5. The Grand feast in Sangam Literature

The word Sangam or Cankam is the Tamil form of a Sanskrit word “Sangham”, which means “association”. In the case of literature, the “Sangam” was an academy of literary activists such as poets and scholars, existed in the ancient Tamilakam. It flourished in the last centuries of BCE and extended up to the first three centuries of the Common Era. The Sangam poets were headquartered at Sundareshvara temple in Madurai and was patronized by the Pandya, Cera and Cola rulers.^[1] Scholars opine that Sangam can be divided into three categories viz. “Mutal Cankam” (First Sangam), “Itai Cankam”(Middle/Second Sangam) and “Katai Cankam” (Final/Third Sangam), but there is no any strong evidences or historical references to prove it.^[2] Even today, the reckoning of the chronology of the Sangam period is not confirmed and historians have different opinions about it. Some of the opinions are discussing below.

According to K. A. Neelakantha Sastri, the date of Sangam literature may be identified by synchronizing historical references of Gajabahu-I of Ceylon^[3] and Ceran Cenkuttuvan^[4]. The date of Gajabahu’s reign has been fixed at about 173-95 CE, and this may the time when Ceran Cenkuttuvan also flourished. On this basis, the Sangam age may fix from 100 CE-250 CE.^[5] Another historian H.A.N Sastri also declared the age of Sangam literature was in between the100^th CE-250^th CE.

In the introduction of Kalittokai^[6] published from Kerala Sahitya Academy, the Sangam period is denoted as 498 CE to 817 CE. He came to this declaration by referring Halasyamahatmyam^[7] , several myths and citations from earlier poems. G. Vaidyanatha Aiyyer, a commentator of Patirrupatt^[8] states that first to fourth centuries of Common Era can be considered as the Sangam period of Tamil literature^[9]. V. R. Paramesvaran Pillai, translator of Purananurualso assigned that first few centuries of the Common Era might be the Sangam period^[10].

According to the observations of Prof. Elamkulam P. N. Kunjan Pillai, the Sangam age can be placed between the 5^th and 6^th centuries of Common Era^[11]. He points out his views on the following way: apart from the “Muventas”^[12], the Sangam literature mentions different reigns such as “Katambas”, “Kankas”, “Panas” and “Moriyas”. He refers these dynasties as the ‘Kadambas’, the ‘Gangas’, the ‘Banas’^[13] and the ‘Mauryans’ respectively. By analyzing the references of these dynasties in the Sangam literature, he calculated the chronology of the Sangam age. But another historian K. Sivsankaran Nair declined this observation of Prof. Elamkulam P. N. Kunjan Pillai on the basis of some findings about these dynasties. According to his opinion, the reference of Katambas in the Sangam works denotes the “Nanna” clan of Tulunatu. K. Sivasankaran Nair opines that the Nanna clan had another name “Katambas” because the “Katambu” tree was their official tree. So that, it is clear that they were not the “Kadambas of Vanavasi”(C.E 350)^[14] as Prof. Elamkulam Kunjan Pillai assumes. K. Sivasankaran Nair again pointed out that the Kanka dynasty was migrated from the banks of the Ganges to Karnataka who were originally the Magadhas, by heritage. But, Prof. Elamkulam Kunjan Pillai misinterpreted them as the “Ganga”^[15] clan of south India, similarly he misapprehended the word Panas (the singers) also to the “Banas”. Prof. Elamkulam Kunjan Pillai assumed the term Moriyars from the “Calukya” dictums and he noted their epoch after the first centuries of Common Era. However, in the opinion of K Sivasankaran Nair the Moriyars were alreadyoccupied the Maharashtra and Karnataka regions since 2^nd century BCE.^[16] Thus K. Sivasankaran Nair discards the opinions of Elamkulam Kunjan Pillai about the Sangam epoch and accepted the opinion that the Sangam Era was between the 1^st and 3^rd centuries of BCE.^[17] Another renowned historian A. Sridharamenon fixed the first five centuries of the Common Era as the Sangam period.^[18] While analyzing these diverse opinions, the majority of historians commented that the period of Sangam era might be in the 1^st–3^rd centuries of the Common Era.

