The Tale of Tamizhakam Offers a Window into Ancient Tamil Life

Written between 300 B.C.E. and 250 A.D., Sangam’s poetry is the southernmost region of the Indian subcontinent that flourished more than 2000 years ago and includes today’s states of Tamil Nadu, Kerala, Andhra Pradesh and Karnataka. It testifies to the ancient and sophisticated culture of Tamizakam. There are 18 Sangam books — 10 long songs (Patupattu) and eight anthologies (Etsutokai) — 2,381 poems were written by 537 poets, 39 of whom were female poets, and 102 poems by anonymous poets. Poets, both men and women, came from different walks of life. Among them were kings, laymen, businessmen, teachers, goldsmiths, potters, and cowherds.

According to Vaidehi Herbert, a self-taught Tamil, these poems reveal many vivid images of the ancient Tamizakam. It was the timeless poetry that drew Vaidehi to his Sangam poetry. The natural elements that Sangam poets used in describing people’s daily lives and emotions made them different. They talked about everything: the life forms spread across all five landscapes, the food people ate, the clothing worn by people in different geographical regions, bards playing musical instruments, dancers, musicians, battles and warriors. , Greeks, Romans and trading life. others.

Possessing considerable knowledge of the sun, moon, planets, comets, and many constellations, the Sangam poet’s proficiency was not limited to Earth.

“The elements of nature are intertwined with love, courage, anguish, ecstasy, kindness, war, cruelty, honor, charity, friendship and many other aspects of humanity. Never losing sight of the world, they brought flora and fauna to life and used them effectively in almost all their poems to reveal human emotions and situations, thereby creating beautiful vignettes. Commonwealth.