During the megalithic period of about 1000 BCE - 400 BCE, people of South India including Tamilakam, shared many beliefs and practices with the megalithic builders elsewhere in the Indian subcontinent and beyond. The famous 3.5 metre-high granite figure excavated at Mottur, in present-day Vellore district, is considered the oldest known anthropomorphic representation of God in stone in the Tamil country.Some form of Mother Goddess worship was prevalent in the megalithic period, as suggested by the discovery of a copper image of a Goddess in the urn-burials of Adichanallur and other excavations in Tamil Nadu that have yielded headstones, shaped like the seated Mother. Megalithic culture attached great importance to the cult of the dead and ancestors. It is also likely that certain gods later absorbed into the Hindu pantheon, such as Aiyanar (or Sastha), Murugan (the later Kartik), Korravai (Durga), Naga deities, etc., were originally tribal gods of this period.
Nagas
Painting of Kali: a frightful image similar to the one worshipped by the Nagas
The Nagas, who conquered the aboriginal tribes such as the Villavar and the Minavar, worshipped the dread goddess Kali and carried out animal sacrifices at her shrines. The image of Kali was decked in a most frightful manner: her matted hair was tied up like a crown on her head with the shining skin of a cobra and the curved tusk of a boar was fastened in her hair to resemble the crescent. A string of tiger's teeth served as a necklace around her shoulders. The striped skin of a tiger was wound around her waist like a garment. She was mounted on a tall stag with branching antlers and held a strong bow bent and ready to shoot. Drums rattled and pipes squeaked in front of her image while fierce Nagas slaughtered buffaloes at her altar.
Hinduism
Karthigaideepam is celebrated by lighting of the Agal vilakku or oil lamps
During the Sangam age, Hinduism, including Vedic Brahminism, had become a popular religion among the people. Siva, Muruga, Krishna, Balarama and Kali were some of the popular deities among the Hindus. The division of the Sangam landscape into five regions, is also apparent in religion - with each region having had its own patron deity.
The people of the Kurinji or the mountainous regions worshipped Muruga, the god of war. He was portrayed as having six faces and twelve arms. His shrines were usually on the peaks of high hills or in the midst of dense forests. He carried a lance as his weapon and hence was called Velan or lancer. Animal sacrifices were carried out under sheds that were put up for the purpose, with flags hoisted over them that bore the emblem of Muruga, the rooster. Ancient mythology has it that Muruga was the commander-in-chief of the celestial army when it fought the Asuras or the demons. According to the tradition of the Kuravas, the hill people, Muruga married a maiden of their tribe.
The people of the pastoral lands or the Mullai regions worshipped Krishna and his brother Balarama. The shepherd races of these regions amused themselves by enacting plays that portrayed the main events of Krishna’s mythical life, such as his childhood pranks, his victory against the evil Kamsa, his embassy to Duryodhana and other episodes involving him in the Mahabaratha. Krishna was also popularly known as Mayavan or Mayon, the deceiver. Balarama his elder brother was believed to have extraordinary physical strength. The Marutam people(Mallar) worshipped Indra or Ventan, while the Neital people considered Varunan or Katalon to be their patron deity and the Palai people worshipped Korravai or Kali. Among the higher classes of the Tamil society, the favorite deity was Siva. He was portrayed as a man of fair complexion with tangled locks of red hair and three eyes, the third one situated in the middle of his forehead. He wore tiger’s skin and rode a bullock, armed with a battle-axe and the trishul. The temples of Siva were considered the most stately and august of the public edifices.
Other popular deities of this age were Kama the god of love, Surya the sun, Chandra the moon and Yama the god of death. The Brahmins of the Tamil country attached great importance to the performance of Yagas or Vedic sacrifices. Priests, learned in the Vedic rites, performed these sacrifices usually under the patronage of the kings.
The temples of the Sangam age were built out of perishable materials such as plaster, timber and brick, which is why no traces of them are found today. The only public structures of any historical importance belonging to this age that have survived to this day are the rock-beds hewn out of natural rock formation, that were made for the ascetics. The Cilapatikaram and the Sangam poems such as Kaliththokai, Mullaippattu and Purananuru mention several kinds of temples such as the Puranilaikkottam or the temple at the outskirts of a city, the Netunilaikkottam or the tall temple, the Palkunrakkottam the temple on top of a hill, the Ilavantikaippalli or the temple with a garden and bathing ghat, the Elunilaimatam or a seven storeyed temple, the Katavutkatinakar or the temple city.
Some of the popular festivals of this age were Karthigaideepam, Tiruvonam, Kaman vizha and Indira vizha. Karthigaideepam was otherwise known as Peruvizha and was celebrated in the Tamil month of Karthigai every year. Tiruvonam was celebrated in the month of Avani to denote the birth of Mayon. The Kaaman vizha was held in the spring and during this festival, men and women dressed up well and participated in dancing. Indravizha included the performance of Vedic sacrifices, prayers to various gods, musical recitals and dancing.
Buddhism
Footprint of Buddha engraved on stone, c. 1st century CE
The Buddhists worshiped the impressions of Buddha’s feet engraved on stone and platforms made of stone that represented his seat. The pious Buddhist walked round them, with his right side towards them and bowed his head as a token of reverence. The Cilapatikaram mentions that the monks worshipped Buddha by praising him as the wise, holy and virtuous teacher who adhered to his vows strictly, as the one who subdued anger and all evil passions and as the refuge of all mankind. In the Buddhist Viharas or monasteries, learned monks preached their sermons, seated in a place which was entirely concealed from the view of the audience. The Buddhists did not observe the distinctions of caste and invited all ranks to assemble on a footing of equality. Self-control, wisdom and charity were among the virtues preached and practiced by the monks, who were numerous in the ancient Tamil country.
Jainism
An alms bowl
The Jains (a.k.a Nigranthas[14]) worshipped Argha whom they considered to be the Supreme Intelligence which governs the Universe. His image was that of a naked man, seated or standing under an Ashoka tree, holding up a triple umbrella. The main priniciples that the Jains followed were to not harm any living creature, not speak an untruth and to avoid envy, greed, anger and evil speech. Their community was divided into two sections, the laymen or sravakas (literally, hearers) and the religious men. The religious men were further divided into five classes called the Panchaparameshtin. These were the Argha the holy men, the Siddha who had supernatural powers, the Upadhyaya or the religious teachers, the Acharaya or the priests and the Sadhu or pious people. Both men and women were allowed to enter the monastery and take vows of celibacy. The monks preached from pulpits that were erected near their temples or in the open squares at the crossing of public roads. They carried an alms bowl, a hoop made of twine to hold the water-pot and a bundle of peacock feathers that they used to gently sweep off insects to avoid hurting them, before sitting or lying down on a place. They repeated a short prayer called the Panchamantra.
