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History of Technology in India, Vol. I: From Antiquity to c. 1200 A.D. v1.c33.s8: Tamil Nadu Transport

History of Technology in India, Vol. I: From Antiquity to c. 1200 A.D. v1.c33.s8

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English

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Tamil Nadu Transport

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In South India in the Saṅgam Age, trade and transport was by means of vehicles. Puram literature. (c 100 B.C - 100 A.D) speaks about the use of various vehicles by the salt merchants to transport their merchandise from one place to another. The work goes on to mention that women of the *Parambu Malai* region stood on mounds to count the number of salt vehicles passing through their village.

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The *Śilappadikāram* (5th-6th cent. A.D) says that Madavi went in a vehicle called *Vaiyam* - also called *Koṭṭapaṇḍi* and *Koodarapandi*. *Cinthāmaṇi*, a medieval Tamil work says that vehicles (*vandi*) were earlier called *paṇḍis*. But there is no information regarding the decorations given to a means of transport.

Chariots

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The *Aham* and *Puram* literature give ample evidence of chariots - as an important means of transport, and that it was drawn by horses. *Aham* (36:13) stresses the importance of chariots. The line also reveals that horses were called *puravigal*.

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The *Sirupāṇārrupaḍai* explains how the chariots were made. In a beautiful verse, the wheel of the chariot is compared to the moon on a Full Moon Day. The spokes that connect the outer layer of the wheel to the inner axle are compared to the rays of the moon. The “*palagaigal*” that were attached to the inner layer of the chariot gave it a shine that matched the brilliance of the moon.

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The *Purananuru* (verse 290: 4-5) extolls the exquisite workmanship of the blacksmith, that was clearly revealed in the making of chariots, that moved so easily and smoothly. The chariots were drawn by attractive horses or bulls with a graceful gait.

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The *Sirupāṇārrupaḍai* terms the movement of vehicles in a single row as ‘*olugai*’. The work also cites the merchants ingenious method of making monkeys follow them at the back for the sake of safety.

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The *Purāṇānuru* (32:8) wonders if the wheel used by the potter to make his pottery was called *ther-kāl* since it resembled the wheel of the chariot(*ther*). Another such verse indicates the condition of the streets from the fact that clouds of dusts rose when the chariots passed by. Streets with curves are also mentioned.

Boats

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According to Paranar (*Puram* 343:5-6) the gifts of gold from foreign countries brought in by ships were carried ashore with the help of small boats. The shallow sea-ports where ships could not ply hummed with the steady movement of small boats.

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The *Paṭṭinappālai* compares the row of boats in the back waters of Poompuhar to the rows of horses kept in their stables. It also mentions that the horses were imported from across the seas to Tamil Nadu. The work also informs us that the boats that sold paddy and brought back salt were called *pakri*.

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*Ambi* was the name of a boat which was used for fishing. According to this verse (*Puram* 261) these boats called *ambi* looked like residential structures on account of the mounds of paddy that were kept in.

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We also learn about the existence of another boat called *thinuli* from the Puram verse of Erumai Veliyanar.

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*Vangam* was the term used to indicate big boats that plied on the sea. These boats which made loud noise were used to transport rare goods across the rivers and seas.

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While describing the various articles pouring into Poompuhar, the *Paṭṭinappālai* mentions the gems and gold from Northern mountains, the Sandal from Western mountain, Pearls from Southern sea, products of Ganga and Kaveri and Kazhagaam (i.e.) Malaya Coast. Such a great magnitude of trade would have been possible only if a good transport network existed. Merchants took great part in developing Poompuhar as a great national and international port. It was called as *Kaberis-Emporion* by the Roman writers. It was well connected to all important trade centres and capitals in the hinterland by roads.

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The *Periplus of the Erthrean sea*, mentions 3 kinds of crafts

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1) light coasting boats for local traffic,

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2) larger vessels of more complicated structure and greater capacity, and

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3) big ocean going vessels (K.A.N. Shastri)

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The *Paṭṭinappālai* also compares the big ships that were moored in harbours to restless elephants. *Manimekalai* compares Udayakumar to a ship caught in a storm.

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Maritime trade remained an important activity from the ancient Tamil period - through the ages. A direct sea route to China became a frequent passage around the 7th century A.D.

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Māmallapuram, Kāveripoompaṭṭinam, Saliyur and Korkai on the east coast and Quilon and Muziri on the West were great emporiums frequented by traders of other countries.

