6TH HISTORY ANCIENT CITIES OF TAMILAGAM

6TH HISTORY ANCIENT CITIES OF TAMILAGAM

6TH HISTORY ANCIENT CITIES OF TAMILAGAM
6TH HISTORY ANCIENT CITIES OF TAMILAGAM

Earliest planned cities of India

                Earliest planned cities of India are Harappa and Mohenjo-Daro. These cities belongs to Indus Civilisation. The earliest civilization in the world is Mesopotamian civilization. It is 6500 years old one.

6TH HISTORY ANCIENT CITIES OF TAMILAGAM

                The ancient cities of Tamil Nadu are Kanchipuram, Uraiyur, Karuvur (Karur), Kodumanal, Madurai, Keeladi.

Ancient ports of Tamil Nadu

                The ancient ports of Tamil Nadu are Mamallai, Arikkamedu, Poompuhar, Thondi, Alagankulam, Kayalpattinam, Korkai.

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Poompuhar

                Poompuhar is one of the oldest towns in ancient Tamilagam. This is the place where well known characters of Silapathikaram, Kovalan and Kannagi lived. It was also a port town along the Bay of Bengal. The ports were established for facilitating maritime trade. It is a coastal town near the present-day Mayiladuthurai and is located where the river Cauvery drains into the sea.

6TH HISTORY ANCIENT CITIES OF TAMILAGAM
6TH HISTORY ANCIENT CITIES OF TAMILAGAM

Poompuhar Port

                The other names of Poompuhar city is Puhar and Kaveripoompatinam. This port city belongs to the early Chola Kingdom. The popular Sangal Literature, “Pattinapaalai” and Tamil epics, “Silappathikaaram and Manimegalai” briefly witnessed the trade activities of this port city.

Cultural Blending

                Numerous merchants from foreign countries such as Greece and Rome landed at Poompuhar. Due to busy and continuous trade, many of them stayed on indefinitely in Poompuhar. There are evidences of foreigner’s settlements in the town. This contact facilitated not only exchange of goods but also languages and ideas resulting in cultural blending.

Author of Pattinappaalai

                The author of Pattinappaalai, Kadiyalur Uruttirangannanar belonged to 2nd century BC(BCE). Gold that came from Vadamalai was polished and exported to the overseas countries.

          We can learn about the life of the people of Puhar by reading Pattinappaalai and “Puhar Kandam” of Silappathikaram.

Madurai

                Madurai has been one of the oldest cities in India. Its antiquity can be understood from the sobriquet “Sangam Valartha Nagaram” it has earned. Madurai is proudly associated with tamil sangam (academies), which worked for the promotion of Tamil language. Forty-nine poets were associated with the last Sangam.

6TH HISTORY ANCIENT CITIES OF TAMILAGAM
6TH HISTORY ANCIENT CITIES OF TAMILAGAM

The fame of Madurai

                The fame of Madurai is attested by the accounts of the Greek historian Megasthanese. Chanakya, Chandragupta’s minister, makes a mention of Madurai in his book, Arthasastra.

Kanchi

                Several schools were established in great numbers for the first time in Kancheepuram. The greatness of Kanchi as an educational centre can be understood from the fact that 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”. Hieun Tsang remarked that Kanchi can be counted as one among the seven sacred places like Bodh Gaya and Sanchi.

Temples city

                  Kanchi is also known as the temples city. The famous temple of great architectural beauty, Kailasanathar temple, was built by later Pallava king Rajasimha at Kanchi. During the Pallava period, a large number of cave temples were built.

6TH HISTORY ANCIENT CITIES OF TAMILAGAM
6TH HISTORY ANCIENT CITIES OF TAMILAGAM

District of lakes

                Hundreds of lakes were created for storing water around the town of Kanchi. These lakes were well connected with canals. During the later period, Kanchi came to be known as the district of lakes.

Poompuhar, Madurai and Kanchi

                Poompuhar was a port city. Madurai was a trading town. Kanchi was an educational centre.

Chera, Chola, Pandya and Thondai Nadu

                Chera Nadu = Comprised Malayalam-speaking regions and Tamil districts of Coimbatore, Nilgiris, Karur, Kanniyakumari and Some parts of present Kerala.

                Chola Nadu = Present-day Thanjavur, Tiruvarur, Nagai, Trichy and Pudukkottai districts.

             Pandya Nadu = Erstwhile composite Madurai, Ramanathapuram, Sivagangai, Thuthukkudi and Tirunelveli districts.

           Thondai Nadu = Present-day Kancheepuram, Dharmapuri, Tiruvallur, Tiruvannamalai, Vellore and northern parts of Villupuram districts.

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