பழநதமழக சஙகமநதரகளன பணபடடச சழலயல நணணறவ / Cultural Ecological Insights of the Ancient Sangam Tamils

The Sangam people lived in close harmony with nature. They were guided by a deep sense of affection and ecological awareness. They lived as communities amidst the natural environment. This is evident in their sustainable practices and the ecological consciousness in their culture. Sangam literature is a collection of poems that are structured around the five landscapes of Tamil Nadu. It stands as strong evidence of this symbiotic relationship between humans and nature. This article explores the concept of cultural ecology as seen in Sangam literary works. The theoretical framework focuses on the concept of cultural ecology developed by anthropologist Julian Steward. It examines the people of ancient Tamil society and their environment in a cultural setup. The five Tinais such as Kurinji (mountain), Mullai (forest), Marutham (agricultural land), Neithal (coastal area), and Paalai (desert) reflect specific ecological zones and represent different lifestyles, emotions and values of the Tamil communities. This study highlights how the Tamil tinai-based tradition practiced a form of cultural ecology before many thousand years back. The term was academically recognized in the West in the modern period but used by the Sangam poets. As a result, the study deciphers the ecological intelligence of early Sangam Tamil people on environmental amity and culture.