With reference to Sangam Age, answer the following questions:

(a) State why the Sangam Age is so called.

(b) Name the poet who composed the Tirukkural. Write a short note on any one of his celebrated works.

(c) What information do megaliths give about the Sangam Age?

(a) The word Sangam is the Tamil form of the Sanskrit 'Sangha' which means confluence or an assembly or an association. The Sangam Age refers to a period when bulk of Tamil literature was composed by a body of Tamil scholars and poets in three successive literary gatherings called Sangam. Hence, Sangam refers to Gatherings of poets and bards.

(b) Tirukkural was composed by a Tamil poet and philosopher named Thiruvalluvar.

Tirukkural is one of his most celebrated works. Tirukkural (or Kural) is considered as a compound of the teachings of Dharamashastra, the Arthashastra and the Kamasutra. It comprises a series of brief metrical proverbs on many aspects of life and religion. It is a collection of Tamil couplets organised into 133 chapters. Each chapter has a specific subject ranging from "ploughing a piece of land' to "ruling a country'. It preaches simplicity and truth throughout its verses. The 133 chapters are grouped into three sections:
(a) Aram (righteousness);
(b) Porul (wealth); and
(c) Inbam or Kamam (pleasure).

(c) Megaliths give us the following information about the Sangam Age:

1. Some megaliths contain more than one skeleton. This indicates that people belonging to the same family were buried in the same place though at different time periods.
2. Grave goods including pottery and iron objects contained in the Megaliths provide a useful insight about the life of people during the Sangam Age.
3. The number of agricultural tools compared to those meant for fishing and hunting are less, so it can be concluded that the megalithic people initially did not practice an advanced type of agriculture.
4. From the grave goods, religious beliefs of the megalithic people can also be inferred. For example, the presence of tridents in the graves, show their faith in Lord Shiva.
5. Megalithic culture includes a subsistence base consisting of agriculture, cattle rearing and fishing, the use of iron, and a period in which warfare and weapons were important.