Sangam Age: 300 – 600 AD

Sangam Age: 300 – 600 AD

Sangam Age: 300 – 600 AD

• Assembly of poets
• Mainly patronized by Pandayas

Divided in 2 parts

Twin Tamil Epics

Silappadikaram

• Brightest Jewel anklet of Tamil literature
• Love story of Kovalam + Madhavi (Dancer) over his wife Kannagi
• Written by Elango Adigal

Manimekalai

• Story of adventures of daughter born of Kovalam & Madhavi
• Written by Sattanur

Narrative text

• Works of heroics poetry in which heroes are glorified
• Perpetual wars & cattle raids are frequently mentioned
• This text shows traces of early megalithic life and that early Tamil people were mainly pastoral > Lived basically on hunting & fishing although cultivated rice
• Megalithic people believed that when a hero dies he is reduced to stones which remind us of circle of stones on the graves of megalithic people.
• It may have led to practice of raising “Hero stone known as Virarkal” in honour of heroes died fighting
• This text also gives us idea about military & administrative system along with trade & commerce of south Indian people.

Didactic Text

• Work of Brahamana written in Prakrit – Sanskrit language
• Mainly prescribing code of conduct for king & other social classes

Tolkkappiyam > Earliest of Tamil literature which deals with grammer & poetics on political & socio-economic conditions of that period.

🌿 Key Features of the Sangam Age:

• Literature: Produced by Tamil poets and scholars, Sangam texts include poems, epics, and grammar treatises. Key works include Ettuthogai (Eight Anthologies) and Pattuppāṭṭu (Ten Idylls).

• Political Structure: Dominated by the Chera, Chola, and Pandya kingdoms. These dynasties engaged in warfare, trade, and patronage of art.

• Society: Sangam society was stratified but vibrant. Women poets, warriors, and traders had prominent roles.

• Economy: Flourished due to agriculture, internal trade, and maritime trade with Rome and Southeast Asia.

• Religion: Dominated by early forms of Hinduism, Jainism, and Animism. Temples and rituals began to gain prominence.

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