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Sangam period
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Sangam period
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The Sangam period is the earliest historical
period in the history of South India, span-
ning about the 3rd century BCE to the 3rd
century CE. It is named for the Tamil
Sangams or "assemblies".
In Old Tamil, the term Tamilakam
(Tamiḻakam ???????, Purananuru 168.18) re-
ferred to the whole of the "Ancient Tamil
country," as distinct from the many kingdoms
that existed within its boundaries,[1]corres-
ponding roughly to the area known as South
India today, including the territories of the
the present-day Indian states of Tamil Nadu,
Kerala, Laccadives, parts of Andhra Pradesh
and some parts of Karnataka, as well as the
Maldives.[2][3][4] South India was known as
Damirica, Dramira or Lymirikē to Greco-Ro-
man geographers.
History
Approximately during the period between
350 BCE to 200 CE, Tamilakam was ruled by
the three Tamil dynasties of Chola, Pandya
1
Sangam period
and Chera, and a few independent chieftains,
the Velir.
Concerning Sri Lanka, in Tamil known as
Eelam, there is some evidence of a Tamil
kingdom present by the 2nd century BCE,
predating the medieval Jaffna king-
dom,[5][6][7][8] although this is contested by
some Sri Lankan historians.[9]
By the medieval period, the Cholas had es-
tablished a powerful empire that stretched
from the Maldives through much of South
East Asia, encompassing the Andaman and
Nicobar Islands, Singapore, Malaysia, Sri
Lanka, Sumatra, Thailand and Myanmar.
Literary sources
There is a wealth of sources detailing the
history, socio-political environment and cul-
tural practices of ancient Tamilakam, includ-
ing volumes of literature and epigraphy.[3]
Tamilakam’s history is split into three
periods; prehistoric, classical (see Sangam
period) and medieval. A vast array of liter-
ary, epigraphical and inscribed sources from
around the world provide insight into the
socio-political and cultural occurences in the
Tamil nation.
[10]
Culture
Further information: Economy of ancient
Tamil country, Agriculture in ancient Tamil
country, and Industry in ancient Tamil
country
Religion
The religion of the ancient Tamils closely fol-
lowed the roots of nature worship and some
claim it close to its contemporary in North In-
dia, Vedic Hinduism. Tolkappiyam, one of the
oldest grammar work in Tamil mentions
Sevvael (Murugan) and Thirumaal. The influ-
ence of Hinduism in Tamil literature rose
again during the Bhakti period which docu-
mented the people organizing into
Saivam(Shiva) and vainavam(Vishnu). The
most popular deity was Murugan, who has
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
from a very early date been identified with
Karthikeya, the son of Siva. Muruga might
have been a different deity originally stem-
ming from a local deity. According to the
noted expert on Tamil culture Kamil V.
Zvelebil, "Subrahmanya-Murugan is one of
the most complicated and baffling deities for
analysis". The later(medieval to present) wor-
ship of Amman or Mariamman, thought to
have been derived from Kotravai, an ancient
mother goddess, also was very common. Kan-
nagi, the heroine of the Cilappatikaram, was
worshipped as Pathini by many Tamils, par-
ticularly in Sri Lanka. There were also many
temples and devotees of Thirumaal, Siva,
Ganapathi, and the other common Hindu
deities.
In the ancient Sangam literature, the
Tamil landscape was classified into five cat-
egories, thinais, based on the mood, season
and the land. Each of these thinai had an as-
sociated deity such as Mayavan, Velavan, etc.
Calendar
The ancient Tamil calendar was based on the
sidereal year similar to the ancient Hindu sol-
ar calendar, except that months were from
solar calculations, and originally there was
no 60 year cycle as seen in Sanskrit calendar.
The year was made up of twelve months and
every two months constituted a season. With
the popularity of Mazhai vizhavu, tradition-
ally commencement of Tamil year was
clubbed on April 14, deviating from the astro-
nomical date of vadavazhi vizhavu.
