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The Market system of the Sangam Period-A historical study

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 The Market system of the Sangam Period– A historical study

Dr.B.Jishamol
Assistant Professor
Department of History
Loyola College.
Abstract

This paper traces the trade and commerce during the early period of the Sangam age.
As a result of people’s needs and as part of economic activity trade has emerged. The ancient
trade did not involve money or cash. It was based on the Barter system known as
Pandamattumurai (exchange of goods and services).Tamilagam had brisk trade relations
through inland and external. Sangam works like Agananuru, Maduraikaanji, Manimegalai,
Pattinapalai, Purananooru and various inscriptions from Alagarmalai, Pugalur, Mangulam
and etc. proves that trade existed with well-established market system. Morning and evening
markets existed with caravans, security, marts, guilds and the commerce of chamber. In the
inland trade Salt and paddy was the medium of exchange.
Keywords:Sangam age, Market system, Sangam literature, Tondi, Muziri, Puhar,
Korkai
Introduction
This paper traces the trade and commerce during the early period of the Sangam age.
As a result of people’s needs and as part of economic activity trade has emerged. The ancient
trade did not involve money or cash. It was based on the Barter system known as
Pandamattumurai (exchange of goods and services).Tamilagam had brisk trade relations
through inland and external. Sangam works like Agananuru, Maduraikaanji, Manimegalai,
Pattinapalai, Purananooru and various inscriptions from Alagarmalai, Pugalur, Mangulam
and etc. proves that trade existed with well-established market system. Morning and evening
markets existed with caravans, security, marts, guilds and the commerce of chamber. In the
inland trade Salt and paddy was the medium of exchange.
Objectives

This paper aims to explore the history and understand the Market System of Sangam Age

To analyse the introduction of Market, its commodities and the merchant activities.

Markets
Markets or Bazaars were well established known as Angadi in the big towns.

1
அங் காடிப்பட்டருங் கலன்பகருங்

சங் கமன்என்னும் வாணிகன்தன்னன

(Silapathikaram: 23: 150)
But in other places the Nawkers brought most of the things to the door step of the
householder. Market were of two kinds, Nalangadi - morning bazar and Alangadi or
Andikkadai the evening Bazaar.
பூம் பபாதிநறுவினைப்பபாழிலாட்டமை்ந்து
நாண்மகிழிருக்னகநாளங் காடியிற்
The term Angadiis not used in Tamil but still in practice in Telugu and Kannada.
Silapathikaram in II-40 clearly says about various streets existing in Pattinapakkam.
(N.Subramanian:1980)

ககாவியன்வீதியுங் பகாடித்கதை்வீதியும் ,

பீடினகத்பதருவும் பபருங் குடிவாணிகை்,

..........
பாடல் சால் சிறப்பிற் பட்டினப்பாக்கமும் ;
Silapathikaram V- 40-60
Through Silapathikaram we understand the freedom of women, who were walking in
the middle of the street.
மாதை்வீதிமறுகினடநடந்து
பீடினகத்பதருவிற் பபயை்கவான்ஆங் கண்
Silapathikaram V- 40-60
There is reference and detailed description on merchants in Puhar city in
Silapathikaram. Madurai also had markets and it has been referred in Maduraikanchi and
Silapathikaram. Many people of many countries speaking many languages crowded the
bazaar of Madurai. It might be the foreigners, who were already residing in the villages or
might be people from neighbouring states who came to purchase as wholesalers and then
resale it to other parts.
Evening Bazaars of Madurai where busy selling and buying. They were grossers, the
sellers of conch bangles sellers, goldsmiths, appraisers of gold and gold articles, dealers in
foreign cloth like lalingam, other textile dealers, sellers of copper wares, painters dealers in
perfumes, flowers and sandal paste.(Maduraikanchi 503-522)
துன்னகாைரும் கதாலின்துன்னரும் ,

