The (royal, governing, advisory) Council included five people who represented five groups plus one important individual: Chief Minister: civil administration…
Demands on the King
The early kings of ancient South India were not autocrats. They faced a system of checks and balances from the…
The State
The notion of state rested in kingdoms and according to the norms of Tamilakam, these had seven constituents: Land Suitable…
Aryan Influence
Some of the earliest writings that survived into modern times were from about the 4th century BCE, but historians believe…
Stirrings of Statehood
Five distinct societies evolved in South India during the pre-historical period: hunter-gatherers; pastoralists; agriculturalists; fishermen; and nomads of the semi-arid…
Records Lost to History
Historians divide the history of Tamilakam into three chronological periods: Pre-historical times (pre 3rd century BCE) The Sangam era (3rd…
The Ulavar of the Marudam (arable) Regions
The people who settled along the fertile swathes of land along the river banks and in the valleys - the…
The Paradavar of the Neydal (sea coast) Regions
The inhabitants of the littoral regions - Paradavar - were fishermen. Their society evolved into seafarers and maritime traders, and…
The Clans of the Paalai (desert) Regions
The desert clans, the Maravar and the Kalvar, loved adventure and hunting. To supplement their hunts, they imposed levies on…
Kingship in the Mullai (forest/pastoral) Regions
The pressures of population and scarcity of food drove the Kuravar from the Kurinji hills to the lower lands—the secondary…