The Sangam literature, the earliest known in South India provides insights into the life of the people and the importance given to artistic activity during the time. The musical traditions embedded in the Sangam literature reveals a unique blend of nature and culture of the people who inhabited the landscapes. The musicians held esteemed status in the society and the reference of which can be seen in Sangam works like Akanannuru, Puranannuru, pathittupathu, Cilapadikaram etc.
Jacob et al. (Wed,) studied this question.