Sangam literature refers to the vast body of ancient Tamil literature created between the Sangam period of 300 BC to 300 AD. The repertoire of Sangam Literature is crucial to understand the rich Tamil culture of that era.
The literature was composed in three Tamil Sangam academies located in Madurai. Sangam works are considered as early Tamil writings that deal with secular themes along with occasional references to Hindu gods. The literature is classified into two broad genres of Akam and Puram based on their themes.
Sangam Literature also provides a stark criticism of the social, political and cultural life of the Dravidian people and the three Tamil kingdoms, making it crucial for the Ancient History portion of UPSC Preparation. Some of the seminal works from this period include – Tolkappiyam, Ettuthokai, Pattuppattu, Silappathikaram and Manimekalai.
Key Characteristics of Sangam Literature
- Sangam literature is considered the earliest extant Tamil literature dating back to the Sangam period between 300 BC to 300 AD.
- The literature was predominantly secular in nature, dealing with themes from everyday life and society with only occasional references to major Hindu gods and religious concepts.
- One of the key classifications done of the Sangam literature was dividing it into two broad genres known as Akam and Puram based on their overarching themes.
- The Akam genre consisted of poems that dealt with inner themes of love and emotions while Puram poems focused on outer themes like valor, heroism and activities related to public life.
- Apart from Akam and Puram, Sangam works were further classified based on the landscape settings or locations into distinct tiṇai genres. These tiṇai genres which include landscapes like mountainous, forests, river banks and coasts helped classify the poems according to the moods and emotive contents associated with each natural setting.
- They throw light on the cherished Dravidian traditions and way of life that thrived in Tamil Nadu under the rule of three great Tamil dynasties.
What is Sangam Literature?
Sangam literature refers to the collection of Tamil Literature written between the period of 300 BC to 300 AD. This period is regarded as the classical period in the history of Tamil literature and is known as the Sangam period. Sangam means academy in Tamil, which indicates the settings in which these literature were composed.
Sangam literature was produced in three Tamil academies locally known as Sangams located in Madurai. These academies are believed to have supported and nurtured Tamil poets and writers. The literature composed during this period is considered to be the earliest extant Tamil works.
They provide valuable insights into the social, political, religious, cultural and economic aspects of ancient Tamil society and the three Tamil kingdoms of Chera, Chola and Pandya that flourished then. Some of the major literary works from this period include Tolkappiyam, Ettuthokai, Pattuppathu, Silappathikaram and Manimekalai which are considered as masterpieces of early Tamil literature.
Characteristics of Sangam Literature
Sangam literature is considered as the earliest Tamil literature available. It is an important topics from the syllabus of GS Paper 1 from UPSC. Some of the main characteristics of Sangam literature are –
- It is predominantly secular in nature with occasional references to Hindu gods.
- Classified into two broad divisions of akam (inner) and puram (outer) poems.
- Akam poems deal with themes of love while puram poems focus on heroism in public life and warfare.
- Further classified based on landscapes/locations into genres called tiṇai.
- Offer insights into the social, cultural and political aspects of the Sangam period.
Major Works of Sangam Literature
Sangam literature is composed of various notable poetic and epic works composed during this period, some of which are considered as notable masterpieces of early Tamil literature. The prominent works of Sangam Literature include –
- Tolkappiyam: It is the oldest extant Tamil text on grammar and poetics authored by Tolkappiyar.
- Ettuthokai: This book is a collection of eight anthologies comprising over 2,400 poems spanning diverse genres.
- Pattuppāṭṭu: This is a collection of ten longer poems extolling the early Tamil kings and dynasties.
- Silappathikaram: One of the five great epics of Tamil literature written by Ilango Adigal.
- Manimekalai: This Buddhist epic poem was composed by Sittalai Sattanar as a sequel to Silappathikaram.
- Pathinenkilkanakku: This is an anthology of 200 shorter poems on morality and ethics.
- Kaliththogai: This book is a collection of 500 short love poems arranged by meters.
- Aingurunuru: This is an anthology of 400 poems on reciprocated love by northern Tamil poets.
Sangam literary works are one of the oldest known available literature in Tamil language and hold immense historical, cultural and linguistic significance. A grasp of Sangam literary works is essential to analyze the relationship between early Tamil society and broader Ancient Indian History, making it a crucial component of UPSC preparation.