Festivals
• Pongal, the festival of harvest and spring,
thanking Lord Sevvéļ and Lord El(the
sun), comes on January 14/15(Thai 1) .
• PeruVaenil Kadavizha, the festival for
wishing quick and easy passage of the
mid-summer months, on the day when the
Sun or El stands directly above the head
at noon(the start of Agni Natchaththiram)
at the southern tip of ancient Tamil land.
This day comes on April 14/15(Ootrai 1) .
• Mazhai Vizhavu, aka Indhira Vizha, the
festival for want of rain, celebrated for
one full month starting from the full moon
in Ootrai(later name-Cittirai) and
completed on the full moon in
Puyaazhi(Vaikaasi)( which coincides with
Buddhapurnima ) .
2
Sangam period
• Puyaazhi(Vaikaasi) visaagam and Thai
poosam, the festivals of Tamil God
Sevvaell’s birth and accession to the
Thirupparankundram Koodal Academy,
coming on the day before the full moons of
Puyaazhi and Thai respectively.
• Soornavai Vizha, the slaying of
legendary Kadamba Asura king
Surabadma, by Lord Sevvaell, comes on
the sixth day after newmoon in Itrai
(Kaarthigai) .
• Vaadai Vizha or Vadavazhi Vizha, the
festival of welcoming the Lord El back to
home, as He turns northward, celebrated
on December 21/22 (Winter Solstice)(the
sixth day of Panmizh[Maargazhi]) .
• the Semmeen Ezhumin Vizhavu (Aathi-
Iřai Darisanam) or Aruthra
Darishanam, the occasion of Lord Siva
coming down from the
ThiruCitrambalam and taking a look at
the vaigarai Thiru Aathirai star in the
early morning on the day before the full
moon in Panmizh. Aathi Irai min means
the star of the God(Siva) on the
Bull(Nandi) .
Arts
See also: Ancient Tamil music
Musicians, stage artists and performers en-
tertained 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, the cerioothuthi (similar
to the present naagasuram).
• PaaNan, 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
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
of talent appeared to originate from all walks
of life, irrespective of their native profession.
Population
See also: Tamil people, Sangam literature,
Sangam landscape, and Chronology of Tamil
history
The land was divided into five types-
Kurinci, Mullai, Marutam, Neithal and Paalai
. The ancient Tamil people were divided into
five different clans (kudi) based on their pro-
fession. They were
• the Vaelir - the farmers,
• the Malavar - the hill people who gather
hill products, and the traders,
• the Naagar - people in charge of border
security, who guarded the city wall and
distant fortresses .
• the Kadambar - people who thrive on
forests and
• the Thiraiyar - the seafarers.
All the five kudi constituted a typical settle-
ment, which was called an Ur or Oor. Later
each clan spread across the land, formed in-
dividual settlements of their own and concen-
trated into towns, cities and countries. Thus
the Vaelir settled in North Tamil Nadu and
South Andhra Pradesh, while the Mazhavar
came to live in Kerala, West Tamil Nadu,
East Andhra Pradesh and South Sri Lanka.
The Naagar inhabited South and East Tamil
Nadu, and North Sri Lanka, while the Kadam-
bar settled in Central Tamil Nadu first and
later moved to West Karnataka. The Thiraiyar
inhabitated throughout the coastal regions .
Later various subsects were formed based
on more specific professions in each of the
five landscapes .