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 Silapathikaram V-32

In Puhar bazar commodities like dyes, scented powder, sandal paste, flowers and
aromatic wood like ahil where sold in abundance. Flowers where greatly in demand
especially during festivals and more particularly during the festival of Indra, the flower
bazaar looked like a forest of flowers in nalangadi (Silapathikaram: V 197). When
merchants from various places crowded in the bazaar with their bags of goods care was taken
to indicate the names of the owners and the contents on the packages.
வம் பமாக்கள் தம் பபயை்பபாறித்த

கண்பணழுத்துப்படுத்தஎண்ணுப்பல் பபாதிக்

Silapathikaram V 111-112
Market Practices
The carts on which the packages were piled also had particulars about the owners and
the goods return on them.
கண்பணழுத்துப்படுத்தனனகபுனனசகடமும் (Silapathikaram XXVI 136).
Near the bazaar there were ware houses, in which goods could be stored in rooms
which had no ventilators or windows. (Manimegalai III-95) A very simple type of
advertisement which announced the availability of goods by these traders. Shopkeeper had
the flag which waver over his shop and the inscription on the flag announced the
commodities sold in the shop. (Maduraikanchi 365-373) (Pattupattu: 2014) The term Avanam
indicates the market places. (Pattinapali 158)(Agananuru 122 -3).

Important Cities

Most important cities which had established markets were Poompuhar,

Maruvurpakkamm and Pattinapakkam.

மருவூை்மருங் கின்மறம் பகாள் வீைரும்

பட்டினமருங் கின்பனடபகழுமாக்களும்
Silapathikaram V- 76-77

Many port towns like Tondi, Muziri, Puhar and Korkai also were busy with markets
and trade activities. This paper throws light on the market system that existed during the
Sangam age.There was brisk trade between Rome and Tamilagam in the first two centuries of
the Christian era.The great towns mentioned in the available sources wereThondi, Karur,

3
Korkai, Kaveripoompattinam and Sopattanam now does not exist. Uraiyur mentioned as
Urattur of Ptolemy, original of Uranti appearing in most of the poems. (Sivrajya Pillai. K.N:
1932)

Many of the ports continued to be existing in the later period as well. The Pandyas were sea
faring people by nature and their movements towards Vizhinjam, Muttam and
Thengapattanam in the southernmost Tamilagam is referred in many works. The Pandayas
were one of the important trading dynasty of the early times, they are known for pearl fishing.
Vizhinjam and Kottarr were the important trading and military centres. (Jishamol.B:2017)

Barter System
There are reference for barter system that existed in the Sangam age. Salt was sold out
and merchants went to Puhar to get paddy. This has been narrated in Pattinapaali. There is
also reference in Silappadhikaram to state that some commodities were dumped in an entire
street. It further says about the pepper sacks dumped at the streets of Madurai. (Expert
Committee for History of Tamil Nadu: 1983)
During Sangam age both internal and foreign trade flourished. Internal trade was
based on the primitive pattern of exchange of commodities known as barter system. But there
also developed the bazaars and the markets where flourished. People of various regions sold
commodities produced in their respective lands from neighbourhood and occasionally from
distance. (K.K.Pillai:1975)
Commodities in the SangamMarket
People involved in trade and commerce that were divided into inland and external.
City trade existed in the market and the Bazaar. Markets existed in Koodal (Madurai), Puhar
and also in Marugurpattanam.Various commodities such as salt, oil, fish varieties,
meet,varieties, toddy varieties, cooked food, sandal,Chunnam, clothes,jewells, millets, were
included in the market. These food are not cultivated in the cities but in and around the cities.
Salt was extracted by the same process that it is being practiced today. The cost of salt
was paddy. The Umanars bought salt, they purchased it in lots and sold in the city places.
Ozunar were the oil merchants. Many others merchants sold raw meat and cooked meat. Fish
was sold as fresh and also as dried by the Parathavar community. (Expert Committee for
History of Tamil Nadu: 1983)
Kaveripoompattinam and Puhar had the important markets of Sangam age. At
Kaveripoompattinam articles such as textile goods, bronze and copper –ware, dolls, perfumes

