சஙக இலககயததல இற வழபட / Divine Worship in Sangam Literature

Religious conflict is a significant issue in any society and it is often rooted in the minds of the people. Even educated people who are in high positions can disagree with other religious conventions because of their fanatic religious beliefs. Perhaps, the religion one follows is often determined by the place of birth and raised. A person’s lifestyle, beliefs and values are shaped by the environment. In ancient Tamil literature, especially at the Sangam times, the people's occupations are related to the land and their surroundings and the influence of the gods they worshipped. For example, in Tamil culture, the people who lived near the sea worshipped sea gods like Varunan. Those who lived in the mountains worshipped mountain gods like Lord Murugan. This shows that the environment plays a significant role in shaping the beliefs and practices of the people. This influence affects even the most basic aspects of life. Similarly, this influence extends to our basic needs like food, clothing and shelter, even though it varies across cultures. The gods and goddesses worshipped in the ancient Tamil period varied according to the environment. Their worship and beliefs differed from one landscape to another. This paper explores how the environment influences the belief and worship. It does not support or reject God, but an attempt to understand how the surroundings shape the religious beliefs and practices. By investigating the relationship between environment and beliefs, one can understand the intricacies of ancient worship in Tamil Sangam society.