• Poruppan(the soldiers), Verpan(the
leaders of the tribe/weaponists),
Silamban(masters of martial arts/the art of
fighting), Kuravar(the hunters and the
gatherers, the people of foothills) and
Kaanavar(the people of the mountainous
forests ) in Kurinci,
• KuRumpoRai naadan-Kizhaththi(the
landlord of the small towns amidst the
forests in the valleys), ThonRal-
Manaivi(the ministers and other noble
couples), Idaiyar(the milkmaid and
family), Aaiyar(the cattle-rearers) in
Mullai,
• Vidalai(the innocent people and the
victims of robbery, KaaLai(the robust
native tribe who work to restore the
3
Sangam period
fertility of the spoiled land), MeeLi(the
saviours/people who are in charge of
protecting and recovering the lost wealth
from the robbers), Eyinar(the soldiers who
guard the remote, isolated forts- that are
permanently endangered by pirates),
MaRavar(stubborn natives who were
warriors, conquerors and rulers; including
the major Tamil dynasties of Cheras,
Cholas and Pandians; again a number of
subsects have been formed all over
Tamilland from early Maravars) in Paalai
• Uran(small landlords),
Magizhnan(successful small scale
farmers), Uzhavar(the farm workers),
Kadaiyar(the merchants) in Marutham,
and
• Saerppan(the seafood vendors and
traders), Pulampan(the vegetarians who
thrive on coconut and palm products),
Parathar(people who lived in the seas-the
merchants and the pirates), NuLaiyar(the
wealthy people who both do fishing and
grow palm farms) and ALavar(the salt
cultivators) in Neithal .
List of kingdoms and
city-states
Empires or large kingdoms were the Cholas,
the Pandya and the Cheras. The small king-
doms and city states amidst these were:
• Naanjil(1)- in the present Kanyakumari
district in Tamil Nadu .
• Pothigai (Aai) nadu(2)- the Cardamom hills
and Palani hills of Southwest Tamil Nadu .
• Kaandhal KuRa Nadu(3)- TenKasi and
Kutrraalam, Thirunelvaeli dt .
• Koadai malai(4)- Kodaikkanal, Dindigul dt
.
• Malai Nadu(5)- the Anaimalai Range in
Kerala.
• Evvi’s Needoor-Mizhalai (6)- Pudukottai
district in TN.
• Parampu malai(7)- West Namakkal dt.
• Thoandri malai(8)- Pachchai
malai,Perambalur dt .
• MuLLur Nadu and capital ThirukKoilur
(9)- West Vizhuppuram, West
Thiruvannamalai dt’s.
• Kolli malai nadu (10) - East Namakkal dt.
• Oaymaan Nadu (11) in the Aruva Nadu
and Aruva vadathalai nadu region- East
Thirvannamalai and East Vellore dt.
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
• Punnaadu(12)- East Thiruvannamalai dt .
• VaaNar Nadu(13)- West Vellore and
Chittor dt’s .
• ThoNdai Nadu (14)- Kanchipuram and
Thiruvallur dt’s .
• Mukkaaval Nadu (15) - Vellore dt .
• Kaankezhu Nadu (16) or Thirumunaippadi-
East Vizhuppuram dt.
• Mudhira malai (17)- Chennai dt .
• Athigan Nadu(18) and its capital
Thagadur- Dharmapuri dt .
• Kudhirai malai(19)- West Dharmapuri and
East Mandya dt’s .
• Payalanadu( Vaiyaavi )(20)- Krishnagiri,
Kolar, Anantpur, Bellary dt’s .
• VaeLaavi Nadu( Vaengi )(21)-Krishna and
Guntur dts.
• Vellimalai(22)- North and West of
Thirupathi .
• Vaengada Nadu(23) - Rayalaseema dt .
• Pungi Nadu (24)- West Chittoor dt.
• Mazhampula Nadu (25)- South of
Kalahasthi up to Pulicat .
• Pulli Nadu (26) - South East coast of A.P.
• Erumai Nadu (27)- Central and Northwest
Mysore dt .
• VeLimaan Nadu (28)-West Mysore
• Oonoor Kosar (29)- Raichur dt .
• Idaichchura Nadu (30) - Raichur dt .
• Irungoe Nadu or Araiya Nadu(31) and
Citraraiyam and Paeraraiyam forts-
Tumkur and Chitradurga dt’s .
