The history of the Tamils presents an
exciting pageant of a powerful civilization whose origin
dates back to ancient times. It is clear that the Tamils,
who belong to the Dravidian race, were the first major occupants
of the country and settled in the north-western part of
India long before the coming of the Indo-Aryans. Excavations
have revealed that the features of the people of the Indus
Valley Civilization bore a strong resemblance to this race.
However, with the advent of the Aryans, the Dravidians were
pushed back into the deep south where they ultimately settled.
As is the case with most of the early history of the state,
it is impossible to pin-point the exact period, when the
great Tamil Sangam (Academy) flourished, though it can be
said with some certainty that two Sangams were held well
before the Christian era and the third between 100 and 250
AD.
The Tamil Sangam, which marks the Golden
Age of Tamil literature is the one major source of knowledge
about the administration, art, architecture and economic
conditions that existed then. Among some of the greatest
compositions of the four centuries of Sangam age are Tiruvalluvar's
Thirukkural which consists of 1330 couplets about morality
in private and public life combined with some of life's
greatest truths, compositions of the saint-poetess Avviayar,
Pathupatu or ten Idylls which is a compilation of the work
of several authors on philosophy, intermingled with descriptions
of the natural world and Ettuthogai or the eight anthologies.
Of these, the last is historically the most important as
it contains a description of the daily life of the people.
This collection of poems is the earliest record of its kind
as far as the history of the Tamils is concerned.
South
India Tour Packages
Best of Karnataka Tour (Duration
: 8 Days)
(Mumbai - Bangalore - Mysore - Hassan - Bangalore -
Mumbai)
