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Sangam Age Upsc Notes 95

The document provides information on the Sangam Age in Tamil Nadu between the 6th century BCE and 3rd century CE. It discusses the Sangam schools of poets and philosophers that gave the period its name. It describes the three Sangams where literary works were published and censored. These works provide historical insights into the Chera, Chola, and Pandya kingdoms that ruled Tamil Nadu during this period. Society was organized around occupations and the caste system. The economy centered around agriculture, crafts, and international trade.

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Venkatesan Ramalingam
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512 views5 pages

Sangam Age Upsc Notes 95

The document provides information on the Sangam Age in Tamil Nadu between the 6th century BCE and 3rd century CE. It discusses the Sangam schools of poets and philosophers that gave the period its name. It describes the three Sangams where literary works were published and censored. These works provide historical insights into the Chera, Chola, and Pandya kingdoms that ruled Tamil Nadu during this period. Society was organized around occupations and the caste system. The economy centered around agriculture, crafts, and international trade.

Uploaded by

Venkatesan Ramalingam
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© © All Rights Reserved
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Sangam Age

From roughly the 6th century BCE to roughly the 3rd century CE, Tamil Nadu, Kerala, and parts
of Sri Lanka experienced the Sangam Age, more precisely, the third Sangam Period. It was
given that name in honour of the illustrious Madurai-based Sangam schools of poets and
philosophers. The best work was published in anthologies censored by distinguished thinkers
who congregated at the Sangams (academies of Tamil poets). These books were some of the
earliest works of Dravidian literature.
Three Sangams, often called Muchchangam in ancient South India, were reportedly held
according to Tamil traditions.
• Gods and legendary sages are said to have attended Madurai's First Sangam. There is
no published literary work by the First Sangam.
• The solitary remnant of the Second Sangam, which took place at Kapadapuram, is
Tolkappiyam.
• Also hosted in Madurai was the Third Sangam. These Tamil literary works, some of
which have survived, can be used as sources to piece together the history of the
Sangam era.

Sangam Age: Political History of Chola Chera Pandya


Throughout the Sangam Age, South India was ruled by the Cheras, Cholas, and Pandya
kingdoms. The primary source of information about these dynasties is literary references from
the Sangam Period.

Chola
• The Cholas' control over Tamil Nadu's central and northern territories was centred in the
Kaveri delta, later known as Cholamandalam.
• Puhar or Kaviripattinam, close to Tiruchirapalli town, served as their main port and
alternative royal palace. Uraiyur served as their capital.
• Their logo included a tiger.
• The Cholas also possessed a successful navy.
• Karikala was a well-known Sangam Chola emperor. Through the Pattinappalai, his life
and military triumphs are depicted.
• Numerous Sangam hymns make reference to the Battle of Venni, in which Karikala
defeated the coalition of Chera, Pandya, and eleven minor chieftains. Due to his military
skill at the time, he governed the whole Tamil region.
• Puhar is a harbour city that Karikala built.

Chera
• The Cheras were in charge of Tamil Nadu's Kongu region and Kerala's central and
northern regions.
• Their capital was Vanji, and Musiri and Tondi ports on the west coast were under their
control.
• The anthem of Cheras was "Bow and arrow."
• The Pugalur inscription from the first century AD mentions three generations of Chera
kings.
• The prominence of the Cheras was aided by trade with the Romans. A shrine dedicated
to Augustus was also built.
• The greatest ruler of the Cheras during the second century A.D. was Senguttuvan, often
known as the Red Chera or the Good Chera. The epic Silapathikaram described his
military prowess.

Pandya
• The Cheras were in charge of Tamil Nadu's Kongu region as well as Kerala's central and
northern regions.
• Their capital was Vanji, and Musiri and Tondi ports on the west coast were under their
control.
• The anthem of Cheras was "Bow and arrow."
• The Pugalur inscription from the first century AD mentions three generations of Chera
kings.
• The prominence of the Cheras was aided by trade with the Romans. A shrine dedicated
to Augustus was also built.
• The greatest ruler of the Cheras during the second century A.D. was Senguttuvan, often
known as the Red Chera or the Good Chera. The epic Silapathikaram described his
military prowess.

Sangam Literature: Insights on Sangam Age


As was already said, the Sangam writings are a gold mine of data for studying Tamilakam's
early history. They offer insight into a crucial historical issue. The Sangam literature consists of
the epics Silappathikaram and Manimegalai, Tolkappiyam, Pathinenkilkanakku, Ettutogai, and
Pattuppattu.
• Tolkappiyam, written by Tolkappiyar, is regarded as the first piece of Tamil literature.
Although it is a study of the Tamil language, it also offers insights into the socio-political
environment of the day.
• Kuruntogai, Kalittogai, Aingurunooru, Narrinai, Paripadal, Aganaooru, Purananooru, and
Padirruppatu are the eight works that makeup Ettutogai (Eight Anthologies).
• Ten pieces make up The Pattuppattu (Ten Idylls), including Kurinjippatttu, Pattinappalai,
Thirumurugarruppadai, Perumpanarruppadai, Mullaippattu, Nedunalvadai,
Maduraikkanji, Porunararruppadai, Sirupanarruppadai, and Malaipadukadam.
• There are eighteen works on ethics and morals in Pathinenkilkanakku. The most
significant of these writings is Tirukkural, written by Tamil great poet and philosopher
Thiruvalluvar.
• Elango Adigal and Sittalai Sattanar are the authors of the two epics, Silappathikaram
and Manimegalai. They also offer important information on Sangam society and politics.

