Puhar
Also called: Kaveripattinam · Topic: Sangam Age and Early South India · NCERT: Class 7, Ch 5 "The Rise of Empires"; Class 12, Ch 2 "Kings, Farmers and Towns"
Meaning
Puhar, also called Kaveripattinam or Poompuhar, was the main port of the Sangam Cholas. It stood where the Kaveri river meets the sea in Tamil Nadu. Sea routes started from here, so it is an example of early cities built near the coast to profit from sea trade. Ships from here traded along the coast and across the Indian Ocean.
Example
The Tamil epic Silappadikaram opens in Puhar, the home city of Kannagi and Kovalan. The poem Pattinappalai describes its busy markets and its many merchants, fishermen and artisans. The epic also mentions a route linking Kanchipuram to Poompuhar.
Don't confuse with
- Uraiyur: Uraiyur was the inland capital of the Cholas. Puhar was their seaport.
- Arikamedu: Arikamedu was a different east-coast trading site, near present-day Puducherry.