UPSC Prelims 2023 Q43: Korkai, Poompuhar and Muchiri — Explained
With reference to ancient South India, Korkai, Poompuhar and Muchiri were well known as
- capital cities
- ports
- centres of iron-and-steel making
- shrines of Jain Tirthankaras
Answer: (b) ports
Statement-wise explanation
- a: incorrect — The main inland capitals of the three Sangam kingdoms were Uraiyur for the Cholas, Madurai for the Pandyas, and Vanji (often identified with Karur) for the Cheras. Some traditions say Korkai was an early Pandya seat and Puhar a second royal centre of the Cholas. Muchiri (Muziris) was never a royal capital, so 'capital cities' cannot describe all three places.
- b: correct — All three were Sangam-age seaports, one for each crowned kingdom. Korkai was the Pandya port, known for pearl fishing near the Tamraparni mouth. Poompuhar (Puhar, Kaveripattinam) was the Chola port at the Kaveri mouth. Muchiri (Muziris) was the Chera port on the Periyar, on the Malabar coast. The 1st-century CE Greek handbook Periplus of the Erythraean Sea lists Muziris and Korkai among India's trading ports, and the Silappadikaram describes Puhar's busy harbour.
- c: incorrect — The best-known Sangam-age iron and steel site in Tamil Nadu is Kodumanal in Erode district, an inland site on the Noyyal river. None of these three coastal towns is known mainly as a metal-working centre. Their fame comes from overseas trade in pepper, pearls, beads and textiles.
- d: incorrect — The great Jain pilgrimage centres linked to the Tirthankaras are mostly in north and west India, such as Sammed Shikharji, Pawapuri and Palitana. In the south, Jain sites are hill caves and rock beds with Tamil-Brahmi inscriptions, such as Sittannavasal and those around Madurai. Korkai, Poompuhar and Muchiri are known as harbours, not Jain shrines.
How to eliminate
Basic knowledge settles most of it. The three names belong to the three Sangam kingdoms: Korkai to the Pandyas, Poompuhar to the Cholas and Muchiri to the Cheras. One town per kingdom points to one shared role. The word 'Poompuhar' contains 'puhar', meaning a river mouth or harbour, and all three places lie on a coast or estuary. That fits ports. It does not fit iron smelting, which happened at inland ore sites, or famous Tirthankara shrines. 'Capital cities' is the trap. A candidate who remembers Uraiyur, Madurai and Vanji/Karur as the capitals can rule it out, and Muziris was never a capital. Fact to remember: the Sangam port triad is Korkai (Pandya), Puhar (Chola) and Muziris (Chera), with Tondi as a second Chera port.
Know more
Sangam kingdoms: capitals and ports
The three 'crowned kings' (muvendar) of Tamilakam, c. 3rd century BCE to 3rd century CE, each ruled from an inland capital and traded through a coastal port.
| Kingdom | Emblem | Capital | Main port(s) | Coast |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Chola | Tiger | Uraiyur | Puhar (Kaveripattinam) | Coromandel (east) |
| Pandya | Fish | Madurai (early seat at Korkai) | Korkai, Saliyur | Gulf of Mannar |
| Chera | Bow | Vanji (Karur) | Muziris, Tondi | Malabar (west) |
Indo-Roman trade
- Monsoon route: The Greek sailor Hippalus is credited with making the direct sea crossing using the south-west monsoon winds widely known. This let ships sail from Egypt's Red Sea ports to Malabar in weeks.
- Periplus of the Erythraean Sea (1st century CE): a merchant's guide that lists Muziris, Nelcynda, Korkai, Poduke (Arikamedu) and other ports, along with what was traded there.
- Exports: pepper (the main Malabar export), pearls (Korkai), beryl, ivory, muslin. Imports: Roman gold and silver coins, wine and olive oil in amphorae, glass and coral.
- Evidence: Roman coin hoards in Tamil Nadu and Kerala. Amphorae and Arretine ware at Arikamedu near Puducherry. Excavations at Pattanam near Kodungallur, thought to be part of Muziris. Sangam poems describe Yavana ships arriving at Muchiri with gold and leaving with pepper.
- Puhar: The Silappadikaram describes its two quarters, Maruvurpakkam by the sea and Pattinappakkam inland. Much of the ancient town is now underwater. The ASI and the Tamil Nadu government have run underwater surveys off Poompuhar.
The Ptolemy's Geography of the 2nd century CE also lists many of these ports.
NCERT Concepts to Revise
- Korkai: Korkai is the first place named in the question; know which kingdom it served and what it was famous for.
- Puhar: Poompuhar is the same place as Puhar or Kaveripattinam; recognising the alternate names is essential here.
- Muziris: Muchiri is the Tamil name for Muziris, the Chera town on the Malabar coast.
- Sangam capitals and ports: Sets out each Sangam kingdom's capital and seaport, the exact distinction that options like 'capital cities' depend on.
- Uraiyur: Uraiyur helps you tell a Sangam inland capital apart from a coastal town like Poompuhar.
- Periplus of the Erythraean Sea: This Greek source names several of these towns and records the trade carried on at them.