The Marudham Land Plants from an Ecological Point of View

Abstract

Social anthropologists have given various explanations and definitions of the term environment. Sangam literature encompasses nature and culture in itself. The news is widely reported on the lifestyle and environment of the people. Marudham, one of the five types of lands in ancient Tamil Nadu, is a field-based water-rich area. This land area depended on rivers, lakes, and ponds. The area is named Marudham after the flowering of the Marudham tree, a tree associated with this area. Since Marudham land is rich in water and there was a lot of availability of produce, the people living here spent their leisure time with joy and revelry. It is said that Marudham land was looking green as if it had worn green clothes of paddy, banana, and sugarcane. The poets reveal that the land of Marudham was covered with plants, vines, trees, and water bodies. It can be seen that references to Marudham, Kanchi Maram (Thespesia Populnea), Mango, Punkamaram (Cypress Tree), Veppamaram (Neem Tree), Banana Tree, and Vanjimaram (Calamus Rotang Palm) plants are found in the Marudathan songs. It is mentioned that the Calamus Rotang palm wood pieces and branches were used as firewood.