Ancient South Indian History
During the 1,000 B.C., the present states of Tamil Nadu and Kerala (in southern India) were inhabited by megalithic people.
The important phase of the ancient history of south India is from the Megalithic period to about A.D. 300.
Megalithic phase
The literary meaning of the term megaliths is ‘big stones’ i.e. ‘mega’ means big and ‘lit’ means stones.
The megalithic culture is known for its burials.
The megalithic culture suggests that there was an abrupt change from the Neolithic stage into the Iron Age and they did not experience the intermediate Chalcolithic or Bronze Age.
Megalithics marked a point in time where prehistory ends and history begins.
The builders of these Megalithics remain unknown to northern people because no reference tovthese monuments has been traced in Sanskrit or Prakrit literature though the early Tamil literature does contain descriptions of these burial practices.
Burial sites
Big stone were arranged over burial sites.
Purpose was to identify the site.
Apart from body, items like pottery and iron tools were also buried with the dead.
Megalithic culture existed in North India and south India as well.
Similar monuments or structures are also found near Karachi in Pakistan, near Leh in the Himalayas and at Burzahom in Jammu and Kashmir.
Megalithic culture of North India is older than south India.
In north it belonged to bronze age while in south India it belonged to Iron age.
Not all megalithic sites were burial sites.
In India, archaeologists trace the majority of the megaliths to the Iron Age (1500 BC to 500 BC), though some sites precede the Iron Age, extending up to 2000 BC.
Megalithic people preferred to settle on hills rather than plains due to thick forest cover on plains.
Megalithic people did not practice agriculture on large scale.
Later Megalithic people came in contact with North due to Traders/jain/Buddhists etc and opted for more materialistic lifestyle.
The majority of megalithic sites are found in Peninsular India, concentrated in the states of Maharashtra (mainly in Vidarbha), Karnataka, Tamil Nadu, Kerala, Andhra Pradesh, and Telangana.
Major Megalithic sites in South India are Brahmagiri and Maski.
Age of Sangam
The word Sangam is the Tamil form of the Sanskrit word Sangha which means a group of persons or an association.
The Tamil Sangam was an academy of poets and bards who flourished in three different periods and in different places, under the patronage of the Pandya kings.
Hence the age is known as ‘Sangam Age’, which extends roughly between 300 B.C. and 300 A.D.
These Tamil literary works remain useful sources to reconstruct the history of the Sangam Age.
During this age The Tamil was ruled by three dynasties namely the Chera, Chola and Pandyas.(together called Muvender)
Sangam summits:
It is believed that the first Sangam was attended by gods and legendary sages, and its seat was Madurai. All the works of the first Sangam have perished.
The seat of the second Sangam was Kapatpuram, another capital of the Pandyas. It was attended by several poets and produced a large mass of literature, but only Tolkappiyam (the early Tamil grammar) has survived.
The seat of the third Sangam was the present Madurai. It has also produced vast literature, but only a fraction of it has survived. It is this fraction which constitutes the extant body of Sangam literature.
Literature of Sangam age:
Literature of Sangam can be divided into three broad categories:
- Religious.
- Love and bravery.
- Secular.
Silappadikaram – written by Ilango Adigal. It is about love affair of Kovalan, Kanaggi and Madhavi. Later, a Kannagi Cult developed in South India.
Manimekhalai – Written by Sittalai Sattanar continues the story of Silappadikaram in next generation in which Manimekhalai is the daughter of Madhavi and Kovalan.
Tolkappiyam – written by Tolkappiyar was product of 2nd Sangam and it is basically a work on Tamil grammar & poetics.
Tirrukural – Deals with philosophy and was written by Tiruvallur.
What was kannagi cult:
The Pattini cult i.e. The worship of Kannagi as an ideal wife, was started by Senguttuvan, the ruler of Chera.
The earliest script that the Tamils used was the Brahmi script. It was only from the late ancient and early medieval period, a new angular script was evolved, called the Grantha script (more angular), from which the modern Tamil is derived.
The literature also uses many Sanskrit words, this shows that the process of brahmanisation of the Sangam society was well underway. We can also get a good idea of the fusion process between the brahman and the dravidian societies from the literature. The effects of Buddhism and Jainism on literature is also very clear.
Polity of Sangam age
The Sangam literature discusses about the 3 main Kingdoms- Chola. Pandya & Chera and about their rivalry.
The entire kingdom was called Mandalam. The Chola mandalam, Pandya mandalam and the Chera mandalam were the original major mandalam.
