A History of South India from Prehistoric Times to the Fall of Vijayanagar c12.5

c12.5

The first well-lighted epoch in the history of the Tamil land is that reflected in the literature of Śangam (i.e. the first three or four centuries A.D.)—the earliest stratum of Tamil literature now available. This is found grouped in eight more or less schematic anthologies, viz., (1) Narriṇai, (2) Kurundogai, (3) Aingurunūru, (4) Padirruppattu, (5) Paripādal, (6) Kalittogai, (7) Ahanānūru and (8) Puranānūru; a ninth group Pattuppāttu (‘Ten Idylls’) completes the tale. The entire collection includes 2,279 poems of lengths varying from four or five lines to over eight hundred, by 473 poets (including some women) besides 102 anonymous pieces. At the end of each poem are notes giving the name of its author, the occasion of its composition and other details. These notes, probably the work of the editors, must be taken generally to represent a correct tradition though there are difficulties about doing so.