________________
Internal evidence showing a later date.
(
164
APPENDIX C.
"Various eminent scholars have, however, pointed out from time to time that there is internal evidence in several works supposed to have been compcзed by prominent poets of the Sangam age which shows clearly that these compositions belong to a much later age than the second century A.D., and it is becoming more and more evident every day that the Sangam age should be put forward to the 5th or the 6th century A.D. It may be remarked in passing that the former of these is the estimate arrived at by Pundit M. Raghava Ayyangar of the Tamil Lexicon office and that the latter is the estimate arrived at by Mr. K. V. Subramania Ayyar of the Archaological Department.
"One of the foremost poets of the Sangam age was Sittalai Chattanar (சீத்தலைச் சாத்தனார்) who is believed to have composed referred to above, one of the five classical poems (ш) in Tamil.
(i) This work contains a reference to
- a small temple built in the Gurjara style-and it has been pointed out that if this is a reference to Gurjaras the work could not be much earlier than the 6th century A.D. as the Gurjaras are not heard of in Indian History before the middle of the 5th century A.D.
(ii) In another place the month of Vaisakha is referred to in the work as இருது இளவேனில் எரிகதிர் இடபத்து, thus containing a clear reference to the second of the twelve Rasis by its Sanskrit name. Various scholars have pointed
