Talk:Legendary Tamil Sangams/Venus62 version

Sangam was the ancient academy, which enabled Tamil poets and authors to gather periodically to publish their work. The Sangam met periodically in the city of Madurai in South India under the patronage of the Pandyan kings[1]. The current estimate is that the Sangam period lasted between 100 B.C.E. until 300 C.E.[2]

The word Sangam is probably of Indo-Aryan origin, coming from Sangha, the Buddhist and Jain term for an assembly of monks. In Tamil the word means "assembly" or "academy".

Unfortunately no scientific proof is available to substantiate whether these academies existed at all and if so, the dates, the participants or their works. However it is probable that quite a few scholars could have met periodically at different times and discussed literary works either formally or informally.

The last Sangam ended around the 3rd century C.E. with the invasion of Kalabhras from the north.

The Sangam Literature

Tamil historians refer to the Tamil literature from 100 BCE to 300 CE as Sangam literature[2]. Sangam literature comprises of some of the oldest extant Tamil literature, and deals with love, war, governance, trade and bereavement[1]. In contrast to contemporary literary works in Sanskrit and Pali, Sangam literature is surprisingly secular, dealing with day-to-day themes in a unique South Indian context.

Some of the Tamil literature which are attributed to the Sangam period are:

• Tholkappiam
• Ettuthokai
• Pattupattu
• Akananuru
• Purananuru
• Ainkurnuru
• Pathinenkilkanakku
• Thirukkural
• Naladiyar
• Narrinai
• Pathirruppaththu

The Reliability of the Sources

Although the antiquity of Tamil is well established[6], an accurate chronological assessment of literary works had been rendered difficult due to lack of concrete scientific evidence to support conflicting claims. Undue reliance on myths and legends have thus culminated in controversial opinions or interpretations among scholars, confusion in the dates, names and personal accounts of authors and doubts of even their existence in some cases. Linguistic scholars have resorted to rock edicts of Kings, inscriptions on copperplates, stone carvings in temples, and palm leaves containing original works in conjunction. Archaeological excavations have also been useful in the reconstruction of the history of languages and the cultural characteristics of the people who spoke them.

Unfortunately much of the Tamil literature belonging to the Sangam period had been lost so that all the current knowledge on the first two Tamil academies can at best be described only as hypotheses not based on facts. Only events that occurred after the seventh century could be considered to have partial records worthy of discussion. Here again several manuscripts written in palm leaves were either lost, stolen, misplaced or destroyed by termites. Many had been taken away to other countries for safe keeping in museums not easily accessible to present day Tamil scholars.

According to the Sangam legends there were three Sangams spanning tens of thousands of years, the first Sangam lasting for 4000 years from c 14000 BCE. From the available archaeological and epigraphic evidence, it is probable that the earliest Tamil kingdoms must have been established around the fourth century BC. Beyond fourth century B.C.E. to c 1000 B.C.E., the archaeological findings point to a megalithic period, and going further back a Neolithic period starting from about the third millennium BC. While those two prehistoric periods are as important as they are enigmatic, they show little sign of a complex culture, and no clear connection with the dawn of urban civilization in South India[4].

The Sangam Legend

Although there is a prevelant tradition that talks about the three Sangams that lasted over a period of thousands of years, the first two being located in a lost continent south of the Indian peninsula, there is no archaeological evidence to support it. The Sangam legend is also closely related to the lost continent legend which claims that the Tamils migrated north to their current location from a submerged landmass that once extisted south of the Indian peninsula after a series floods which made their land inhabitable.

The idea of the Sangam legend was first expressed in a commentary to Iraiyanar Akapporul, a medieval work on tamil poetry. While the work itself is dated by K.A. Nilakantha Sastri to c. 750 C.E., the commentary dates to the 13th century.

The First Sangam

This session was held at Ten Madurai (South Madurai) on the banks of the river Kanni (aka Pahruli) under the patronage of a Pandyan king called Ma Kirti. Sage Agastya convened this session and wrote Agattiyam or Agastyam — a treatise on Tamil grammar. This Sangam lasted for 4440 years. It was held in Mt. Mahendra in Kumari Nadu — a continent that extended beyond the current Kanyakumari. Iraiyanaar and Murinjiyur Mudinagarayar were other scholars who lived in this period.

