'In Keeladi, archaeological finds that validate Sangam corpus': R Balakrishnan

Always in love with Tamil Sangam Literature, retired Odisha-cadre bureaucrat R Balakrishnan has carried out extensive research on the Sangam Era. Besides his official work in various capacities, Balakrishnan found time to publish research papers on Indology and place-name studies and to write numerous books in his mother tongue Tamil.

'Journey of a civilization: Indus to Vaigai', a critically acclaimed book he wrote in 2019, explains what might have happened to the culture and language of the Indus Valley Civilization (IVC) after it disintegrated.

In an interview with DH’s E T B Sivapriyan, Balakrishnan, now Chief Advisor to Odisha Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik, spoke about the recent archaeological excavations in Tamil Nadu and their links to Sangam Literature and a “possible connection” with IVC. Excerpts:

Keeladi has emerged as a treasure trove of ancient Tamil culture. Archaeologists have found proof of things that are mentioned in Sangam-era literature in Keeladi. How significant are these findings?

They are highly significant. Keeladi has provided archaeological proof for Sangam literature. The process of history-making heavily depends on what is written, found, and read and what is unearthed by archaeologists. In a way, this position is correct as well because history has to be evidence-based. In this process, utensils, cups and saucers or drainage unearthed acquire greater value than many intangibles, however truthful those could be.

In Keeladi, we now have archaeological finds that validate the importance and relevance of the Sangam Corpus as a guiding light for future archaeology. We have numerous artefacts in Keeladi for which one can give quotes from Sangam texts and this is truly amazing. Even names attested in Sangam texts are found scribbled on potsherds in Keeladi.

Till Keeladi came into the picture, the accurate narratives of urban life given in Sangam texts were not taken seriously. They were rather considered as a poetic indulgence. But those who subscribed to a view that Sangam texts, to a large extent, give a reliable pen-picture of life in different landscapes always wondered why no archaeological proof was forthcoming.

Can we conclusively say Keeladi and Porunai findings have busted the theory that no city-based (urban) civilization existed in present-day Tamil Nadu?

Yes, I would say to a reasonable extent. The process is still ongoing. But there is no doubt about the significance of Keeladi and Porunai findings in giving a new understanding of the process of urbanization in the Indian subcontinent.

In 1924, the discovery of the Indus Valley Civilization broke long-held notions about the prehistory of India. As of today, Indus Valley – Harappan Civilization remains the urban climax of ancient India. Then the evidence for the second wave of urbanization was found in Gangetic Valley.

Notwithstanding the lead given by Adichanallur as early as 1903-04 (even before the discovery of IVC), there has been a huge archaeological apathy towards the south. Adichanallur antiquities had striking similarities with their counterparts discovered in ancient sites like Taxila in the northwest and Rajgir in Bihar. But it was not followed up for another century.

If you don’t dig, you won’t find it. It is obvious. Now you are digging and finding it. And I am not surprised about these findings. Rather I would say, we have touched only the tip of an archaeological iceberg.

Carbon dating of materials found in archaeological excavations in Keeladi (Madurai) and Porunai (Tirunelveli/Thoothukudi) dates to 2,600 and 3,200 years respectively. Can we link these two cultures?

I consider the terms such as Keeladi, Porunai only a symbolic tag that represents the ancient Tamil Civilization. Madurai is considered the seat of The Tamil Royal Academy known as Sangam with Pandya Kings as the patron. But Sangam Corpus represents the entire Tamil legacy beyond boundaries.

It sings the praise of Chera, Chola and many territorial chieftains as well. Hence, Keeladi, Porunal, and Kodumanal cannot be seen in isolation in terms of modern-day notions of districts and sub-regions. All of these belong to a collective past of Tamils. There cannot be any second thoughts about it.

With the findings, many say, the gap between IVC and the ancient Tamil culture narrowing down? Can we conclusively believe the period established by carbon dating of artefacts?

Carbon dating is one of the scientific means of assigning a timeline to a verifiable archaeological find and it is an accepted method all over the world. When it comes to comparing the timelines of IVC on one hand and Keeladi, Porunai on the other, I would consider the temporal gap between IVC, and Tamil antiquities is narrowing down. More digs will throw more light.

I always take the position that the point at which IVC disappears from the scene and the point at which Sangam literature takes off is the same. I consider Sangam Literature to be the bridge that connects IVC and the Tamil Civilization of the South.

To get the timeline clear, we need more excavations not only in Tamil Nadu but in many places south of Daimabad in Maharashtra, considered the proven outpost of Harappan Civilization so far. If we do more excavations, the missing links would further shrink.

Are there any similarities between IVC and the Vaigai Urban settlement?

There are many. The similarities between the two, I am not merely looking at in terms of long-distance trade links but much beyond, connected to the core ideologies and attitudes towards life. A case study of dice found in Keeladi (both terracotta and ivory) compared with terracotta dice found in Lothal and reference to the exact type of dice in Sangam literature will prove illuminating.

T N Ray in 1939 pointed out that in the Vedic time people gambled using bibhitaka fruits ( Teminalia bellirica) as dice and he drew attention to the difference between Vedic and Indus dice. Whereas the Sangam textual reference has got authentic proof in Keeladi and that tallies with Harappan style dice.

Much has been said and written about similarities between graffiti marks found on ancient pottery excavated in Tamil Nadu and the signs of the IVC. Keeladi brings more remarkable proofs for the same. There are many more artefacts in Keeladi that encourage such comparison including brick constructions, precious gems, carnelian beads, conch shell bangles and so on.

Many feel Vaigai and Porunai have the potential to rewrite India’s history. What is your opinion as someone who has extensively worked on and written on this subject? As the excavations continue, is there a chance for the period of their existence to be pushed back further?

History is not about empires, kings, and their wars. It is essentially about people. A people-centric history gives due weightage to continuities in social structures, ideological priorities, documented and carried forward memories, and many other multidisciplinary markers.

In that sense, the relevance of archaeological findings being unearthed down south cannot be ignored nor the Sangam Corpus be brushed aside merely as a creative brilliance.

Keeladi is one of 293 sites identified in the Vaigai region. Keeladi itself is an ongoing process. I do not doubt that if focused attention is given, the archaeology of Tamil Nadu will provide new and hitherto unknown contours for the people’s history of India.

Some still don’t accept carbon dating and want more studies. How do we scientifically establish the dates to ensure there is no dispute?

Carbon dating is one of the most well-known and much-used methods globally. It is for the professionals to ensure methodological rigours are followed without any compromise during excavations. Otherwise, there is nothing new about carbon dating.

Many feel the age of the Sangam Era has not been scientifically established so far (they say Sangam literature might be date even further back than 2,000 years as it was believed till a few years ago). What should we do to find out the real age of the Sangam era?

In a lighter vein, there is no carbon dating for literature. But there are many ways to reasonably assume a timeline. A massive corpus like Sangam literature could not have been written, collected, and compiled overnight or through a royal dictum.

There are two extreme tendencies when it comes to the question of giving a timeline for Sangam texts. Some people cite few instances of the use of northern words and references to northern legends and rush to suggest a later timeline. On the other hand, there are people who make unverified claims about its antiquity.

The former viewpoint conveniently ignores the fact that there are numerous archaic names and references to certain past events in the Sangam corpus that were completely unknown to the northern literature and traditions.

Sangam literature does not represent merely the timeline of its compilation. It has numerous carried-forward memories with accurate recollections of geographies and personalities outside the known Tamil boundaries of the Sangam Age.

In my view, the answer to many unresolved riddles of Indology remains embedded in Sangam texts. This corpus needs to be revisited with an open mind. So, more digging should be done.