நயதல நலத தலமககள / The Leaders of Neithal Land

The description of a culture in a linear form is called ethnography. It is also referred to as “writing culture.” It means documenting the culture of an individual ethnic group or community in its entirety. This study examines the names of the great weavers of the Sangam period, leaders of the weaving community, such as the Serppan, Konkan, Umanan, Valignan, Duraivan, and Pulamban, who lived under these titles in the Kanniyakumari district weaving community, along with their historical background, approached through the neutrality of ethnography. Ethnic groups represent a detailed aspect of human civilisation. An ethnic group is a social category or community bound together by common ties of race, language, nationality, or culture within a larger society. Ethnic diversity is a form of social complexity found in most contemporary societies. Traditionally, the legacy of conquest brought diverse peoples under the rule of dominant groups. Rulers often imported people for their interests, whether for labour, technical skills, or commercial expertise. Industrialisation intensified these migration patterns for economic reasons, while political and religious persecution forced people from their ancestral lands. Hence, this study examines how leaders of the Neithal Land guide people from different backgrounds to meet their needs.