Little is known of the first Sangam. None of the writings attributed to this Sangam are present in their entirety.

Five hundred and forty-nine people participated in the First Sangam. Participating poets included Akaththiyanar, Sivan, Murugan, Muranjicyoor Mudinaagaraayar, Lord Kuberan, and others. It is said that, in all, 4,449 poets presented their poems. Musical poems called Paripaadals were sung, as well as treatises on the grammar for Tamil music called Mudhunaarai, Mudhukuruku, Kalaviyaavirai, etc. They remained convened in the Sangam for 4,440 years. Eighty-nine Pandyan kings kept the Sangam convened, from Kaaycina Vazhudhi at first to Kadungkon at the end; seven of those kings even presented poems.

The Second Sangam

After a deluge the Sangam was shifted to Kapaadapuram aka Kavadapuram (Kavatapuram) in a now-lost continent know as Kumari kandam on the banks of the river Kumari, south of present day Kanyakumari. This second Sangam is said to have lasted for 3700 years. This was presided over by Murugan (Skandha) and attended by Krishna. The work Tholkappiyam by a Tolkaappiyar is from this era. Kapilar is also from this era.

Fifty-nine prominent poets participated in the Sangam, including Akaththiyanar, Tholkaappiyar, Irundhaiyuur Karungkozhi Moci, Vellur Kaappiyan, Paandarangan, Thiraiyan Maaran, Thuvaraik Komaan ("The Lord of Dwaraka" or "Krishna"), Keerandhai, and others. In all, 3700 people presented their poems. They presented Kali, Kuruku, Venthaazhi, Viyaazha Maalai Akaval, and other works. Their reference works were Akaththiyam, Tholkaappiyam, Maapuraanam, Icai Nunukkam and Poothapuraanam. They remained convened in the Sangam for 3700 years; 49 kings kept the Sangam in session, from Ven Ther Chezhiyan to Thirumaaran.

The Final Sangam

After yet another deluge, the Pandiyan king Thirumaaran moved the Sangam this time to current Madurai. This lasted for 1,850 years and resulted in works such as Ettutthogai (eight Antholgies) and Pattupattu (ten-idylls). Almost all the Tamil classics that are now available are attributed to the third Sangam.

Forty-nine prominent poets researched into Tamil culture during the Final or Third Sangam. Among them were Cendhampoodhanaar, Ilam Medhaaviyaar, Arivudaiyanaar, Mudhu Kunrur Kizhaar, Ilam Thirumaaran, Nallandhuvanaar, Madurai Marudhan Ilanaaganaar, Nakkeerar, and others. Including them 449 people presented their works. They composed Akananuru ("The Anthology of 400 Long Poems On Love"), Narrinai ("The 400 Good Poems On the Modes"), Pura naanooru ("The 400 Poems on the Exterior Landscape"), Kurunthokai ("The Anthology of 400 Short Poems on Love"), Aing kurunooru ("The 500 Short Poems on Love"), Pathirruppaththu ("The Ten Decades"), Noorraimpathu Kali ("The 150 Kalis"), 70 Paripaadals, Kooththu ("Dance"), Vari, Cirricai ("The Lesser Musical Treatise"), Pericai ("The Greater Musical Treatise"), and others.

The third Sangam remained in session and researched into Tamil culture for 1870 years; forty-nine kings maintained that Sangam from Thirumaaran to Ukkirap Peru Vazhudhi; three of them presented poems.

References

1. http://www.tamilnation.org/
2. Chera, Chola, Pandya: Using Archaeological Evidence to Identify the Tamil Kingdoms of Early Historic South India - Abraham, Shinu Anna, Asian Perspectives - Volume 42, Number 2, Fall 2003, pp. 207-223 University of Hawaii Press
3. K. A. Nilakanta Sastri, A History of South India (New Delhi : OUP, 4th edition 1975)
4. B. Narasimhaiah, Neolithic and Megalithic Cultures in Tamil Nadu (Delhi : Sundeep Prakashan, 1980)
5. A. L. Basham, The Wonder That Was India (Calcutta : Rupa, 3rd ed. 1981)
6. Minatchisuntharan, T.P. History of Tamil Literature. Annamalai University Publications in linguistics - 3. Annamalai University,1965).