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APPENDIX C.
THE SO-CALLED SANGAM AGE. .
CONFLICTING THEORIES. Mr. R. Swaminatha Ayyar, B.A., writes :“I have read with great interest the three Sovoral
conflicting lucid articles contributed to the Hindu' by theories Profesor M. S. Ramaswami Ayyangar, M.A., of Vizianagram, in which while summarising the views of other scholars he makes valuable contributions of his own to the discussion. There are several conflicting theories on the subject and it is ta be regretted that notwithstanding several decades of critical discussion there are still to be found, even among Englisheducated Indians, persons who still cling to theories based on mere legend about the existence of three Tamil Sangams cach extending over several thousands of years which will take the beginnings of South Indian History and of Tamil culture to the last glacial period. The number belonging to this school is, however, rapidly diminishing.
“Outside this school the only concession that Antiquity of is made to the antiquity of Tamil Literary cul- Literia ture is that prior to the time of the Tamil Culture. Vatteluttu inscriptions which begin in the Pandya and the Chēra country in the last quarter of the 8th century A.D., there was a period of great literary activity in Tamil which
Reprinted with kind permission from the "Hindu" dated 8th May 1922.