4
of various kinds, flowers, sandal paste, scented powders, false hair and dyes were some of the
articles for sale. (K.K.Pillai:1975)
Besides, edible food stuffs of different kinds including rice cakes, fish, mutton and
vegetables were also sold. Salt and grains of various varieties were in abundance.
வளம் தனலமயங் கியநனந்தனலமறுகும் ,
பால் வனகபதைிந்தபகுதித்பண்டபமாடு

கூலம் குவித்தகூலவீதியும் ,
காழியை்கூவியை்கண்பணானடயாட்டியை்

மீன்வினலப்பைதவை்பவள் ளுப்புபகருநை்
Silapathikaram V 21-39
Ornaments and jewels including fanciful articles of silver and bronze were also
available. (Maduraikanji 511-21)
Normally textile dealers, sellers of perfumes, flowers, sandal paste and copper wares,
carpenters, goldsmiths, artists like painters and sculptors, dealers in dolls, lapidaries, those
that sold false hair or fashionable wigs, traders in sheep, fish and mutton sellers of cakes and
vegetable edibles thronged the bazaar.
வண்ணமுஞ் சுண்ணமுந்தண்ணறுஞ் சாந்தமும்
பூவும் புனகயும் கமவியவினையும் ,

பகை்வனை்திைிதருநகைவீதியும்
பட்டினும் மயிைினும் பருத்திநூலினுங்

கட்டுநுண்வினனக்காருகைிக்னகயும்
தூசுந்துகிரும் ஆைமும் அகிலும்

மாசறுமுத்தும் மணியும் பபான்னும் .

(Silapathikaram: V 13-39)
The economic and wise habits of the cowherds and the shepherds are brought about in
a passage in Perumbanattuppadai. It narrated “the young cowherds sold buttermilk and butter
in the Kurinchi villages and took back not gold but paddy for domestic consumption and
buffaloes for their use. (Perumbanattupadai 164-165.)
It has been suggested that trade in Tamilagam began in the Neydal, as salt was one of
the necessity demand from early times. Paddy and salt became the principal commodities of
trade and the measure of value. It is stated that paddy and salt were given as wages in early
times. The terms coolie and Champalam are derived from kulam and alam meaning food

5
grains and salt respectively. (Agananuru 64 -4) Hackers went about announcing paddy
equivalent for salt. Umanar and Umattiyar were salt traders. Honey, ghi, and edible roots
were exchanged for fish and toddy.
Complementary commodities to satisfy people's need were sold together. Sugarcane
and rise flakes were sold together in exchange of venison and toddy. (Purananuru 216 217)
Liquor, paddy millets and occasionally clothes and ornaments were sold in markets. Women
sold flowers in exchange for other commodities. Shepherds and shepherdesses where
engaged vending milk and Milk products like curd and ghi in their own and neighbouring
villages.
Various Merchants
In an inscription found at Alagarmalai Caves it reads as “Venpalli which means the
cloth merchant, Aruvai refers to cloth. These terms are used during the Sangam age. The
inscription says about the issue of gold by the cloth merchant named Ila Attan.
(Venkataswamy: 2001)

In some cases the commodity was sold at the centre of manufacture. Salt was one of
the best examples sold on the salt pans itself. The merchants who sold salt was called as
Umanar. They carried large bags of commodity from the salt pan to many other places in
carts to various part of the country. It was not covered overhead. (Madurai Kanji: 117) The
traders were of two kinds. Those who manufactured and sold at the place itself. The second
group went about selling the goods to other places.

