SOCIETY OF EARLY HISTORICAL SOUTH INDIA AS REFLECTED BY THE SANGAM LITERATURE
The earliest literature of South India is represented by a group of texts in old Tamil, often collectively referred to as Sangam literature. It was composed between 3rd century BCE and the 3rd century CE. There are two kinds of Sangam poems- akam and puram. The theme of the akam poems were love while the theme of puram poems were mostly about war.
Due to their varied themes and authorship, Sangam poems offer a good idea of everyday life in the time when they were composed. It reflects a society with its distinctive cultural traditions, one which celebrated war and love.
Sangam poems contain several incidental references to material culture. There are mention of rice and barley that indicates farming and also references to cattle rearing and fishing. There are also several references to iron, iron weapons and use of horses.
The social classification of varna was known to Sangam poets. There is mention of the Arashar (king), Vaishiyar (traders), and Velalar (farmers). The Brahmanas are also mentioned some of them closely associated with the courts of kings and patronized by ruling elites. However the fourfold varna classification had little application to ancient Tamil society. The jati system was not a feature of this society either.
Sangam literature reflects a belief in sacred or magical forces called ananku that were supposed to inhabit various objects. They believed that the ananku could be put under control through rites and rituals. Group likes Pariyans, Tutiyans, Panans and Velans were responsible to perform these rites and rituals. They were associated with ritualistic singing, dancing, and trances, and with lighting the cremation fire and worshipping memorial stones.
Sangam poems are pervaded with warrior ethic. The goal of the hero of the puram poems was pukul (glory, fame) and a heroic death was greatly valued. It was believed that the spirit of the warrior who died on battle dwelt in paradise.
The worship of memorial stones (natukal) was another feature of the early south Indian society. It was connected with the importance of the heroic ideal. Memorial stones were erected in honor of heroes who died fighting valiantly in battle, and the spirit of the fallen hero was believed to reside in these stones.
Different kinds of finery practices are mentioned in the poems. There are several references to cremation. In Parananuru 363, the poet speaks of the finality of death and of the cremation ground as the final home of great, good kings.
There are many references to women and work in Sangam poems and slightly later works, more so in rural than urban contexts. The poem mention women engaged in agricultural activities such as planting paddy seeds and weeding. Tasks such as the husking and winnowing of paddy were performed entirely by women. Young girls kept watch over the agriculture fields and drove away birds and animals. Women were involved in the cattle rearing and dairy farming. Spinning was done almost entirely by women. However, there are no references to women weavers. Women were also mentioned in connection with the making and flower selling were other occupations associated with women. There are also references to kings employing women bodyguards. Widows were considered extremely unfortunate and dangerous and were supposed to lead a very austere life.
One author identifies the 'Sangam Age' with the last phase of the megalithic culture in the Tamil region. She argues that some of the cultural features reflected in the Sangam poetry and that of megalithic sites of the far south, like subsistence base consisting of agriculture, cattle rearing, and fishing, the use of iron and a period in which warfare and weapons were important, were very closely connected.
Sangam poetry, thus, shows the existence of the vibrant and sophisticated literary culture in ancient Tamilakam
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