Quotes from R. Balakrishnan

BRW [Black & Red Ware] is the Pan-Indian Pot and Sangam literature is the Pan-Indian Literature. The Pot Route that links Indus and Vaigai was made of clay, overlaid with burnt bricks and embellished with copper. It is the red-topped road to Tamil antiquity, and the colour was a deep Dravidian Red.

the Sangam Tamil corpus is essentially a literature of diverse landscapes and a plural demography. Sangam texts stand witness to the plural social systems, polity, cultural ethos and ideology of the early Tamils. At the same time, they also represent some of the 'carried forward' memories that probably emulate the ideologies of the IVC [Indus Valley Civilization], including its inherent pluralism.

Above all, the very world view, "Every town our home town, every[one our kin - ?????? ??? ??????? ??????]" can only emanate from a civilizational wisdom which has seen places, found merit in give and take and is enriched by travels, journeys and migrations.

The manner of employing the leisure time is always an index of a people's culture. The Tamils of old had their own pastimes which reveal at once their rustic simplicity and their notable refinement (Pillay 1969: 326-327)

The fact that the pluralism of India is not an ornamental frill but a foundational core needs to be duly recognized.

There was a story before and beyond Harappa. There is a story before and beyond Keeladi. This journey of a civilization is not a point to point journey. It is an unending expedition of human spirit. y?tum ?r? y?varum k???r Every town our home town, every man a kinsman - Ka?iya? P??ku??a??r

The illuminations of research would remain disjointed, and even fail to reckon the simple fact that life as it persisted in the seven continents of this planet has been a continuum. –P.J. Cherian

The Sangam Corpus is one body of literature that could possibly represent the ethos of the IVC [Indus Valley Civilization] such as maritime trade, eminence of crafts and skills, technology and knowledge, spread of literacy, Mother Goddess worship, participatory festivals and pass-time activities, secular orientation, enjoyment associated with group-bathing, place of flora and fauna in narratives, writing and graffiti skills.