Society and Culture in Ancient Tamizhagam: The Sangam Age Online Test 6th Social Science Lesson 16 Questions

ArumugaNavalar (Jaffna), U.V.Swaminatha Iyer and Damodharam Pillai (Jaffna) strove hard and spent many years in retrieving and publishing the Tamil classics and the ancient Tamil texts, which were originally present as palm leaf manuscripts.

Tholkappiyam is a work on Tamil grammar. It represents the quality of Tamil language and the culture of Tamil people of the Sangam Age.

George L. Hart, Professor of Tamil language at the University of California, has said that Tamil is as old as Latin. The language arose as an entirely independent tradition with no influence of other languages.

The Cheras ruled over the central and north Travancore, Cochin, south Malabar and Kongu region of Tamil Nadu. The Pathitrupathu (a collection of ten decades of verses) provides information about the Chera kings.

It is known that the Chera king Senguttuvan went on a military expedition to North India. He brought stones from the Himalayas for making the idol of Kannagi, an epic character from Silappathikaram.

Chera king Senguttuvan introduced pattini cult. CheranSenguttuvan’s younger brother was IlangoAdigal. He was the author of Silappathikaram.

Another Chera king, CheralIrumporai, issued coins in his name. Some Chera coins bear their emblem of bow and arrow.

Prominent Chera Rulers are UdayanCheralathan, Imayavaramban NetunCheralathan, CheranSenguttuvan, CheralIrumporai.

The Chola kingdom of Sangam period extended up to Venkatam (Tirupathi) hills. The Kaveri delta region remained the central part of the kingdom. This area was later known as Cholamandalam.

KarikalValavan or Karikalan was the most famous of the Chola kings. He defeated the combined army of the Cheras, Pandyas and the eleven Velir chieftains who supported them at Venni, a small village in the Thanjavur region.

KarikalValavan converted forests into cultivable lands. He built Kallanai (meaning a dam made of stone) across the river Kaveri to develop agriculture. Their port Puhar attracted merchants from various regions of the Indian Ocean.

Kallanai was a dyke, built with stones. It was constructed across the Kaveri to divert water throughout the delta region for irrigation. When it was built, Kallanai irrigated an area of about 69,000 acres.

Nedunchezhiyan is hailed as the most popular warrior. He defeated the combined army of the Chera, Chola and five Velir Chieftains at Talayalanganam.

Nedunchezhiyan is praised as the lord of Korkai. Pandya country was well known for pearl hunting.

Pandya kings issued many coins. Their coins have elephant on one side and fish on another side.

Pandya kings issued many coins. Their coins have elephant on one side and fish on another side. MudukudimiPeruvazhuthi issued coins to commemorate his performance of many Vedic rituals.

The Titles Assumed by cheras are Adhavan, Kuttuvan, Vanavan, Irumporai. The Titles Assumed by Cholas are Senni, Sembiyan, Killi, Valavan.

Sceptre (kol), drum (murasu) and white umbrella (venkudai) were used as the symbols of royal authority.

Apart from three great kings, there were several brave independent minor chieftains. The name ‘Ay’ is derived from the ancient Tamil word ‘Ayar’ (meaning shepherd).

Among Ay chiefs of Sangam Age, Anthiran, Titiran and Nannan were the important names. Nediyon is a Prominent Pandya ruler.

Kizhar was the village chief during Sangam period. The Velirs–Vellalars– constituted the ruling and land-owning class in the ancient Tamizhagam.

The famous Velirs were the seven patrons (KadaiyezhuVallalgal). They were Pari, Kari, Ori, Pegan, Ay, Adiyaman and Nalli.

The kingship was hereditary. The king was called Ko. It is the shortened form of Kon. Vendan, Kon, Mannan, Kotravan and Iraivan were the other titles by which the king was addressed. The eldest son of the reigning king generally succeeded to the throne.

The crown prince was known as komahan, while the young ones were known as Ilango, Ilanchezhiyan and Ilanjeral.

The income to the state was through taxation. Land tax was the main source of revenue and it was called ‘Irai’. This apart, the state collected tolls and customs (sungam), tributes and fines.

The kings and soldiers wore the heroic anklet (Veera kazhal). On the anklet, the name and achievement of the wearer were blazoned. Spies were used not only to find out what was happening within the country, but also in foreign countries. A wound in the back was considered a disgrace and there are instances of kings fasting unto death because they had suffered such a wound in the battle.

The king was assisted by a number of officials. They were divided into Aimperunguzhu (five-member committee) and Enberaayam (eight-member group).

The prominent weapons used during this period were sword, kedayam (shield), tomaram (lance), spears, bows and arrows.

The king’s army consisted of four divisions, namely, infantry, cavalry, elephants and chariot force.

The army was known as ‘Padai’. The chief of the army was known as Thanaithalaivan. The king’s army consisted of four divisions, namely, infantry, cavalry, elephants and chariot force.

The place where the weapons were kept was known as paddaikottil. The forts were protected by deep moats and trenches. The war drum was worshipped as a deity.

Tomaram is mentioned as a missile to be thrown at the enemy from a distance. The forts were protected by deep moats and trenches.

The king was the final authority for appeal. In the capital town, the court of justice was called Avai. In the villages, Mandram served as the place for dispensing justice.

Punishment was always severe. Execution was ordered for theft cases. The punishment awarded for other crimes included beheading, mutilation of the offending limbs of the body, torture and imprisonment and imposition of fines.

The Ur was a village, classified into perur (big village), Sirur (a small village) and Mudur (an old village) depending upon its population, size and antiquity.

