Tamil Nadu History - SANGAM AGE

Sangam literature chiefly consist of Tolkappiyam, Ettuthogai and Pattuppattu.

Inscriptions
Kalugumalai inscription - about Tamil Brahmi (Ancient Script)

Tirukkovalur inscription - about kapiler

Hathikumba inscription of the kalinga king, Kharavela - about 3 Tamil Kingdoms
Amattar hills inscription - regarding Chera king.

Gold & Silver Coins were used.

(numismatic - study of coins)

Foreign Accounts which refers the Sangam Age

Megasthanes in his book Indica - referred the 3 Tamil Kingdom Chera, Chola, Pandya
Strabo, Pliny and Ptolemy - regarding Sangam Age

Sangam Age also called as Augustan age

First Sangam (Mudhal Sangam)

Venue: Then Madurai

Chairman: Aagasthier
No. of Kings Attended: 79

Second Sangam (Idai Sangam)

Venue: Kapadapuram
Chairman: Tolkappier
No. of Kings attended: 59

Third Sangam (Kadai Sangam) - (3rd Century BC - 3rd Century AD)

Venue: Madurai
Chairman: Nakkirar
No. of Kings: 49

Entire Collection:

2279 poems by 473 poets besides 102 anonymous pieces.

 Poetry was divided into tow main groups, Agam (on love) and Puram (dealing with
kings)
Ettuthogai :- Natrinai, Kurunthogai, Paripadal, Kalithogai, Aingurunuru, Ahananuru,
Paditruppathu, Purananuru.

TAMIL KINGDOMS :-

Three important kingdoms

 Chera
 Chola
 Pandya
Local Chieftains: most famous local chieftians were the seven patrons known as
kadaiyezh vallalgal.

Chera Kingdom: (present kerala)

Titles : Vanavar, Villavar and Malaiyar

Capital: Vanji
Royal Emblem: Bow & Arrow
Famous Port: Tondi & Musiri

Two important lines of Chera kings

First one started from Odiyan Cheralathan and
Second from Irumporai.

Cheran Senguttuvan most popular king among the Sangam Cheras

 He led an expedition upto Himalayas

 He Crossed river Ganges and defeated his enemies
 Built temple of kannagi (stones from Himalaya)
 His brother Elango Adigal composed Silappathigaram

Padhithruppatu and Ahananuru provides lot of information about him.

He was known as RedChera

 Epic Silappathigaram also tells about his Military achievements.

Other important kings

Cheralathan, Peruncheral Irumporai and Kanaikkal Irumporai

Chola Kingdom (Present Tanjore & Trichy)

referred as Chonadu, kaveri Nadu, Kaveri SoozhNadu, Neer Naadu and Punal Nadu.

Titles : Killi, Valavan, Senni and Cholan

Capital: Uraiyur
Second capital was Kaveri poompattinam
Royal Emblem: Tiger
Famous Port: Kaveri Poompattinam

KariKalan: The most popular king among Sangam Chola

 Hailed as Ezhisai Vallavan

 Abled Administrator
 Great Wrrior
 He defeated Chera & Pandya King at Venni.
 In another battle defeated confederacy of nine princes.
 Extended his kingdom beyond kanchipuram in the North
 Build kallanai Dam across Kaveri river for irrigation purpose
Pattinappalai and Purunaruatruappadi gives information about karikalan.

Other famous kings are:

Nalamkilli, Killivalavan and Kopperam Cholam

Last Sangam Chola king : Kochenganan.

Pandyan Kingdom (Present Madurai, Tirunelveli and Ramanthapuram)

Titles : Maran, Valudhi and Chezhiyan

Capital: Madurai
Royal Emblem: Fish
Port: Korkai
 Most Popular Kings

 Mudhukudumi Peruvazhthi
given title: Palyagasalai
since performed many sacrifies to celebrate his victory
 Ariyappadaikandantha Nedunchezhiyan - famous pandiyan ruler
He gave the death sentence to the hero of Silappathigaram, Kovalan
 Thalaiyalanganathu Nedunchezhiyan - important ruler
defeated the forces of Chera, Chola and other local chieftians at a place called
Thalaiyalanganam
Patronised Tamil Poet - Mangudi Maruthanar

Local Chieftians

Apart from the three Tamil kingdoms number of Local chieftians ruled in different parts
of Tamil Nadu

They were known as Velirs

The most famous among Velirs were called Seven Patrons or Kadaiyezhu Vallalgal,
they were:
Pari, Ori, Malayan, Elini, Pegan, Aay and Nalli

The Local Chieftians also Patronised Tamil Poet they were:

Kabilar, Avvaiyar, Nallathanar and Perunchithiranar

Avvaiyar played the role of the diplomat in the court of Adhiyaman

Kabiler has taken care of Pari's daughter after his death.

