Here is a list of Sanagam Literature in History of India. Here you will find a complete list of the poets in the Sangam age and their works.
| Literary Works / Epic / Poem | Poets | Description |
|---|---|---|
| Silappatikaram (The Tale of an Anklet) | Ilango Adigal | The epic tells the tragic story of Kannagi and her husband Kovalan. Kovalan leaves Kannagi for the courtesan Madhavi and later returns to his wife. After Kovalan is wrongly accused of stealing the queen’s anklet and executed, Kannagi proves his innocence and curses Madurai. The work deals with justice, chastity, fate and righteous anger. |
| Manimekalai | Sattanar (Sithalai Sattanar) | The story follows Manimekalai, the daughter of Kovalan and Madhavi. She rejects worldly life and becomes a Buddhist nun. She receives a miraculous bowl that provides food and uses it to help the poor and suffering. The epic promotes compassion, renunciation and Buddhist ideas. |
| Tirumurugatrupadai | Nakkirar | The poem is a devotional work dedicated to the Tamil god Murugan. A poet guides another bard towards the sacred places associated with Murugan. The poem describes temples, landscapes, rituals and the greatness of the deity. It is an important work of the Pattuppattu collection. |
| Maduraikkanji | Mankudi Maruthanar | The poem gives a detailed description of Madurai and the Pandya kingdom. It describes the city’s markets, streets, festivals, people and royal court. It also reflects on the temporary nature of worldly life and power. The work is an important source for understanding urban life in ancient Tamil society. |
| Pattinappalai | Kadiyalur Uruttirangannanar | The poem describes the flourishing port city of Kaveripattinam under the Chola ruler Karikala. It presents the city’s maritime trade, busy markets and prosperous inhabitants. The poem also praises the king’s military achievements and administration. It provides valuable information about ancient Tamil maritime commerce. |
| Kurinjippattu | Kapilar | The poem describes the mountainous Kurinji landscape and the life of its inhabitants. Its central theme is the love between a young man and woman. It vividly portrays the hills, plants, animals and customs of the region. The work is especially important for its detailed description of Tamil nature and culture. |
| Mullaippattu | Nappudanar | The poem depicts a wife patiently waiting for her husband, who has gone to war. The story is set against the Mullai landscape associated with forests and pastoral life. It highlights patience, love and hope during separation. The poem also provides glimpses of military camps and contemporary social life. |
| Perumpanarruppadai | Uruttirangannanar | The poem guides a musician towards a generous patron and describes the journey in detail. It portrays different geographical regions, communities and occupations encountered along the way. The work praises the patron’s generosity and power. It is one of the major poems of the Pattuppattu collection. |
| Porunaratruppadai | Mudathamak Kanniyar | The poem is a guide for a bard seeking the patronage of the Chola ruler Karikala. It describes the journey through various landscapes and settlements. The ruler is praised for his generosity, military power and wealth. The work also preserves details about the social and economic life of ancient Tamil society. |
| Sirupanarruppadai | Nallur Nathathanar | The poem guides a small-string musician towards a generous patron. It describes the route, landscapes and communities through which the traveller passes. The patron is praised for his hospitality and generosity towards poets and musicians. The poem is an important example of the Arruppadai tradition. |
| Nedunalvadai | Nakkirar | The poem portrays a woman waiting for her husband, who is away on a military campaign. The long winter night intensifies her loneliness and emotional suffering. The poem contrasts her private sorrow with the life of soldiers in the battlefield camp. Nature and emotional atmosphere are closely connected throughout the work. |
| Malaipadukadam | Perunkunrur Kilar | The poem describes a journey through the mountainous regions of ancient Tamil country. It presents the geography, wildlife, tribal communities and daily life of the hill regions. The poem also praises the generosity of the patron Nannan. It is notable for its rich descriptions of nature and travel. |
| Akananuru | Several Sangam poets, including Mamulanar, Kapilar and Paranar | Akananuru is an anthology of poems dealing mainly with love and personal emotions. The poems explore courtship, separation, waiting, union and the feelings of lovers. They are organised around the five landscapes of classical Tamil poetry. The collection provides valuable information about social customs and emotional life. |
| Purananuru | Several Sangam poets, including Kapilar, Avvaiyar, Paranar and Mamulanar | Purananuru is an anthology concerned mainly with public life rather than romantic love. Its poems describe kings, wars, battles, generosity, heroism, death and social values. Numerous poems praise rulers and warriors while others reflect on the hardships of life. It is one of the most important sources for the political and social history of ancient Tamilakam. |