Greek authors like Megasthenes, Strabo, Pliny, and Ptolemy, in addition to the Sangam
Literature, point to trade ties between the West and South India.
• The Asokan inscriptions make reference to the Chera, Chola, and Pandya emperors of
the Mauryan empire.
• Tamil kingdoms are also mentioned in the Kharavela of Kalinga's Hathikumbha
inscription.
• The Tamils' international commerce activities are shown by the excavations at
Arikamedu, Poompuhar, Kodumanal, and other sites.

Sangam Period: Polity and Administration


Hereditary monarchy was the system of government throughout the Sangam era. The Cholas,
Pandyas, and Cheras each possessed a unique royal emblem during the Sangam Period: a
tiger, a carp or fish, and a bow.
• The king received assistance from a sizable number of officials who were organised into
five councils.
• They were envoys (thuthar), ministers (amaichar), priests (anthanar), secret agents
(senapathi), and military commanders (orrar).
• Each monarch had a regular army connected to them, and the military government was
well-run.
• The state's primary funding source came from land sales, and a customs duty was also
imposed on all foreign trade.
• The royal treasury received a substantial amount of revenue from war booty.
• The roads and highways were maintained and guarded to prevent theft and smuggling.

Society During Sangam Age


The inhabitants of the Tolkappiyam had their own major occupations and deities to worship.
Tolkappiyam is the name for the five-fold land division. Aside from the ruling class, tolkappiyam
also refers to the four castes of arasar, anthanar, vanigar, and vellalar (Agriculturists).
The five-fold land division was:
• Kurinji (hilly tracks): chief occupation was hunting and honey collection.
• Mullai (pastoral): chief occupation was cattle-rearing and dealing with dairy products.
• Marudam (agricultural): chief occupation was agriculture
• Neydal (coastal): chief occupation was fishing and salt manufacturing.
• Palai (desert): major occupation was of robbery.

Land Type of Chief Chief occupation


land deity

Kurunji Hilly tracts Murugan Hunting and honey


collection

Mullai Pastoral Mayon Cattle rearing and dealing


with dairy products

Marudham Agricultural Indira Agricultural


Neidhal Coastal Varunan Fishing and salt
manufacturing

Palai Desert Korravai Robbery

Women were respected and permitted to pursue academic interests. Women poets like
Avvaiyar, Nachchellaiyar, and Kakkaipadiniyar flourished and made significant literary
contributions to Tamil.
• Women were free to select the life partners they wanted. But widows' lives were
wretched.
• The practise of Sati is also mentioned as being common among the upper classes of
society.

Religion During the Sangam Period


Murugan, revered as the Tamil God, served as the main god during the Sangam era. The
celebration of God Murugan's festivals is described in Sangam literature, and his worship has a
long history.
• Arupadai Veedu, six abodes honouring Murugan, were created.
• During the Sangam era, people also worshipped Mayon (Vishnu), Vendan (Indiran),
Varunan, and Korravai.
• The Hero Stone, also known as Nadu Kal worship, was prominent during the Sangam
period and was built as a monument to the courage the warriors displayed while
engaged in combat.

Sangam Age Economy


The main occupation was agriculture, with rice being the most popular crop. The handicrafts
included weaving, carpentry, metalworking, shipbuilding, and the creation of jewellery out of
ivory, stones, and beads. In spinning and weaving cotton and silk clothing, a great level of
proficiency was obtained. Particularly for the cotton clothing woven at Uraiyur, these were in
high demand in the western world.
• These were in high demand during the Sangam era, when both domestic and
international trade peaked.
• Due to the arrival of large ships carrying valuable products, the port city of Puhar
developed into a significant hub for international trade.
• Tondi, Musiri, Korkai, Arikkamedu, and Marakkanam were additional large ports with
significant commercial activity.
• During the Sangam era, cotton textiles, spices including pepper, ginger, cardamom,
cinnamon, and turmeric, as well as goods made of ivory, pearls, and precious stones,
were the main exports.
• Horses, gold, and sweet wine were the main imports for the traders.
At the close of the third century A.D., the Sangam period began to progressively deteriorate.
The Kalabhras ruled over Tamil territory for about 250 years. The Kalabhra era is a period about
which very little is known. Jainism and Buddhism gained popularity at this time.
The Kalabhras were driven out of Tamil Nadu by the northern Pallavas and the southern
Pandyas, who thereafter established their rule.

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