Which one of the following statements about Sangam literature in ancient South India is correct ?
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Answer: B. Sangam poets knew of the varna system; terms for Brahmanas and others appear in the poems, though the Tamil social order was different. The other options are false because Sangam poems richly describe material life and warrior values, and they treat magical forces as part of life.
Watch for: Students assume Sangam society had no varna at all, but the poets were aware of it.
Why the other options are wrong
- A. Wrong because Sangam poems describe material culture in detail.
- C. Wrong because Sangam poems celebrate warrior heroism.
- D. Wrong because Sangam poems treat supernatural and magical forces as real, not irrational.
Source to check: Upinder Singh, A History of Ancient and Early Medieval India, chapter on the Sangam age; R.S. Sharma, India's Ancient Past
Answer from the official UPSC key. Written and fact-checked by AI against the official key. Spotted a mistake? Report it.