• Vichchikoe Nadu(32)- North of Ooty dt .
• Thoatti malai (33) -Ooty dt.
• Kuda Nadu or SengaNmaa Nadu (34) -
Coorg dt .
• Kuttuva Nadu (35)- North Malbar dt .
• Cera Paayal malai (36) - North Malabar dt
. Perspectives: the Journal of Archaeology
• Kadamba Nadu (37) -Hangal,
Hampi(Banavasi), Uchchangi,Dharwar dt’s
and KoNkan coast up to Goa .
• KoNkaana Nadu (38)- Southwest
Maharashtra’s KoNkan coast, north of Goa
. maloney.html. Retrieved on 2008-06-22.
• Malli Nadu (39)- Udipi dt .
• Karuvoor Chera Nadu (40)- West Karur dt
. [6] Manogaran, C, The untold story of
• Kongu Nadu (41)- In the present day
Coimbatore,Erode,Namakkal,Salem,Karur,Dharmapuri,Krishnagiri,Dindigul,Ooty
dists.
Cities:
• Naalai city state(41)- Nanguneri,
Thirunelveli dt .
• Poandhai city state(42)- Kulachchal,
Kanyakumari dt .
4
Sangam period
• Koodalpattinam- Tootukudi dt .
• Eyilpattinam- North coastal
Ramanathapuram dt .
• Pidavoor- Thuraiyur tk., Thiruchchi dt .
• Sirukudi- Thiruchchi dt .
• Kaanappaereyil- North Sivagangai dt.
• Azhunthur(43) - South Salem dt.
• Moagur (44) - South East Naamakkal dt .
• Pazhai Nadu- East Karur and South
Namakkal dt’s.
• Vallaar- North Pudukottai dt .
• Aali- North Thanjaavoor dt .
• Cellur- North Bangalore dt .
• Eernthur- North Thiruchi dt .
See also
• History of Tamil Nadu
• Tolkappiyam
• Purananuru
• Paripaatal
References
[1] Kanakasabhai, V (1997). The Tamils
Eighteen Hundred Years Ago. Asian
Educational Services. p. 10. ISBN
8120601505. http://books.google.com/
books?hl=en&lr=&id=VuvshP5_hg8C&oi=fnd&pg=P
[2] Kanakasabhai, V (1997). The Tamils
Eighteen Hundred Years Ago. Asian
Educational Services. p. 10. ISBN
8120601505. http://books.google.com/
books?hl=en&lr=&id=VuvshP5_hg8C&oi=fnd&pg=P
[3] ^ Abraham, Shinu (2003). "Chera, Chola,
Pandya: using archaeological evidence to
identify the Tamil kingdoms of early
historic South India.". Asian
for Asia and the Pacific 42.
http://www.questia.com/
googleScholar.qst;jsessionid=GfpTLJYcL1XJGP4Vv1m
[4] Maloney, Clarence. "Maldives People".
http://www.iias.nl/iiasn/iiasn5/insouasi/
[5] Gunasingam, M Sri Lankan Tamil
Nationalism, p.53
Ancient Tamils of Sri Lanka, p.22-65
[7] Kunarasa, K The Jaffna Dynasty, p.1-53
[8] Rasanayagam, M Ancient Jaffna,
p.272-321
[9] "The so called Tamil Kingdom of Jaffna"
(html). S.Ranwella.
http://www.infolanka.com/org/srilanka/
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia Sangam period

hist/hist4.html. Retrieved on • P. T. Srinivasa Iyengar’s "History of the

2007-11-30.
[10] Zvelebil, Kamil (1991). Companion
Studies to the History of Tamil
Literature. Brill Academic Publishers.
ISBN ISBN-10: 9004093656.
Tamil from the earliest times to 600 AD",
Madras, 1929
• A. L. Basham’s "A Wonder that was India",
London, 1954

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