Saturday, November 28, 2009

POLITY and SOCIETY

POLITY In the Sangam Age, the most common form of government was hereditary monarchy. The king was the fountainhead of administration, but his powers were lim­ited by five councils, namely, ministers (amaichchar); priests (purahitar); army chiefs (senapatiyar); envoys (dutar), and spies (atrar). The state maintained a rudimentary army. It consisted of chariots, drawn by oxen, or elephants, cavalry and infantry. The footmen and horsemen wore leather sandals for the protection of their feet. The entire kingdom was called mandalam. Below it was the nadu. The ur was a town. Pattanam was the coastal town and puhar was the harbour area. The village was the fundamental unit of administration and was looked after by the village panchayats known as manrums. A small village assembly (avai) met to transact local business.

SOCIETY The brahmans first appear in the south in the Sangam Age. They were pa.tronised by the princes. This helped them to apportion wealth and position in the society. They took wine and meat. The kshatriyas and vaishyas appear as regular varnas in the Sangam texts. But the class of warriors was an important element in polity and society.

Captains of the army were invested with the title of enadi at a formal ceremony. Civil and military offices were held by vellalar or rich peasants. The ruling class was called arasar. Agricultural operations were generally carried on by members of the lowest class (kadaisiyar). The pariyars were agricultural labourers who also worked on animal skins and used them as mats. Thus, there were sharp social inequali­ties. However, acute caste distinctions were lacking. There was no prevalence of untouchability. Women's condition was comparatively good, though we have references to sati. The art of writing was doubtless known to the Tamils before the beginning of the Christian era.

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