Sangam Age

The Sangam Age (1-500 AD) in Kerala is said to be the first enlightened age among the other periods of the past. The poets, poetesses and other writers of this period have left behind valuable accounts of the contemporary age including the cultural, economic, social and political aspects of the kingdoms of the South. It is only in the Sangam Age that the history of Kerala assumes a practical base instead of concentrating in the mythological stories and legends. The Sangam Age is that period when Sangam literature was composed. The literal meaning of Sangam is ‘academy’ and hence this age has been called so as great Tamil works of academic excellence were produced in this period.

Three political powers ruled the territories of the South which now represents present day Kerala during the Sangam Age. These were the Ezhimalas to the north, the Cheras in Central Kerala and the Ays in the south. The kingdom of Ays stretched from Tiruvalla in the north to Nagercoil in the south and the most noteworthy rulers were Antiran, Atiyan and Titian.

The kingdom of the Ezhimalas encompassed the present day Kannur and Wynad districts of North Kerala. The Cheras, above all were the most powerful and predominant of all the dynasties and ruled kerala with an upper hand.

Poems like Akananuru, Manimekhalai ,Purananuru and Silappathikaram describes everything about the Sangam Age and were composed by poets named Gautamanar, Kapilar, Mamulanar and Paramer and poetess named Avvaiyar. The poems provide interesting information about Vanchi, the capital of Cheras which formed a major trading centre with Rome. The link with the Romans gave rise to small colonies of Syrian Christians and the Jews in the main dock towns of Kerala.

Tolkappiyam was the earliest writing on Tamil Grammar and Ettutogai (“Eight Anthologies”) were was a wonderful product of the Third Sangam Age.

In the last phase of Sangam Age the Brahmins started emerging as the elite class and a large number of Brahmin settlements and temples sprung up and the Nambudiri community came into being.