and conquered Sri Lanka. 

7. Puhar has been identified with Kaveripattanam, which was the Chola capital. It was a great centre of trade and commerce. 

8. The successors of Karikala were weak. The Chola kingdom declined under them. 

9. One of the main reasons for the decline was attack by the neighbouring territory of the Cheras and Pandyas. 

The Chera Kingdom 

1. Cheras were also known as Keralaputras . They were situated to the West and North of the Pandya kingdom. 

2. The capital of Chera kingdom was at Vanji or Karur. The kingdom covered the portions of modern Kerala and Tamil Nadu. Udiyanjeral is one of the earliest known as Chera rulers. 

3. This title of Udiyanjeral was given to him because it is said that he served both the armies of Kurushetra war. 

4. The romans are said to have set-up two regiments in the Cheras country at Muziris, (identified with the modern Cranganore) to protect their trade interests. There is reference that indicates that roman built a temple of Augustus at Muziris. 

5. The greatest king of the dynasty was Senguttvan (The Red or Good Chera). It is said that he crossed the Ganga and invaded the kingdom of Northern India. He is remembered for building a Temple of 'Kannagi' the Goddess of chastity and founded the famous Pattini cult. 

The Pandya Kingdom 

1. The Capital of Pandyas kingdom was at Madurai. References of Pandyas are found in the Sangam literature and the text of Megasthenes, who speaks of it being ruled by a women. 

2. It had flourishing trade contacts with the roman Empire and sent embassies to the roman Emperor Augustus. 

3. There are references that Pandyan King's performed vedic sacrifices. Mudukudumi was the earliest known as Pandyas ruler. 

4. Nedunjeliyan was the most important king of Pandya. He accused kovalon of the theft. As a result, the city of Madurai was laid under a curse by Kannagi (kovalan's wife).

Sangam Administration

1. The king was the centre of administration. Avai was the court of crowned monarch. Some officials were as follows: 

- Armaichhar (Ministers) 

- Purohitar (Purohits) 

- Dutar (Envoys) 

- Senapatiyar (Senapati) 

- Orrar (Spies) 

2. The kingdom was divided into Mandala mandu (province), Ur (town), Sirur (small village), Perur (big village). 

Social Life 

1. The society was divided into Brahmins and Non-Brahmins. The Tamil Brahmins were a respectable and learned community, who lived apart in their streets most of the kings treated them with great courtesy. 

2. Trade was common to vaishyas and villas. It appears that learning, agriculture, performing sacrifice where the prescribed duties of a vausya. 

3. We have no positive evidence of slavery, but there were low servants or labourers. Untouchability was practiced, they were known as parriyas. 

4. The Tamil society was an advanced and civilized society during age. Education was not merely known and encouraged, but was a widespread social activity. 

Economic Life 

1. The Sangam economy was self-sufficient. Land was classified as Vanpulam (the non-Agrarian region) and Menpulam (Agrarian) sangam texts refer to ulavar and toluvare as the tillers of menpulam. Tank irrigation (ayam and minor dam sinai) irrigation was employed. Some taxes were as follows: 

- Karai            Land tax.

- Irai               Tribute paid by feudatories                                and booty  collected in war.

- Ulgr              Custom duties. 

- Iravu            Extra demand or forced gift.

2. Barter system as a medium of exchange was prevalent. Pattinam were the centres of long distance trade. 

3. The main agricultural products were paddy, ginger, turmeric, pepper, sugarcane. The Chola capital Uraiyur was famous for trade in cotton cloth. Spinning and weaving were most important and widely practiced craft. 

Religious Life 

1. The religion was influenced by rituals and animism. A planted log of wood called Kandu was an object of worship. There was a special festival instituted in Puhar dedicated to the vedic God Indra. Deties like Korravai Goddess of victory and murugan were worshipped. 

2. Three stands of religion, clearly marked off from each other are discernible during the sangam period.

(I)   The indigenous Gods and systems of worship. 

(II)  The exotic Hindu Gods and system of worship.

(III) The exotic non-Hindu religious faiths and   functions.

Arts

Musicians stage artists and performers entertained the kings, the nobility, the rich and the general population. Groups of performers included: 

- Thudian players of the thudi, a small percussion instrument.

- Paraiyan who beat maylam (drums) and performed kooththu, a stage drama in dance form, as well as proclaiming the King's announcements. 

- Muzhavan who blew into a muzhavu, a wind instrument, for the army indicating the start and end of the day and battlefield victories. They also performed in kooththu alongside other artists. 

- Kadamban who beat a large bass like drum, the kadamparai and blew a long bamboo, kuzhal, theri thuthi (similar to the present naagasuram).

- PaaNam who sang songs in all pann tunes (tunes that are specific for each landscape) and were masters of the yaazh, a stringed instrument with a wide frequency range. Together with the poets (pulavar) and the academic scholars (saandror), these people of talent appeared to originate from all walks of life, irrespective of their native profession.