Economy of the Sangam Age

India is a vast and substantial nation that has been governed by one of the most magnanimous dynasties of the world. Either these dynasties had Indian origin or got their birth from areas of west or north around the world. Instead of becoming a temporary dynasty in the country, these dynasties decided to loot India to its fullest and settled here for their whole lifetime. 

One such period of the enormous ruling was in the Sangam period which was inhabited by the three most liberal regimes of Indian History i.e., Cheras, Pandyas, and Cholas. These monarchies thrived in almost all the characteristics of belief and faith, society, economy and administration of their kingdoms. Talking about the economy during the Sangam period, agriculture was the chief occupation of the people and the port city of Puhar was considered as the significant place for foreign trade. 

About Sangam Period

The Sangam period was inhabited by the three most magnanimous regimes of Indian History, Cheras, Pandyas, and Cholas. The period of the Sangam dynasty went on from 300 BCE to 300 AD in the areas of South India which lie to the south of rivers Tungabhadra and Krishna. This eternity was designated after the Sangam academies (Academy formed by Tamil poets) that prospered during the Pandya regime. A total of three Sangams were held in the ancient period of South India from the 3rd century BCE to AD. 

The first one is speculated to have been held at Madurai which was given attention to by the Legendary sages and Gods. However, no such literary work is available from the Sangam held at Madurai. The second one was the one held at Kapadapuram from which the only survivor was the Tolkappiyam. The last one was held at Madurai and this is the only Sangam from where we got some of the useful sources that provide us information regarding this Dynasty. 

Economy during the Sangam period 

According to the literary works that are gained from the lands of the Sangam period, provide a flourishing and developing economy during the times of Cholas, Pandyas and Cheras. The people of the Sangam period engaged in all kinds of economic activities like exports, imports, hunting, draining out and trade balances in the economy. 

Agriculture 

Agriculture was the chief occupation of the people in the Sangam period. It was one of the most significant reasons as to why the Sangam economy flourished during that time and how the expansion of trade in the Sangam economy took place only due to the presence of developing agriculture. Following the Madurai Kanji, trade and agriculture were the major driving forces of the economic development in the dynasty.

Rightfully, the Poems from the Sangam dynasty also gave certain signs of how agriculture was prospering and how people attached so much of importance to the practice of cattle rearing and cultivation of the crops. The protection of the cattles was considered one of the most important tasks for the kings of the kingdom. Apart from that, the texts of Silappadikaram also interpreted the happiness and satisfaction people affixed to the occupation of agriculture. 

Industry

The period of Cholas, Cheras and Pandyas substantiated a vast amount of industrial activities in the economy. The poems that are derived from the Sangams held at various places provided details on various occupations like a potter, goldsmith, the sculptor, the blacksmith, the weaver and the painter. These occupations were hereditary and passed on to the son from his family or the ancestors. Thus, each of them was skilled and superfluous in their art of particular occupations they did. 

Paripadal and Silappadikaram brought out that there was even a museum for the paintings to be sold to the people. Apart from that, not only the paintings, people had great demand and interest in painting all the things of their day to day usage, keeping them colourful. The cloth that was exported to the people around the world was made not only from the basic essentiality of cotton, wool or silk but also from the colored yarn and rat’s hair. These clothes had a huge demand from the Roman merchants, who were in great admiration of these skills. 

Trade

There was an enlarged exchange relation between the people of the Sangam era and the people of the Mediterranean world that included countries like China, Egypt, Sri Lanka and Southeast Asia. Clothes produced by the Sangam industries had a huge demand from the Roman merchants, who were in great admiration of these skills. These are depicted from the literary texts who have referred to trade relations of the people of the Sangam period with the Greeks and Romans. 

Amidst all this the port city of puhar became a major centre for the foreign trade and the trade of various expensive and important artefacts of the time. If we talk about the inclusions in the trade, the major exports of the Sangam Age were cotton fabrics and spices and the imports in the area included horses, sweet wine, and gold coins that were issued by the great Roman emperors of those times. The currency system of barter was one of the most important, where people bought commodities in exchange of commodities only. 

Conclusion

In conclusion, the Sangam dynasty was inhabited by the three most magnanimous regimes of Indian History, Cheras, Pandyas, and Cholas. The period of the Sangam dynasty went on from 300 BCE to 300 AD in the areas of South India which lie to the south of rivers Tungabhadra and Krishna. The literary works from the Sangams provide a very elaborated and defining economic development in the Sangam Period.  The Sangam period had a flourishing and developing economy during the times of Cholas, Pandyas and Cheras. The people of the Sangam period engaged in all kinds of economic activities like exports, imports, hunting, draining out and trade balances in the economy.