Sangam Age: Polity and Administration

The importance of the Sangam age or Sangam Period in Indian history is unparalleled. The Sanskrit word Sangam means ‘assembly’ in English. The period is named the Sangam period after the academic assembly under the patronage of the Pandyas of Madurai. Sangam literature is the major source from which we learn about important facts, including the administration and polity. Apart from it, Greek authors like Megasthenes, Ptolemy, Pliny and Strabo showed the Commercial trade connections between the West and South India at that time. We also get some details from the Ashokan edicts and Adichanallur excavations. Here, we are going to learn about the administration and polity of the Sangam age.

What is Sangam Age?

The Sangam Age is a period of history in ancient Tamil Nadu from the 3rd century BC to the 3rd century AD in south India. There are three dynasties ruled during this period i.e. Chola, Cheras, and Pandyas. There were three Sangams or assemblies of Tamil poets during the Sangam period in South India.

• The First Sangam was held in Madurai, and legendary sages and gods participated here. The works of this Sangam are not available as all of them perished.
• The Second Sangam took place in Kapadapuram. The only available literary work is Tolkappiyam.
• The Third Sangam was held in Madurai. Most of the valuable sources of Sangam history are from the literary works of the third Sangam.

The source of information on the Sangam age polity and administration is primarily Sangam literature. So, it will be easier to understand the context of the polity and administration if we know the details of the relevant literature during this time. The main literary sources are Tirukkural, Tolkappiyam, poems, and epics of the period.

Political History of Cheras, Cholas & Pandyas of Sangam Period:

Cholas:

• Cholas whose core area of Rule was the Kaveri Delta (also known as Cholamandalam) also controlled the central and northern parts of Tamil Nadu.
• They maintained an efficient Navy and during the king Rajaraja Chola-I, several naval campaigns captured Malabar Coast, Maldives, and Sri Lanka.
• Vijayalaya was the founder of the Chola Dynasty.
• Rajaraja Chola-I and Rajendra Chola-I were the greatest rules of the Chola Dynasty.
• Their Capital was Uraiyur near Tiruchirapalli town and Tiger was their emblem.
• At the beginning of the 13th century, with the rise of the Pandya Dynasty, the Chola Dynasty went into decline, and finally, this caused its downfall.

Cheras:

• Chera Dynasty was one of the Tamil Dynasties and it was geographically well-placed to profit from maritime trade by exchange of spices.
• Economy of Chera is primarily depends on Agriculture and Pastoralism.
• Territory of the Chera Dynasty in the early historical period consisted of the present day central Kerala and Kongu region western Tamil Nadu.

Pandyas:

• Pandya dynasty, also referred to as the Pandyas of Madurai, was an ancient Tamil dynasty of South India.
• In the early 6th Century, the Pandya dynasty revived under king Kadungon.
• This dynasty fell into decline with rise of the Cholas of Thanjavur in the 9th century.
• Pandyas are also mentioned in the 2nd and 13th Major Rock Edict inscriptions of Maurya emperor Ashoka (3rd century BCE). 
• During their time, they were repeatedly in conflict with the Pallavas, Cholas, Hoysalas and finally the Muslim invaders from the Delhi Sultanate. 

Major Sources of Sangam Age:

• Tolkappiyar’s Tolkappiyam is one of the oldest pieces in Tamil literature. It is a major source of the details of the Sangam period. It is a treatise on grammar and language in Tamil. But it also carries details of the polity.
• Among the recognizable Sangam literature, there are Ettutogai (Eight collections), Pattupattu (Ten songs), and Patinenkilkanakku (The Eighteen Minor Works). These works are from A.D 150-250. ‘Five Epics’ (the five great poems) of Sangam literature are known as a combination of Jivakachintamani, Silappadikaram, Manimekalai, Valayapathi, and Kundalakesi.
• The Tirukkural or the Kural is a literary work by the poet Tiruvalluvar. The work reveals the poet’s desire to have a society free from casteism. The Porul section in the Kural states the ideal features of citizenship and country or kingdom. These are important sources of Sangam history. 
• Ashoka’s inscriptions carry evidence of the Cholas, Cheras, and Pandyas, and so do the Adichanallur excavations. Some international sources disclose the connection between the West and the south Indian kingdoms. These include the literary works of Megasthenes, Pliny, Ptolemy, and Strabo.

Contribution of the Chola, Chera and Pandyas to Polity and Administration Section:

• The Cheras, Cholas, and Pandyas are the dynasties of the Sangam period. The polity and administration of the Sangam age were remarkable in history for some unique features. The administration had two councils named Aimperunkulu and Enperayam. The first one was the council of five ministers. And the latter one was the council of eight government officials. The advisory board worked along with the king. But the king had the power to cancel their advice.
• Local assembly administered the local areas. The political structure of the Sangam age was firm and had some democratic views. The political structure was centred on the king. The hereditary tradition of kingship was present in every dynasty. Avai or the officials assisted the king in maintaining the political pattern. Land revenue was one of the most important sources of the royal treasury. The customs officials were known as Pattinappalai. The Sangam period was an example of a well-maintained administration. The king was always aware of the situation of the roads and the city and even the rural areas to protect citizens from robbery.
• The dynasties like the Cheras, Cholas, and Pandyas had individual royal emblems. The Cheras had the bow and arrow as the emblem. Among all the Chera kings, Senguttuvan was the most remarkable one. He was famous for sending an embassy to China to establish foreign relations. The ruling area of the Cheras was mainly in modern Kerala, and Vanji was their capital.
• The Cholas ruled from modern Tiruchi to Andhra Pradesh. Their initial capital was in Uraiyur, which shifted to Puhar later on. Their royal sign was the tiger. Among all Chola kings, Karikala was the most famous. His decisions about the military and commerce made the period a golden time.
• The capital of the Pandyas was Madurai, and they reigned in modern southern Tamil Nadu. Their royal emblem was the fish. Nedunjcheliyan was a significant ruler of this dynasty, and winning the Battle of Talaiyalanganam was one of his significant achievements. Korkai was a recognized harbour that prospered during the Pandyas reign.
• These three kingdoms had a vibrant trade with the Roman empire. Many coins belonging to the Roman empire were excavated in this region.

End of Sangam Age:

• At the end of the third century A.D., the Sangam era began to Declined.
• Jainism and Buddhism gained popularity during the Sangam Age.
• The glory of the Sangam age started to fade near the 3rd century A.D., and the Kalabhras invaded the Tamil country later on.
• After these dynasty, though the Kalabhras ruled over Tamil country for over two and a half centuries, but very less information available about this reign.
• The Pallavas of northern Tamil Nadu and the Pandyas of southern Tamil Nadu drove away the Kalabhras and established their rule in Tamil Nadu.