Aquatic Organisms in Nattrinai

Abstract

There are many kinds of organisms living in different environments in the world. They had a physique according to the environment in which they lived and had food habits for their respective environments. Just as on land, there are living creatures in the water. In the Sangam age, there were more species living in Sangam age than in today's time. They have been studied very carefully by the Sangam scholars and expressed through their songs. Thus, one of the Sangam texts, Natrinai, describes the life of the ancient Tamils who lived in harmony with nature. In the book, there are five types of land mentioned: Kurinji, Mullai, Marudham, Neithal, and Paalai. The five lands have water bodies in the names of spring, waterfall, wild river, lake, pond, small pond, reservoir, the mouth of a river, pit, well, and trough. Marutham land is a well-watered area with water bodies such as Natural Pond and Pond, and adjoining fields and muddy areas mixed with water and land. They are called the freshwater area. Therefore, the species that live there are called freshwater living organisms. The saline water found in the Neithal Land is called brackish water. These areas are composed of water bodies such as the sea, coastal sands, and lagoons. The organisms that live there are called brackish water organisms. Thus, there are many aquatic organisms in Natrinai. Among them are freshwater fishes such as swordfish, butterfish, catfish, brackish water fish such as sharks, fish that live in both fresh and brackish water bodies such as mackerel, horse fish, and prawns, and fish that live in both water bodies. This article explores and explains species such as crocodiles and crabs.