LOCAL ADMINISTRATION IN SANGAM AGE

Kingdom was divided as:

Mandalam, Nadu, Velanadu and Kutram
The council of elders looked after the administration of villages, these councils were:
Manram, Podiyil, Avai and Ambalam

Revenue:-
Land revenue and custom duties were chief source of income.
Army:-
Infantry, Cavalry, Elephats & Chariots
Weapons: Sword, Spears, Bow & Arrow

Official Administration:-

Two council to assist the day to day administration of king

Iymperumkazhu (Committee of great five)
Enperayam (Council of great eight)

King was called as Vendan, Ko and Irai.

SOCIAL LIFE

In Sangam Age, People had common language and culture.

They lived in five natural landscape known as 'Tinais'

The five Tinais referred in Sangam literature were:

Kurinji, Mullai, Marudham, Neydal and Palai

Tinai Nature of LandScape Occupation Diety

Hunting (Primary
Hilly region - peoples were Murugan (or)
Kurinji Occupation), Cultivated
called Vettuvar & Kruavar Seyon
Fruits, Vegetable, Honey
 Forest tract with green Domesticated animals,
Thrumal (or)
Mullai Pastures. People were called - Produced dairy products like
Mayon
kovalar (or) Ayar milk, curd, ghee

Fertile and Cultivable lands. Agriculture - Cultivated Indira (or) rain

Marudham
People were called - Vellalars Paddy, Sugarcane and Fruits god.

Coastal region - Peoples were

Fishing - natural occupation Varunar (or)
Neydal called - Parathavar (or)
sailors. sold salt - Umanar God of the Sea
meenavar

Desert (or) Drought region.

Kotravai (or)
Palai People called as maravar (or) robbers
Kali
Kalvar

Social Division:
Anthanar, Arasar, Vaisiyar and Vellalar

Ancient Tamil tribes as mentioned in Purananuru:

Tudiyan, Panan and Kadamban

The natural Femine qualities such as:

Achcham, Madam and Naanam

Women's different role in life:

dutiful wife, responsible mother, and ideal hostess to guest.

Women poets:
Avvaiyar, Kakkai Padiniyar and Nachchellaiyar

Kalingam - refers to very nice garments

Angadis - means Local market
Nalangadi - means Day market
Allangadi - Evening Bazzar

The Pattnappalai refers to the existence of Angadis in Puhar.

Nadukal - Memorial stone of their ancestor.

Virakkal - memoris of who died in battle, also referred as Hero stone.

According to Purananuru - It remains the duty of the father to make his children learned.

The Sangam tamil has established their greatness in fine arts. They developed the concept
of Muthamizh :- Iyal, Isai and Natakam.

Tamil developed musical notes or Swaram. The musical tune was known as pann.

Karikalan had been hailed as Ezhisai Vallavan.

Festival Celebrated:-
Kaarthigai, Onam and Indra festival.

Attam and Koothu were performed during festivals

Tholkappiyam refers to Nattukam (or) Drama.

Trades:-
Sangam literature refers Greeks & Romans as Yavanas.
Arikkamedu excavation (near pondicherry) remain as the important evidence for Greeks
& Roman Trade.
There was great Roman Factory at Arikkamedu.
Most important commodity of exports were spices like pepper, cardamom, cloves and
ginger.
The pearls of the Pandiyan kingdom and the cotton cloths of Uraiyur had been largely
exported.

Kalangarai Ilangu Sudar - means Light house.

End of Sangam Age:

The Pandya, Chera and Chola rules were disappeard in the Third century AD.
The Kalabhras occupied the Tamil country for another three Century.

The closing year of the sangam age was called Post - Sangam Period
Post Sangam literature consist of twin epic Silappathigaram and Manimegalai and also
Pathinen Kilkanakku - the impulse of these works were oriented towards reforming
society.