Sangam Age: 300-600 AD All Notes

Sangam Age: 300-600 AD

Sangam Age

▪ 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