17 August 2022

MAINS DAILY QUESTIONS & MODEL ANSWERS

Q1. The Sangam literature is a combination of ideals with realistic history and classical epics which all together serve as the sources of the history of that age. Explain. (250 words)

Paper & Topic: GS I à Indian Culture

Model Answer:

Introduction:

• The Sangam Age constitutes an important chapter in the history of South India.
• According to Tamil legends, there existed three Sangams (Academy of Tamil poets) in ancient Tamil Nadu popularlycalled Muchchangam. 
• These Sangams flourished under the royal patronage of the 

Body:

• The first Sangam, held at Then Madurai, was attended by gods and legendary sages but no literary work of this Sangam was available.
• The second Sangam was held at Kapadapuram but the all the literary works had perished except Tolkappiyam.
• The third Sangam at Madurai was founded by Mudathirumaran.
• It was attended by a large number of poets who produced voluminous literature but only a few had survived.

Sangam Literature: Ideals and Realistic history:

• The corpus of Sangam literature includes Tolkappiyam, Ettutogai, Pattuppattu, Pathinenkilkanakku, and the two epics- Silappathigaram and Manimegalai.
• It is a work on Tamil grammar but it provides information on the political and socio- economic conditions of the Sangam period.
• Both Ettutogai and Pattuppattu were divided into two main groups – Aham (love) and Puram (valour).
• Pathinenkilkanakku contains eighteen works mostly dealing with ethics and morals. The most important among them is Tirukkural authored by Thiruvalluvar.
• Silappathigaram written by Elango Adigaland Manimegalai by Sittalai Sattanar also provides valuable information on the Sangam polity and society.
• Sangam Literature as sources of history
• Political history: The Tamil country was ruled by three dynasties namely theChera, Chola and Pandyas during the Sangam Age. The political history of these dynasties can be traced from the literary references.
• Position of women: There is a plenty of information in the Sangam literature to trace the position of women during the Sangam age. Women poets like Avvaiyar, Nachchellaiyar, and Kakkaipadiniyarflourished in this period and contributed to Tamil literature. The courage of women was also appreciated in many poems.
• Sangam Society: Tolkappiyam refers to the five-fold division of lands – Kurinji (hilly tracks), Mullai (pastoral), Marudam (agricultural), Neydal (coastal) and Palai (desert).
• Tolkappiyam also refers to four castes namelyarasar, anthanar, vanigar and vellalar.
• The ruling class was called arasar. Anthanars played a significant role in the Sangam polity and religion. Vanigars carried on trade and commerce.
• The vellalars were agriculturists.
• Sangam Polity:Hereditary monarchy was the form of government during the Sangam period.
• Land revenue was the chief source of state’s income while custom duty was also imposed on foreign trade.
• Trade: Both internal and foreign trade was well organized and briskly carried on in the Sangam Age.
• The Sangam literature, Greek and Roman accounts and the archaeological evidences provide detailed information on this subject.
• Spinning and weaving of cotton and silk clothes attained a high quality.
• The poems mention the cotton clothes as thin as a cloud of steam or a slough of a snake.
• There was a great demand in the western world for the cotton clothes woven at Uraiyur.
• Agriculture: Agriculture was the chief occupation. Rice was the common crop. Ragi, sugarcane, cotton, pepper, ginger, turmeric, cinnamon and a variety of fruits were the other crops.
• However, there are dispute among the exact period of sangam age and its chronology.
• The most probable date of the Sangam literature has been fixed between the third century B.C. to third century A.D. on the basis of literary, archaeological and numismatic evidences.

Conclusion:

• The Sangam age Tamil literary works remain useful sources to reconstruct the history of the period providing major insights into the social and economic life of people, especially in Southern India.

Q2. What status was the environment accorded during the Vedic period? How do Vedic symbols encapsulate the spirit of the environment? Discuss.

Paper & Topic: GS I à Indian Culture

Model Answer:

Introduction:

• The Vedic Age was between 1500 BC and 600 BC.
• This is the next major civilization that occurred in ancient India after the decline of the Indus Valley Civilization by 1400 BC.
• The Vedas were composed in this period and this gives this age the name.
• Further the Vedas have several references in them on environmental protection, ecological balance, weather cycles, rainfall phenomena, hydrologic cycle, and related subjects that directly indicate the high level of awareness of the seers and people of that time.

Body:

Status of Environment:

• Ancient treasures of vast knowledge reveal a full cognizance of the undesirable effects of environmental degradation, whether caused by natural factors or human activities.
• The protection of the environment was understood to be closely related to the protection of the ‘dyaus’ or heavens and ‘prithvi’ or earth.
• Between these two lies the atmosphere and the environment that we refer to as the ‘paryavaran’.
• Many of the Rig Vedic hymns therefore vividly describe the ‘Dyava’ Prithvi that is, they describe Heaven and Earth together.
• The Rig Veda venerates deities like Mitra, Varuna, Indra, Maruts and Aditya, that are responsible for maintaining the requisite balance in the functioning of all entities of Nature whether the mountains, lakes, heaven and earth, the forests or the waters.
• Seers recognised that changes caused due to indiscreet human activities could result in imbalances in seasons, rainfall patterns, crops and atmosphere and degrade the quality of water, air, and earth resources.
• There are many hymns seeking the blessings of the five basic gross elements or the ‘pancha mahabhoota’ of Nature: ‘akashor’ firmament, ‘vayu’ or air, ‘agni’, ‘tejas’ or fire, ‘apah’ or water, and ‘prithvi’ or earth.
• People were careful to refrain from activities that could cause harm to Nature’s bounties.
• It was understood that the well-being of Mother Earth depended on the preservation and sustenance of the environment.
• The Rig Veda makes a clear reference to the presence of a protective layer which we know now to be the ozone layer that filters the harmful rays of the sun and protects the earth and praises the radiation that enters the atmosphere that is responsible for the health of the environment.
• Therefore, the Vedic society which was a nature worshiping society they were in awe of day-to-day phenomena of seasonal changes, the moon, and the sun.
• This led them to name various forces of nature as gods and goddesses.
• This system of worship is still followed in many parts of India.

Following symbols summarize the importance of the spirit of the Environment:

• Concept of ‘Panch mahabhootas’:The universe consists of five basic elements viz. earth or land, water, light or lustre, air and ether.
• Nature has maintained a status of balance between and among these constituents or elements and living creatures.
• Divinity to Nature:Vedic Gods and Goddesses conceptualized from the natural elements of Environment. E.g. ‘Vayudev’ (Air), ‘Varundev’ (Rain).
• They used to perform various ‘yadnyas’ (religious activities) and sacrifices to please natural forces.
• Concept of Water as Apah and Air as Vayu:According to Rig-Veda the water and air is essential to all forms of life.
• Their curious nature towards Environment helped them to identify certain plants as ‘Osdhadhi’, i.e., medicinal plants.
• Their belief in ‘Sacred groves’ indicate protective attitude towards forest ecosystem.
• The protection of the environment was understood to be closely related to the protection of the ‘dyaus’ or heavens and ‘prithvi’ or earth.
• Between these two lies the atmosphere and the environment that we refer to as the paryavaran.
• Many of the Rig Vedic hymns therefore vividly describe the Dyava Prithvi i.e. Heaven and Earth together.

Conclusion:

• People of Vedic times considered every stakeholder in the environment as sacred.
• Their belief of God as creator of everything added dimension of purity to their approach towards environment.
• Way of life in those times itself was in harmony with environment which automatically helped in preservation and conservation.
• Therefore the present society in India and world can emulate the sustainable practices of Vedic period which can help them to live with harmony with nature.