History (Ancient India History :- Sangam Age: 300 – 600 AD)

Ancient India History :- Sangam Age: 300 – 600 AD

Sangam Age: 300 – 600 AD

 *Assembly of poets

 *Mainly patronized by Pandayas

Divided in 2 parts

 Narrative     

 *18 major works ( Melkannakku)

 *Mainly on Aham (Love) & Puram (Valor)

 *10 Idylls ( Pattuppattu)

 *8 Anthrologies (Ettutogai)

Didactic     

 *18 minor works (Kikanakku)

 *Philosophical, Moral & ethical message

 *Encloses Tirukkural – Bible of Tamils (Written by Thiruvallur)

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 &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