Tamil Sangams

The Tamil Sangams or Cankams were assemblies of Tamil scholars and poets that, according to traditional Tamil accounts, occurred in the remote past. Scholars believe that these assemblies were originally known as kooṭam or gathering. which was also a name for Madurai. Three assemblies are described. The legend has it that the first two of which were held in cities since "taken by the sea", and the third of which was held in the present-day city of Madurai. The word sangam has its mention in the sense of an 'academy' in several Tamil literary works like Tevaram, Thiruvilayadal puranam, periyapuranam and Irayanar Ahaporul. Also legend has it that Nammazwar's Thiruvaimozhi was approved in an assembly of 300 poets.