TNSCERT 6 HISTORY UNIT 4

4. ANCIENT CITIES OF TAMILAGAM

• The prominent ancient towns in Tamilagam are Poompuhar, Madurai and Kanchi

     POOMPUHAR [PORT TOWN]

• Port town along the Bay of Bengal, well known for maritime trade
• Coastal town near the present day mayiladuthurai and is located where the river Cauvery drains into the sea
• other names (Puhar, Kaveripoompattinam)

     POOMPUHAR PORT

• served as the port of the early Chola kingdom
• References for sea-born trade - in Sangam literature, Pattinappalai, Silappathikaram, Manimegalai and Tamil epics
• There are evidences of foreign settlements in the town
• In SILAPATHIKARAM, characters like Maanaigan (sea trader) and Maasathuvan (big trader)are there which shows Puhar was a place where these traders had settled down
• PATTINAPPAALAI states that "selling any commodity at a higher price was considered bad"
• Poompuhar traders - well known for their honesty and integrity
• Indicative of Puhar antiquity - author of Pattinappalai - Kadiyalur Uruttirangannanar, belonged to 2nd century BCE 
• Sandal woods from Western Ghats, pearls from Southern sea, corals from eastern sea, food items from Eelam, Horses were imported
• Busy port upto 200 BCE 
• might have been washed away or destroyed by big shore waves

     MADURAI [TRADING TOWN]

• Its antiquity can be understood from "Sangam Valartha Nagaram" 
• Associated with tamil sangam which worked for the promotion of Tamil language
• Trade flourished - evidence unearthed in archaeological excavation done in Keezhadi near Madurai
• coins of Roman and other countries were minted
• called as "Thoonga Nagaram" because of day and night markets [Naalangadi - Day market, Allangadi - Night market]
• Ruled by Pandyas, Cholas and Kalabras in ancient times and later Cholas, later pandyas, Nayaks during medieval times
• References about Madurai - Megasthanese's accounts and Chanakya (Chandragupta's minister) mentioned in Arthasastra

     KANCHI [EDUCATIONAL CENTRE]

• schools established in great numbers, Jains studied in Jainapalli and Buddhist in Viharas
• The Chinese traveller Hieun Tsang who studied at Nalanda University visited Kanchi ‘Kadigai’ to pursue his further studies
• Poet Kalidasa says, “Kanchi is the best of the towns”
• Tamil poet saint Thirunavukarasar praises Kanchi as “Kalviyil Karaiillatha Kanchi”
• Scholars like Dharmabalar, Jothibalar, Sumathi and Bodhi Dharmar were born in Kanchi
• Also known as temple town
• The famous temple Kailasanathar temple, was built by later Pallava king Rajasimha at Kanchi
• The Buddhist monk Manimegalai spent the last part of her life at Kanchi speaks highly of that town
• Kanchi came to be known as the district of lakes
• Water management skills of the ancient Tamils can be understood from the construction of Kallanai in the Chola country and the lakes and canals in Kanchi

     OTHER TOWNS

• Korkai, Vanchi, Thondi, Uraiyur, Musiri, Karuvur, Mamallapuram, Thanjai, Thagadoor and Kaayal

   

  TAMIL SAYINGS REPRESENT THE UNIQUENESS OF  EACH ANCIENT TAMIL KINGDOM

 1.Chola Nadu - sorudaithu (rice in abundance)

• Present-day Thanjavur, Tiruvarur, Nagai, Trichy and Pudukkottai districts

  2. Pandya Nadu - muthudaithu (pearls in abundance)

• Erstwhile composite Madurai, Ramanathapuram, Sivagangai, Thuthukkudi and Tirunelveli districts

  3. Chera Nadu - vezhamudaithu (elephants in abundance)

• Comprised Malayalam-speaking regions and Tamil districts of Coimbatore, Nilgiris, Karur, Kanniyakumari and Some parts of present Kerala

  4. Thondai Nadu - Saandrorudaithu (scholars in abundance)

• Present-day Kancheepuram, Dharmapuri, Tiruvallur, Tiruvannamalai, Vellore and northern parts of Villupuram districts