ஐநதண தமழ மககளன வழவடமம தழலகளம / Environment and Occupations of the Tamil People in the Five Thinais

The Sangam Tamil people lived in the five types of geological landscapes. They lived on five types of land namely Kurinji, Mullai, Marutham, Neithal and Palai. One can see that they created life and economy using the land where they are living. So, the people considered the types of their lands as very important and acquired those lands to fulfil their food needs. Land was the chief basis of their livelihood. Sangam literature also tells about the names of the people of particular professions living in the five types of land. The names of the musicians are derived from their profession of playing music and the names of the people who dealt with war can be from their bravery. The Sangam poets used to refer to the Sangam people with words such as Makkal, Maakkal, and Mandar. The word Makkal refers to a particular ethnic group. The word ‘Makkal’ is mentioned in the book “Paripadal”. The ancient Tamil people have divided the living lands into four types according to the natural environment and called them as ‘Nanilam’. The four types of division are Kurinji, Mullai, Marutham and Neithal. They illustrate the life of the people of the Tamil country. Palai is the very rare place for good living and is considered a desert area. The lifestyle and other norms of the people living in these areas are formed according to these land and the natural resources from it. This article examines how the ancient Sangam people’s habitats emerged based on the five types of land and how they produced food and lived based on their environment.