International Journal of Tamil Language and Literary Studies (Jan 2022)

சங்ககால இசைவளர்ச்சியில் இசைக்குப் பாணர்களின் பங்களிப்பு / The Contribution of Panars to the Development of Music in Sangam Times

  • திருமதி சுஜாதா நிரஞ்சன் / Mrs. Sujatha Niranjan

DOI
https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.5910829
Journal volume & issue
Vol. 4, no. 2
pp. 118 – 132

Abstract

Read online

Music, the common language of the world, has the power to mesmerize human beings and animals with its effects. Poets, musicians and dancers from around the world graced the palace. Artists who excelled in folk songs and dances lived in the Sangam era. Music and dance were well developed during the Sangam period. Many types of rhymes and drums are played during the Sangam period. Music has been nurtured by musicians since prehistoric times. This is evidenced by the literary texts that arose during the Sangam period, beginning with the Tolkappiya period, such as the octave and the decimal. During this period, musicians such as Panar, Porunar, Kodiyar, Kinayar, Parayan, Tudiyar, Kadambar, Seiriyar, Vayiriyar, Kuiluvar, Madangar, Kannular, Kaniyar, Akavar, Ambanar, Iyavar, Pulluvar, Valluvar, Senniyar, Magadhar and Vedalikar, a feminine musician also developed music. Along with these, many musical instruments such Yaal, Murasas, Kina, Thattai, Kulir, Kottu, Pambai, Makuli, Madhari, Chillari, Akuli, Ellari, Padalai, Tadari, Tudi are also found. The purpose of this review article is to clarify the musical instruments played by them and their contribution to the development of Tamil music. Literary excellence is lived by the fact that poets have sung about the country, wealth, generosity, warfare, and triumph of the patrons. But the melody sung by musicians such as the singer, songwriter, lyricist, etc. must have dissolved over time from being musical to oral songs. References to these are widespread in Sangam hymns. Although some of the literature on Sangam literature is not fully available and the songs sung orally by the singers have been destroyed over time, the role played by the singers is not fully known. It is clear from these descriptions that musicians such as Panar, Porunar and Viraliyar have traveled to many places since pre-Sangam times to sing praises to kings and monarchs and that kings nurtured and supported them. However, it is possible to learn about the role of singers in the development of music through the news available in Sangam literature.

Keywords