
Post No. 15,033
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Ancient Tamil Encyclopaedia- Part 12; One Thousand Interesting Facts! 12
Part 12- Akananuru Wonders அகநானூறு அதிசயங்கள்
77.
Ancient Tamils were great nature lovers. They divided their land into 4+1 natural regions. They called it Tinai and the five regions were called
நானிலம் + 1
குறிஞ்சி , முல்லை, மருதம், நெய்தல் + பாலை
Mullai- the wooded lands; forest;
Kurinji- the hill country;
Marutham-farm land or cultivable lands along the rivers;
Neithal – Coastal, littoral area.
Palai (paalai)- the dry waterless land.
***
78
Mathematical Genius கணிதப் புலிகள்

Akananuru is a collection of 400 poems on love and family life. IT IS ONE OF THE 18 MAJOR WORKS OF Sangam period.The verses were composed around first three centuries of common era (CE). Tamils were lovers of mathematics and the compiler of this book Akananuru (Akam- Family sector; Naanuuru-400), divided the poems into five sections suing his mathematical skill.
ENDING WITH NUMBER TENS- NEITHAL GENRE,
NUMBER FOUR ENDING VERSES- MULLAI VERSES
NUMBERS 2 AND 8 ENDING VERSES – KURINJI VERSES AND
VERSES ENDING WITH NUMBER 6 — MARUTHAM TYPE OF VERSES.
ODD NUMBERS – PALAI VERSES,
(Please look at the table)பாடல் எண்கள்
But the idea of dividing land into different regions based on birds or plants has been practised by Hindus for thousands of years. It is in many of the Puranas including Bhagavata

They are இந்துக்கள் பிரித்த ஏழு நிலங்கள் – புராணத் தகவல்
Seven Continents: (1) Jambū (2) Śāka, (3) Kuśa, (4) Plakṣa, (5) Puṣkara, (6) Śālmali (7) Krauñca. A short description of these continents is. as follows:
(1) Jambū—It is the central one of the seven continents surrounding the mountain Meru, so called either from the Jambū trees abounding in it or from an enormous Jambū tree on Mount Meru visible like a standard to the whole continent. Sec S. M. Ali, Op. cit., chapters V-VII on Jambūdvīpa.
(2) Śāka can be identified with Malaya, Siam, Indo-China and Southern China or the South-Eastern corner of the land mass of which Jambūdvīpa occupied the centre.
(3) Kuśa included Iran, Iraq, the south-western comer of the land mass round Meru.
(4) Plakṣa identified with the basin of Mediterranian since Plakṣa or Pākhara tree is the characteristic of warm temperate or Mediterranian lands identifiable with Greece and adjoining lands.
(5) Puṣkara covered the whole of Japan, Manchuria and the south-eastern Siberia.
(6) Śālmala—the tropical part of Africa bordering the Indian Ocean on the West. It included Madagasgar—the Zenj of the Arab and Persian geographers, the Hariṇa of the Purāṇas and the Śaṃkhadvīpa of some other writers.
(7) Krauñca is represented by the basin of the Black Sea.
(8) Upadvīpas (sub-continents): (1) Bhārata (2) Kimpuruṣa (3) Harivarṣa (4) Ramyaka (5) Hiraṇmaya (6) Uttarakuru (7) Ilāvṛta (8) Bhadrāśva and (9) Ketumāla. According to P.E. (p. 342) there are eight long mountain ranges which divide the island Jambu into 9 countries which look like nine petals of the lotus flower. The two countries of the north and south extremities (Bhadra and Ketumāla) are bow-shaped. Four of the remaining seven are longer than the rest. The central country is known as Ilāvṛta.
Tamils also used this idea. நாவலந்தீவு =ஐம்பூ த்வீபம்
Naavalan Tivu/ Jambudwipa is already in the Sangam literature. It is based on the Jambhu tree that is abundant in India.
***
79.
Three Commentators மூன்று உரைகாரர்கள்
We have notes from three ancient commentators for this book. Only one name of the three are known and he is Paalvanna devan villavatharaiyanaar .
***
80
Naadu நாடுகள்

Now the word Naadu means a country or a nation. Like Desam in Sanskrit changed its meaning from region to country, Naadu in Tamil also meant a small area in those days. Madras state has been changed to Tamil Naadu in our times.
Akananuru mentioned following Naadus:
Idaiyala nadu, Kuda nadu, Kongu nadu, Kosar nadu, Tulu nadu, Tondai nadu, Paanan nadu, Pukaar nadu, Pooli/ Poozi nadu, Malavar/Mazavar nadu, Maarokka nadu, Vadugar nadu, Vembi nadu, Velir nadu etc.
***
81
Towns mentioned in Akam bookஊர்கள்
Over 108 towns are mentioned in the 400 verses. Important historical towns are:Alaivaay (Tiruchendur), Aalamkaanam (battle field), Uraiyuur (Choza capital; known for its judicial court), Kazumalam (battlefield), Kaviri Poompattinam (Big port city; also known as Pukaar), Korkai, Koti (Dhanushkoti/Rameswaram) Tondi (both ports)Madurai (great capital city of Pandyas and Tamil Sangam), Paatali (Pataliputra/Patna in BiharVanji (Capital city of Cheras; now called Karur), and Venkatam (northern border of Tamil land; now known as Tirupati-Tirumalai with Venkata Acalapathy Temple).
Most interesting thing is the mention of Maurya Pataliputra and Nandas (see below)
Tamils never mentioned Kushana or Guptas. This shows they are older than the Guptas
***
82.
Groups mentioned in the Akam book பல்வேறு இனத்தினர்
Aryar, Gowriyar, Kudavar, Kosar, Chozar, Nandar, Mazavar, Mauryar, Yavanar, Vadugar, Velir etc
Yavanar in Sangam literature meant only Italians from Rome, not Greeks
Aryar meant only cultured people speaking Sanskrit or Rishis/ seers in the Himalaya.
We will look into Yavanas and Aryas in detail in the next part.
***
83
Gods and Saints mentioned in Akananuruதெய்வங்கள் :
Arundhati (wife of Seer Vasistha), Rama, Gods in Home, Uma, Krishna, Deity of Kaviramalai, Kuberan, Deity of Kolli Hills, Chandra/Moon, Surya/Sun god, Shiva, Sellur Deity, Gods in Hero stones, Spirit/Nymph of Nalliyadukkam, Goddess of Pukaar, Spirit/Nymph of Paazi.
Tamils, like their northern counterparts believed Nymphs, Spirits or Gods reside in all the rivers, Hills, Lakes, Trees etc
Yakshaprasna in Mahabharata and Vikram and Vetals stories show these beliefs.
***
84.
Rivers in this bookஆறுகள்
Gangai, Kaviri, Thozunai (Yamuna), Pennai, Vaigai, Aziyaaru,Sulli, Aanporunai rivers.
Vaigai of Pandyas and Kaviri of Chozas are very important
Reference to Ganges and Jamuna shows their detailed knowledge of Purana, Itihasas .
To be continued…………………………….
–subham—
Tags Ancient Tamil Encyclopaedia- Part 12; One Thousand Interesting Facts! 12, Akananuru wonders
























