"Sangam Sahitya" is a basic and reliable tool to know the history of South India.
This literature relates to the Tamil or Dravidian states of South India, especially the Chola, Pandya, and Cher states.
The first specimen of Tamil inscriptions is found in Tamil-Brahmi inscriptions.
These texts contain more Tamil words converted from Sanskrit and Prakrit languages.
The time of these inscriptions is estimated to be between $200$ and $300\ BC.$
The word "Sangam" is derived from the Sanskrit word "Sangham".
The development of Sangam literature is related to the states of Pandya and Madura.
An association of scholars was formed in the Pandya kingdom from the $4th$ to the $6th$ century $BC.$
Which came to be known as "Sangam Vidyapeeth".
This association of scholars is known in the history of South India as the "Confluence", and its meetings were held in Madurai, the capital of the Pandya kingdom.
In these meetings, literature written by scholars was presented and discussed, evaluated, and a decision was made to accept or reject it.
Thus, the literature accepted by the Union of Scholars was called "Sangam Sahitya".
The literature also included Tamil Vir Kavya.
According to legend, the period of Sangam literature is considered to be ten thousand years.
A total of three union meetings have been held during this period.
The first meeting of Sangam was held in Madurai.
However no work of that confluence is found.
The only of the $3700$ works of the Second Confluence is found in Tolkappiyam.
This work is about Tamil grammar.
It also provides information on the folklore of the time.
The works of the Third Confluence are remarkable.
There are ten poems in "Patthumpatu".
Which are considered to be the best poems of nature?
It contains descriptions of the Sengtuvan and Karikal kings of the Cher dynasty.
The eight collections of poetry in the work "Etuthokai" express different feelings of human life.
There is a collection of eighteen poems in the work called "Padine-Kilkanku".
Notable among these poems is Thiruvallur's collection of poems called "Kural".
It covers topics like home life, virtue, virtue, wealth, duty of citizens etc. Scholars consider "Kural" to be a minor Veda.
"Kural" has been translated into many different languages.
"Shilpadikaram" and "Manimekhlai" are other notable works of Sangamyug.
These works are also known as "Ramayana" and "Mahabharata" of South India.
"Shilpadikaram" is a love story between the hero Kovalan and the heroine Kannaki.