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24 Dec 2021 Sangam literature

Posted at 11:42h in Daily current-affairs by khyati khare 0 Comments

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The Hindi translation of Tolkāppiyam and Kannada translation of 9 books of classical Tamil literature were released by the Minister of State for Education.
Tamil literature dates back to the Sangam era, which is named after the assembly of poets (sangam).

This is the period around the middle of the third century BCE. The period “between about 300 BC to 300 AD” in South India is known as the Sangam period.
It is named after the Sangam academies/assemblies held during that period which flourished under the royal patronage of the Pandya kings of Madurai.
Eminent scholars gathered in Sangams and acted as censor board and best literature was rendered in the form of compilation.
These literary works were the earliest specimens of Dravidian literature.
During the Sangam Age, South India was ruled by three dynasties – Cheras, Cholas and Pandyas.

According to Tamil legends, three sangams (gatherings of Tamil poets) were held in ancient South India, called Muchchangam.
The first Sangam is believed to have been held in Madurai. Deities and great saints were involved in this confluence. No literary texts of this Sangam are available.
The second Sangam was held at Kapatapuram, the only Tamil grammar text of this Sangam available in Tolkappiyam.
The third Sangam was also held in Madurai. Most of the texts of this Sangam were destroyed. Some of this material is available in the form of group texts or epics.

The Sangam literature includes the Tolkappiyam, Ettutogai, Pattupattu, Pathinenkilkanakku texts and two epics named Shilappadikaram and Manimekhalai.

It was written by Tolkappiyar and is considered the oldest of the Tamil literary works.
It is a treatise on grammar, as well as provides information about the political and socio-economic conditions of that time.
It is a unique work on grammar and poetry in three parts of nine volumes, each dealing with ezuttu (characters), kol (words) and porul (subjects).
Almost all levels of human language, from common colloquialism to poeticity, come under Tolkappiyar’s analysis, as he deals with phonology, morphology, syntax, rhetoric, verses and poetry in exquisitely poetic and epigrammatic statements.

It consists of eight compositions – Aingurunuru, Narinai, Agnauru, Purananuru, Kuruntogai, Kalittogai, Paripadal and Padirattu.

It includes ten works – Thirumurugaruppadi, Porunaruppadai, Sirupanaruppadai, Perumpanaruppadi, Mullaipattu, Nedunlavadai, Maduraikkanji, Kurinjipattu, Pattinappalai and Malaippadukdam.

It consists of eighteen acts relating to ethics and morality.
The most important of these works is Thirukkural by the great Tamil poet and philosopher Thiruvalluvar.

Shilappadikaram are epics written by ‘Ilangoadigal’ and Manimekhalai by ‘Sithalaisatnar’.
They also provide valuable details about the Sangam society and polity.