Ancient Eelam During the Sangam Age and Its Social Structure
Ancient Eelam During the Sangam Age and Its Social Structure
During the Sangam Age, the rulers of ancient Tamilakam belonged to the governing class, including the Vendar (kings), Arasar (rulers), and Velir (chieftains). In the Prakrit inscriptions of Eelam, these titles appear as Maharaja, Raja, and Vel. According to this interpretation, the reason for this lies in the influence of the Ajivika tradition, which was introduced into Sangam-era Eelam from the 6th century BCE by renowned ascetics such as Makkhali Gosala, Kani Nandasiriyar, and Purana Kassapa.
These ascetics were known in Tamil as Amanar, because they performed their yogic practices while seated. This can be understood through Tamil inscriptions referring to figures such as Mutha Amanan Sengayapan. The same term was rendered in Prakrit as Samanam, and the expression sammanamaga amarvathu (“to sit in meditation”) conveys the same meaning. In Sanskrit, this evolved into the term Śramaṇa.
The next principal component of ancient Tamil society consisted of the Anthanar (Brahmins/ascetics), Pamanar (Amanar), Thapathar, Patha, and Arivar (the learned). The Pingala Nikandu also refers to them as Savakar, Arugar, Samanar, and Amanar, identifying them with many of the ancient Anthanars.
Among them, the word Pamana, as found in the inscriptions of Eelam, corresponds to the Prakrit form of Samanar(Amanar or ascetics). The foremost among these ascetics were Makkhali, Purana, and Kani Nandasiriyar. This is consistent with the Tamil inscription referring to Mutha Amanan Sengayapan.
Likewise, the Prakrit word Patha corresponds to the Tamil Thapathar. Alongside them were scholars such as the Kaniyar, and the learned sages mentioned by Pisiranthaiyar in Purananuru verse 191. They constituted the second social class and were distinguished by their wisdom, scholarship, moral discipline, concern for the public good, and ascetic way of life.
The third class consisted of merchants engaged in trade, prosperous agricultural landowners, and wealthy cultivators such as the Nizhakkizhars and Kamiks. In the inscriptions of Eelam, they are referred to as Parumaka, denoting persons of wealth and high social standing.
The fourth class included small-scale merchants, artisans, small farming communities, various other occupational groups, warriors, priests, bards (Panar), performers (Koothar), Porunar, and Viraliyar. Communities such as the Pulaiyar and Ilisanar also belonged to this fourth category.
According to this interpretation, these groups were respected members of society during the Sangam Age. Ancient Tamilakam consisted of only these four social divisions, and the same social structure existed in Eelam without alteration. The inscriptions of Eelam are presented as confirming this view.
Accordingly, the terms Pamana, Patha, Kana, Maharaja, Raja, and Vel, found in the inscriptions of Eelam, are regarded as the Prakrit equivalents of the social terminology used in ancient Tamil society.
Although this ancient social structure was later fragmented and obscured through successive foreign invasions and colonial rule, its roots are argued to remain visible even today. This continuity is suggested through personal names such as Nagarasa, Nagamma, Thisanayagam (Thisa), Thisaveerasingam (Thisa), Devasigamani (Gamani), Thavarasa (Thama), and Thavakumar (Thama), among many others.
The prevalence of such names among Eelam Tamils is presented as evidence that they are descendants of the ancient Nagas of Eelam, making their historical identity relatively easy to trace.
Translation by Hari
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