| Kuruntokai | Several Sangam poets, including Kapilar, Avvaiyar and Paranar | Kuruntokai is a collection of short poems primarily concerned with love. The poems express emotions such as desire, separation, anxiety and reunion. Natural landscapes are used to symbolise different situations in love. The collection is known for its concise and highly poetic style. |
| Natrinai | Several Sangam poets | Natrinai is an anthology of poems dealing mainly with love and relationships. The poems portray the emotions of lovers, their families and their companions. The five classical landscapes provide the settings for different emotional situations. The collection gives insight into the customs and emotional ideals of Sangam society. |
| Ainkurunuru | Several poets, including Orampokiyar, Ammuvanar and Kapilar | Ainkurunuru contains five sets of short poems associated with the five Tamil landscapes. Each section focuses on a particular landscape and its corresponding emotional situation. The poems mainly explore different aspects of love and separation. The work is especially notable for its compact form and detailed portrayal of nature. |
| Kalithokai | Several poets, including Nallanthuvanar, Kapilar and Marudan Ilanaganar | Kalithokai is an anthology of poems composed in the Kali metre. Most of the poems deal with love, separation and human relationships. The collection also contains humorous, dramatic and conversational elements. It is distinguished by its lively language and musical rhythm. |
| Paripadal | Several poets | Paripadal contains poems devoted to deities, rivers and places of religious importance. Many poems praise Murugan and Tirumal, while others celebrate the Vaigai River. The poems combine devotion, nature, music and descriptions of festivals. It represents an important stage in the development of devotional themes in Tamil literature. |
| Pattirruppattu | Several poets | Pattirruppattu is a collection of poems celebrating the Chera rulers. It contains praise poems describing their wars, victories, generosity and royal achievements. The work preserves valuable information about the Chera dynasty and its political world. It is one of the major anthologies of the Sangam corpus. |
| Pathupattu (Pattuppattu / Ten Idylls) | Several poets | Pattuppattu is a collection of ten long poems from classical Tamil literature. The poems cover subjects such as kingship, warfare, nature, cities, religion, travel and love. Several famous works, including Tirumurugatrupadai, Maduraikkanji and Pattinappalai, belong to this collection. Together they provide a broad picture of Sangam-age Tamil society. |
| Ettuthokai (Eight Anthologies) | Several Sangam poets | Ettuthokai is a major group of eight anthologies forming part of the Sangam literary corpus. The poems cover both Akam themes of love and Puram themes of war, politics and public life. Numerous poets contributed to these collections over time. They are among the most important sources for the study of ancient Tamil culture and history. |
| Patinenkilkanakku (Eighteen Lesser Texts) | Several authors | Patinenkilkanakku is a group of eighteen works generally associated with the post-Sangam period. Many of these texts focus on ethics, morality, wisdom and proper conduct. Tirukkural is the most famous work in this broader group of ethical literature. These works played a major role in the development of Tamil moral and didactic literature. |
| Tirukkural | Thiruvalluvar | Tirukkural is a celebrated work of Tamil ethical literature consisting of 1330 couplets. It is divided into sections dealing with virtue, wealth and love. The work discusses morality, good governance, social conduct, friendship, education and human relationships. Its universal ethical teachings have made it one of the most influential works in Tamil literature. |
| Kainnilai | Several poets / traditional attribution | Kainnilai is associated with the tradition of classical Tamil ethical and love literature. Its poems deal primarily with themes of human relationships and emotional situations. The work is traditionally connected with the later collection of eighteen texts. It contributes to the wider tradition of Tamil didactic and poetic literature. |
| Kalavazhi Narpathu | Poigaiyar | Kalavazhi Narpathu contains forty poems centred on warfare and the battlefield. It describes battles, kings and the experiences of warriors. The poems use vivid imagery to portray military conflict and heroism. The work belongs to the later Tamil ethical and poetic tradition. |
| Inna Narpathu | Kabilar | Inna Narpathu consists of forty verses describing things considered undesirable or painful in life. It teaches readers to avoid harmful behaviour, bad company and immoral actions. The work uses concise moral observations to communicate practical wisdom. It is part of the Patinenkilkanakku tradition. |
| Iniyavai Narpathu | Poigaiyar | Iniyavai Narpathu contains forty verses describing desirable qualities and beneficial actions. It praises education, good conduct, friendship, generosity and wisdom. The work encourages people to live morally and constructively. It is an important example of Tamil didactic poetry. |
| Pazhamozhi Nanuru | Munrurai Araiyar | Pazhamozhi Nanuru contains four hundred verses built around traditional proverbs and practical wisdom. Each poem uses a saying or observation to convey a moral lesson. The work discusses human behaviour, friendship, leadership and social conduct. It is valuable for understanding the ethical thought of early Tamil society. |