The Sangam reflects two types of myths, the Religious myth and Epic related myths^[19]. The myths related to gods like Muruka, Shiva etc. included in the religious type and story of Perumcorru is an example of epic related myth.The poets like Muranciyur Mutinakarayar in Purananuru, Mamulanar and Kottampalattunciya Ceraman Makkotai in Akananuru were depicted the generosity of Utiyan Ceralatan in the Sangam works. The great feeding story is mentioned in the Tamil mahakavya Cilappatikaram also. These works praised Utiyan as a great feeder.

Footnotes and references:

[1]:

Kaviyoor Murali, Purananooru Oru Paddanam, (Kottayam: DC Books,1999), 17.

[2]:

Idem.

[3]:

Gajabahu-I (173-195 CE) was a Ceylon King. The Buddhist treatise Mahavamsha referred him as a contemporary of Ceran Cenkuttuvan.

[4]:

Ceran Cenkuttuvan (Katal Pirakottiya Ceran) was a prominent Cera king. The Tamil Epic poem Cilappatikaram referred him.

[5]:

K.A Neelakantha Sastri, History of South India, (Madras: Oxford University Press, 1966), 112.

[6]:

Kalittokai included as the 6^th text of “Ettutokai (collection of 8 texts)” division of Sangam literature. The word “Kali” means beautiful poem and “Tokai” means collection. It is an “Akam” type poem which contains 149 songs in 5 divisions namely Palaikkali, Kurincikkali, Mullaikkali, Marutam kali and Neytal Kali.

[7]:

Halasyamahatmyam is the text deals with the praise of Lord Sundareshvra (Shiva) of the Madhurai temple.

[8]:

Patirrupatt is the 4^th text of Ettutokai. Ten poets made per ten poems for ten kings of the Cera dynasty, totally 100 poems. The first and last “ten” poems (patikam) were lost permanently and now there is only 80 poems left in this text.

[9]:

Kaviyoor Murali, Purananooru-Oru Paddanam, (Kottayam: DC Books,1999), 20.

[10]:

Idem.

[11]:

Sivasankaran Nair K., Prachinakeralathinte Charithram, (Kottayam: DC Books, July 2017), 7

[12]:

The trinity of Cera, Cola and Pandyas were referred by the term “Muventas” in Sangam works. The word “Venta” means “Indra”and the term Muventas represents the three superpowers of Cera, Cola and Pandya reigns.

[13]:

The Banas (4^th Century CE) was a native Kannada kingdom of South India. They claimed their heritage from the Asura King Mahabali and accepted its name from Bana, the son of Mahabali. They had their capital city at different places according to different periods, such as Kolar and Gudimallam.

[14]:

The Kadamba Dynasty (345 CE-525 CE) was a prominent reign of Karnataka that ruled the area of Vaijayanti or Banavasi in the present Uttara Kannada district. This dynasty was founded by Maurya Sharman in 345 CE. The Kadamba Dynasty was a notable one because it was the first traditional empire to use Kannada language at an administrative level.

[15]:

Western Ganga dynasty was a major kingdom of ancient Karnataka in south India (350 CE-1000 CE). They are denoted as 'Western Gangas' to identify them from the “Eastern Gangas” who ruled over Kalinga (modern Odisha) in later centuries. The Ganga kings showered generous consideration to all religions but are most famous for their patronage towards Jainism. They constructed the famous Jain monuments in the places such as Shravanabelagola and Kambadahalli. They encouraged fine arts and literature in both Kannada and Sanskrit.

[16]:

K. Sivasankaran Nair, Prachina Keralathinte Charitram, (Kottayam: DC Books, July 2017), 7.

[17]:

Idem.

[18]:

A. Sreedhara Menon, Kerala Charithram, (Kottayam: DC Books, December 2011), 75.

[19]:

. M. E. Manickavasagam Pillai, Culture of the ancient Cheras (A Study in Cultural Reconstruction),186.