Pattinam was the name for a coastal town and Puhar was the general term for harbour town. The Ur was a village, classified into perur (big village), Sirur (a small village) and Mudur (an old village) depending upon its population, size and antiquity.

Land was classified according to its fertility. Marutham was called menpulam (fertile land). It produced paddy and sugarcane.

Marutham was called menpulam. The rest of the landscape, excluding Neithal, was called vanpulam (hard land), and it produced pulses and dry grains.

There was no restriction for women in social life. There were learned and wise women. Forty women poets had lived and left behind their valuable works.

Marriage was a matter of self-choice. However, chastity (karpu) was considered the highest virtue of women.

Sons and daughters had equal shares in their parents’ property. There was no restriction for women in social life. There were learned and wise women.

The primary deity of the Tamils was Seyon or Murugan. Other gods worshipped during Sangam period were Sivan, Mayon (Vishnu), Indiran, Varunan and Kotravai. The Hero stone (natukkal) worship was in practice. Buddhism and Jainism also co-existed.

The ancient Tamils had a great respect for the heroes who died in the battle field. The hero stones were erected to commemorate heroes who sacrificed their lives in war.

Caste did not develop in Tamizhagam as it did in the northern India. Varuna system (occupation-based caste) came to the Dravidian south comparatively late.

The rich people wore muslin, silk and fine cotton garments. The common people wore two pieces of clothes made of cotton.

The Sangam literature refers to clothes, which were thinner than the skin of a snake (Kalingam). Women adorned their hair plaits with flowers. Both men and women wore a variety of ornaments. They were made of gold, silver, pearls, precious stones, conch shells and beads. The People were fond of using aromatic perfumes.

The major occupations of the people were: agriculture, cattle rearing, fishing and hunting. Other craftsmen like carpenter, blacksmith, goldsmith, and potters were also part of the population. Weaving was the most common part-time occupation of the farmers and a regular fulltime job for many others.

People celebrated several festivals. The harvest festival, (Pongal) and the festival of spring, kaarthigai, were some of them. Indira vizha was celebrated in the capital.

Warehouses for storing the goods were built along the coast. The chief ports had light houses, which were called KalangaraillanguSudar.

When the Mummy of Ramses II of the Egypt was uncovered, archaeologists found black pepper corns stuffed into his nostrils and in his abdomen (as a part of embalming process practised in olden days).

There were two kinds of markets or bazaars in the leading cities like Puhar and Madurai. In Madurai they were Nalangadi (the morning bazaar) and Allangadi (the evening bazaar). In those markets large varieties as well as large quantities of goods were sold and purchased.

Major Ports of the Sangam age are Musiri, Tondi, Korkai. The major occupations of the people were: agriculture, cattle rearing, fishing and hunting.

Towards the end of the 3rd century AD (CE), the Sangam period slowly went into a decline. Following the Sangam period, the Kalabhras had occupied the Tamil country.

Following the Sangam period, the Kalabhras had occupied the Tamil country for about two and half centuries. We have very little information about Kalabhras.

The literary sources for Kalabhras period include Tamil NavalarCharithai, Yapernkalam and Periapuranam. SeevakaChinthamani and Kundalakesi were also written during this period.

In Tamizhagam, Jainism and Buddhism became prominent during Kalabhras period.

The Roman writer Pliny the Elder writes of Muziris in his Natural History as the ‘first emporium (shopping complex) of India’. A temple of Augustus was built at Muziris, which had a Roman colony.

A papyrus document (now in Vienna museum) of 2nd century BC (BCE) records the agreement between two merchants’ shippers of Alexandria and Muziris.

Many works under PathinenKeezhkanakku were composed. Trade and commerce continued to flourish during Kalabhras period. So, the Kalabhra period is not a dark age, as it is portrayed.

The time span of Sangam period is from 3rd century BC (BCE) to c. 3rd century AD (CE). The region is between Vengadam (Tirupathi hill) in the north to Kanyakumari (Cape Comorin) in the south, Bounded by sea on the east and the west.

The Sangam age belongs to Iron age. The Sangam age belongs to Megalithic culture. The polity was Kinship. The Dynasties ruled were The Cheras, the Cholas and the Pandyas.

The Megalithic Monument of the Sangam age are Burials and Hero stones found in southern India.

Foreign Notices as the source of Sangam age are The Periplus of the Erythrean Sea, Pliny’s Natural History, Ptolemy’s Geography, Megasthenes’s Indica, Rajavali, Mahavamsa and Dipavamsa.

Copper Plates inscriptions of Sangam age are Velvikudi and Chinnamanur copper plates.

Inscription that are the source of Sangam age are Hathigumpha Inscription of King Karavela of Kalinga, Pugalur (near Karur) Inscription, Ashokan Edicts II and XIII, and inscriptions found at Mangulam, Alagarmalai and Kilavalavu (all near Madurai)

The word ‘Sangam’ refers to the association of poets who flourished under the royal patronage of the Pandya kings at Madurai.

The Cheras ruled over the central and north Travancore, Cochin, south Malabar and Kongu region of Tamil Nadu.

The Pattinapaalai, a poetic work in the Pathinenkeezhkanakku, gives elaborate information of the trading activity during the rule of Karikalan.

Silk supplied by Indian merchants to the Roman Empire was considered so important that the Roman emperor Aurelian declared it to be worth its weight in gold.

Women Poets of Sangam Age Avvaiyar, VelliVeethiyar, Kakkaipadiniyar, AathiManthiyar, PonMudiyar.