Poets as Merchants
The author of Manimekalai, Sattanar was a merchant. (Expert Committee for History
of Tamil Nadu: 1983) The cast name Chetti applied to the merchant class. Etti is a term
derived from Chetti conferred on a merchant. (V.N.Venkatasami:2008) Few of the Sangam
poets belong to the class of merchants. To mention a few were Madurai Aruvi Vanigan,
Illavettanar, Madurai Kulavanigan Sittalai Sattanar, Kaveripoompattinattu Ponvaniganar,
Malabar Nappudanar, Beri Sattanar, Uraiyur Ilampon Vaniganar and Madurai Olaikkadaik
Kannan Pukundarayattanar. (K.K.Pillai:1975) Vanigars are meant to be merchants.
(K.N.SivarajaPillai: 1984)
Merchant Guilds
The merchants functioned as a body, they had guilds and Chambers of Commerce.
The wandering hawkers went about in large number together. The caravans of traders used to
go from place to place as a whole group and never in small units for they were fear of

6
highway robbery. These merchant bodies where called Vanikachchattu (Porunarattupadai-
21). Escorts were recruited for them, in spite of these measures there were danger from
robber gangs. (K.K.Pillai:1975)
Every shop had a flag flying aloft, with the names of articles available for sale.
(Maduraikanchi 365 -373) The names of the wholesale dealers and the contents names were
superscribed on the cover packet (Silapathikaram V 111 -2)
The bazaars of Madurai were bigger in size then Kaveripoompattinam. Streets of
diamonds rubies and pearls were sold. Streets in which dresses corn and other article also
existed. People speaking different languages were found in the bazaar. It is understood that
interpreters and brokers played a major role in the part of transactions. It is understood that
the dealings of the merchants were fair. Merchants openly announced the profit which they
were claiming. (Pattinapalai 209-11)
Coinage
Sangam age had indigenous coins the gold kasu were bestowed as gifts to poets, Brahmins
and Panar. Kanam is the name applied to the gold coin in usage. Kanams appear in regular
shape and with no figures of kings or other details. But they contain representation of tiger
and elephants. Some punch - marked coins of gold have been found. A collection of 120
kasus have been unearthed. They have the words ‘ Tinnan Yetiran Sendan A’. Apparently
there are coins issued by Sendan who encountered Tinnan. Based on the script inscribed on
the coins that they are assignable to the 2nd century A.D. (K.K.Pillai:1975)
The term Palingu Kasu appearing in Agananuru made with some material other than
gold was also used as coinage. (Agananuru 315 12) It was shaped out of glass beads or kauri
shells, guessed from its name. . (K.K.Pillai:1975)There where traders where existed for
certain commodities like Kulavanigan, Aruvaivanigan and the dealer in Palm leaves. The
term Vanigan denoting merchant appears in Purananuru. . (K.N.SivarajaPillai: 1984)
References
Agananuru

Maduraikaanji

Manimegalai

Nattrrinai

Pattinapalai
Perumbanattupadai

7
 Purananooru

Silapathikaram

Sivrajya Pillai. K.N. (1932), Chronology of the Early Tamils, Madras: University of
Madras, P. 179

Expert Committee for History of Tamil Nadu, (1983), History of Tamil Nadu Sangam Age
(social) Madras director of Tamil Development, Chennai: Kuralagam, P.37

Venkataswamy, Mylai Seeni, (2001), Sangakala Varalattu Aaivugal – II, Chennai:Tamil

Valarchi Peravai, PP.95-96.
N.Subramanian, (1980), Sangam Polity,Madurai; Ennes Publications, PP 243 – 246

Sivrajya Pillai. K.N. (1984), Chronology of the Early Tamils, New Delhi:Asian Educational
Services, P. 22
K.K.Pillai, (1975), Social History of the Tamils, Madras: University of Madras, PP. 238
248.
Dr.B.Jishamol:International Journal of Current Humanities and Social Science
Researches Vol 1 No 1 (2017), Administrative division of early South India with special
reference to Thenganadu of Aii Kingdom,
http://www.indiancommunities.org/journal/index.php/ijchssr/article/view/14/3 Retrieved on
18.02.2020 at 11.00. Pm

https://www.brainkart.com/article/Emergence-of-towns-and-Ports---Early-Tamil-Society-
and-Culture_35697/ Retrieved on 12.02.2020 at 8.00. Pm

https://www.brainkart.com/article/Historical-Background-of-Commerce-in-the-Sub-
Continent_34818/ Retrieved on 10.02.2020 at 11.30. Pm

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