A conscious study of sangam literature will enlighten us about the existence of slaves and different classes in ancient Tamil land. Sangam literatures mention the names of ‘Paanan, Parayan, Thudiyan and Kadamban’[1] as ‘Kudi’ (settled ethnic groups) in Tamil land. But there is no mention of them constituting as a caste in Sangam literature[2]. In ‘Marutham’ land, where people lived by doing agriculture, the presence of slave system was heavy. Sangam literature mention names of class of people like Ooran, Magizhnan, Kizhavan, Manaivi, Kizhathi who were upper class and were slave owners. Similarly, classes like Uzhavar, Uzhathiyar, Kadayar, Kadaisiyar, Kalamar, Thozhuvar,[3] were slaves or lower class people. Slaves were employed everywhere in sangam age from agriculture to war field. Women slaves were employed to help the queens and wives of landlords. The life of the slaves was pathetic in sangam age. Their settlement was little away from the main settlements and was called as “pura-chaerry” in sangam texts. It is pertinent here to note that all the people’s settlements were called as ‘chaerry’, but the prefix ‘pura’ was associated with settlements of slaves[4].
The sangam literature also mentions about
class of people like kammiyar, kuyavar, thachhar, kollar[5],
kanavar, idiyar, valaiyar[6]
who do a specific job for their livelihood. But, there is no evidence of the
presence of any endogamy[7]
between these job groups during the sangam age. Guild system was present during
the Sangam period. Many archeological evidences suggest the presence of guilds
like Thisa, bharatha[8],
Thithan operating in the ancient Tamil land. All the above evidences clearly
educate us about the class system in ancient tamil land. As Rajan Gurukal notes[9],
the Brahmins were present in the Sangam age, but were very less in number to
exert domination on the Tamil mass. But we assume that the process of
aryanisation starts in the later stage of the sangam period with the
development of material forces.
The development of caste in Tamilnadu
starts with the Brahminisation of Tamil culture and traditions. Ancient Tamil
kings start to do ‘yajna’ in Brahminic style. The institution of Brahmin ministers
start to emerge in Tamil land which was absent in earlier sangam period. As
M.N.Srinivas notes, the process of sanskritisation[10]
of the Tamil masses happen silently in the earlier ages of Christian era. This
could have crystallised the class into caste in Tamil land.
But the caste formation gets completed
only during the imperial Chola period between 10th to 13th
century AD. The sangam period is followed by the period of Kalabhras who were
Buddhists[11]. Later,
the kalabhras were again replaced by Pandyas in south and Pallavas in north.
This period correlated with the period of revival of Saiva-sithaantha tradition
in Tamil Land in 8th century AD, where again Brahminism becomes the
dominant discourse replacing Buddhism and Jainism. One of saints of
Saiva-sithaantha tradition Thirugnana Sambanthar, a Brahmin was responsible for
the mass killings of Jains and Buddhists in the Pandya kingdom during that
period. Similarly many nayanmars openly sang about the need for killing the Jains
and Buddhists in Tamil land[12].
The other Buddhists who escaped the mass
killings were captured and were made slaves. Many Dalit scholars[13]
claim citing this historical evidence that, dalits of Tamilnadu are Tamil-buddhists
of the Kalabhra period[14].
All these things culminates with the start of the era of Imperial Cholas who were
strong saivaites and followed Brahminic traditions completely. They created
‘brahmadeya’[15]
villages for Brahmins and donated lots of land for their livelihood. The
process of Brahminism gets completed and Tamil society becomes a pure Caste
bound Brahminic society during this Chola period.
[1]
Sittrambalam, C.K. (1999) Pandaya
Thamizhagam. Kumaran Publishers: Chennai. Pg 231
[2] Gurukkal, R. (1994). The formation of
caste society in Kerala: Historical antecedents. In K. L. Sharma (Ed.), Caste
and Class in India (pp. 393 - 404). Jaipur: Rawat Publications. Pg 394.
[3] Perumalsaami, V. (2007) Sanga Kaala Thamizhagathin Samooga Nilai.
Bharathi Poothakalayam: Chennai. Pg 73
[4] Ibid, Pg 74
[5] Op.cit., Sittrambalam, pg. 230
[6] Op.cit., Gurukkal, Pg. 394
[7] According to Dr.B.R.Ambedkar
presence of endogamy is the real institution which sustains and continues caste
system. Hence he suggests inter caste marriages as a solution for annihilation
of caste.
[8]
Rajan, K. (2004). Tholiyal Noakkil Sanga
Kaalam. International institute of Tamil studies: Chennai. Pg 98
[9] Op.cit., Gurukkal, Pg. 395
[10] Singh, Y. (1986) Modernisation of
Indian Tradition. Rawat: New Delhi
[11] Padvamathy, A. (2003) Chozhar aatchiyil Arasum Madhamum.
Kumaran Publications: Chennai. Pg 27
[12] Thirumavalavan, Thol. (2004)
Thamizhargal Hindukala. Thaimann: Chennai. Pg.16
[13]
Ibid., pg 10
[14] This concept made Pandit Iyothee
Thass, a Dalit – anti brahminic scholar to embrace Buddhism in final stages of
his during 19th century. https://www.countercurrents.org/dalit-ravikumar280905.htm accessed on 03-09-2018
[15] Appadorai, A. (1990). Economic conditions in South India (1000 –
1500 AD). University of Madras: Chennai. Pg 112 - 113