Below the mandalam was a major division, Nadu (province).
The ur was a town which was variously described as a perur (big village), sirur (a small village) or mudur (old village).
- The administration of Nadus was generally carried on by hereditary chiefs.
- The village was the fundamental unit of administration which was administered by local assemblies called Manrams.
Cheras
Ruled in TN and Kerala region.
Also called Keralaputra.
The emblem of Cheras was “bow and arrow”. The Cheras owed its importance to trade with the Romans. They also built a temple of Augustus there.
The greatest ruler of Cheras was Senguttuvan, the Red Chera or the Good Chera, who belonged to the 2nd century A.D.
Senguttuvan introduced the Pattini cult or the worship of Kannagi as the ideal wife in Tamil Nadu.
He was the first to send an embassy to China from South India.
Cholas
Their core area of rule was the Kaveri delta, later known as Cholamandalam. (coromandel name is derived from Cholmandalam)
Capital was Puhar and Uraiyur.
State emblem: Tiger.
Cholas are also known for their naval prowess.
King Karaikal was famous Chola ruler.
In Battle of Venni where he defeated the confederacy of Cheras, Pandyas.
He founded the port city of Puhar.
Puhar was also known as Kaveripattanam.
Pandyas
The Pandyas ruled from Madurai.
Their emblem was the “Fish”.
They patronized the Tamil Sangams and facilitated the compilation of the Sangam poems.
Major port for external trade was Korkai.
They followed orthodox Hinduism and patronized Brahmins Priests.
Art and culture of Sangam age
Poetry, music and dancing were popular among the people of the Sangam age.
Liberal donations were given to poets by the kings, chieftains and nobles.
Singing bards called Panar and Viraliyar. They were experts in folk songs and folk dances.
The arts of music and dancing were highly developed.
Dancing was performed by Kanigaiyar.
Koothu (mix of dance and drama) was the most popular entertainment of the people.
Religion of Sangam age
The primary deity of the Sangam period was Seyon or Murugan, who is hailed as Tamil God.
The worship of Murugan was having an ancient origin and the festivals relating to God Murugan was mentioned in the Sangam literature.
The Hero Stone or Nadu Kal or Virarkal worship was significant in the Sangam period and was erected in memory of the bravery shown by the warrior in battle.
Many hero stones with legends inscribed on them were found in different parts of Tamil Nadu. This kind of worshipping the deceased has a great antiquity.
Society of Sangam age
Five-fold division of lands – Kurinji (hilly tracks), Mullai (pastoral), Marudam (agricultural), Neydal (coastal) and Palai (desert).
Tolkappiyam also refers to four castes namely arasar(Ruling Class), anthanar, vanigar(carried on trade and commerce) and vellalar(Agriculturists).
Ancient primitive tribes like Thodas, Irulas, Nagas and Vedars lived in this period.
Gender status in Sangam society
Women enjoyed considerable freedom like to study and choose life partner.
Sati was prevalent in upper strata of society.
Widow remarriage was prohibited.
There were women poets like Avvaiyar, Nachchellaiyar, and Kakkaipadiniyar.
Economy of Sangam age
Agriculture was the chief occupation and Rice was the common crop.
The handicrafts of the Sangam period were popular and include weaving, metal works and carpentry, ship building and making of ornaments using beads, stones and ivory.
There was a great demand for these products, as the internal and external trade was at its peak during the Sangam period.
Spinning and weaving of cotton and silk clothes attained a high quality.
There was a great demand in the western world for the cotton clothes woven at Uraiyur.
External trade was carried between South India and the Greek and Roman kingdoms.
The port city of Puhar became an emporium of foreign trade, as big ships entered this port with precious goods.
Plenty of gold and silver coins issued by the Roman Emperors like Augustus, Tiberius and Nero were found in all parts of Tamil Nadu which reveals the extent of the trade and the presence of Roman traders in the Tamil country.
The main exports of the Sangam age were cotton fabrics, spices like pepper, ginger, cardamom, cinnamon and turmeric, ivory products, pearls and precious stones. Gold, horses and sweet wine were the chief imports.
End of Sangam Age
Towards the end of the third century A.D., the Sangam period slowly witnessed its decline.
Kalbhras occupied the Tamil country and period from 300 AD to 600 AD is considered as dark age of Tamil history due to decline in economic and art and cultural activities.
Jainism and Buddhism became prominent during this period.