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In the 9th century A.D an extensive maritime and commercial activity had developed including most countries of South Asia including the Abassid Khalifat at Baghdad.

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The *Nānādeśa-Tisaiyāyirattu Ainūrruvar* were a celebrated guild. They were a powerful autonomous corporation of merchants whose activities apparently took no account of the political boundaries and visited all countries in the course of their trade (K.A.N. Shastri). Their Tamil inscription is found in Sumatra.

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Missions and envoys were sent to China in the early part of 11th century A.D. during the reigns of Rajaraja Cola I and his successors.

Cola Transport

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The Cola inscriptions mention roads while describing boundaries of gifted land. There were two types of roads.

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i) *Vali* - only for foot travellers

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ii) *Peru-Vali* - trunk roads leading to various divisions of the Kingdom.

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Examples are *Vadugapperuvali* or *Andhrapatha*, *Kongupperuvali* Road (leading to Salem, Coimbatore); the *Tanjavurpperuvali* mentioned in an inscription from Aduturai (363 of 1907).

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Another inscription from Tanjore (203 of 1908) records the road leading to Kalyāṇapuram (capital of the Western Cālukyas).

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The existence of great roads like the ones mentioned testify the use of wheeled vehicles, and constant movement from one place to another. One such road is mentioned as having been 2 *kol*(24 ft)

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A milestone or an indicator mentioning directions belonging to 13th century has been discovered in North Arcot District.

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Fig.1. A tenth century road sign mentioning it as the Rajkeśarī Peruvali (High road at Sundaikkaimuthur, Dt. Coimbatore, Tamilnadu)

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Fig.2. A thirteenth century road sign mentioning it as the Vikrama, Pandyan Street, 6th Ward at Tiruvannamalai, N.Arcot district, Tamil Nadu. The Pandyan royal emblem (double fish and hook) are inscribed.

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North India between 700 - 1200 A.D.

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By the 7th century A.D North India was fully connected by great roads. Religious travel or pilgrimages became a way of life and there was constant movement - both by the Buddhists and the Hindus - to the various sacred places.

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The great University of Nālandā also attracted students from various parts of the world and great travel facilities were required. Various works mention caravan journeys undertaken by merchants. They include *Bhavisayattakaha*, *Samaraiccakaha* and *Triṣaṣṭiśalākāpuruṣacarita*.

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As pointed out by Lallanji Gopal *Medatithi* clearly refers to carts (*gantri*) drawn by bullocks, mules, buffaloes and other animals. The *Upamitibhavaprapañcakathā* mentions that hiring caravans of large carts and animals (mules) for drawing them, yielded high income.

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Rathya is a street through which carriages passed and Laghurathya meant a small carriage street. The Samarāṅganasūtradhāra mentions many kinds of roads.

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Facilities for travellers included water reservoirs. This information can be gleaned through Tilakamañjarī, which also states that the king appointed officers to provide food, drink, beds and medicine in charitable houses. Such houses (Sattragara) are also mentioned in the Prabandha cintāmaṇi.

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Basham, A.L. : 1954, The Wonder that is India, London. Dikshitar, V.R.R. : 1993, The Gupta Polity, Delhi. Gopal, Lallanji : 1989, The Economic Life of Northern India, c 700 - 1200 A.D, Delhi Guruge Ananda : 1991, The Society of the Ramayana, Delhi. History of Tamilnadu - Saṅgam Age, 1983, Madras. Majumdar, R.C. : Ancient India, Motilal Banarsidas. Margabandhu, C :1983, Rangavalli - Recent Researches in Indology, (Edited by) A.V. Narasimhamurthi, B.G.K. Rao, Delhi. Margabandhu, C :1985, Arch. of Sātavāhana - Kṣatrapa times, Delhi. Margabandhu, C : “Early transport vehicles from Ganga Valley”. Mookerji, R.R. : “Chandra Gupta Maurya and his times”. Possehl, Gregory : 1979, Ancient Cities of the Indus, Delhi. Shastri, K.A.N. : 1984, The Colas, Madras University, Madras. Singh, B.P. : 1985, Life in Ancient Varanasi, Delhi. Sparreboom, M. : 1951, Chariots in the Veda, Utrecht. Ray, P. and Sen, S.N. : 1986, The Cultural Heritage of India, Ramakrishna Mission, Calcutta.

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