‘ANDRE SONNA ARIVIYAL-SANGAKAALAM’ - An Introduction By Prof. G.MARIA JOSEPH XAVIOR : 8/8

 

 

An Introduction To The Book

‘SCIENCE DURING THE SANGAM AGE’

‘ANDRE SONNA ARIVIYAL-SANGAKAALAM’

By Ilakkuvanar Thiruvalluvan

  

8/8

 

In the chapters  41 and 42 the author has made mention of the different types  ordinary houses also.

 

There were several types of dwelling places like Veedu(well built abode), Kuṭaṅkar (Cottage),  akam (House), illam (Bungalow), kuṭicai (Hut), kuṭiñai, Kuṭil (well built cottage), maṉai (House),  maṭam (Hermitage),    paḷḷi   (school, choultry), uṟaiyuḷ (Quarters), kuṭilam (Curved House), kūṭu (Round shaped house), koṭṭakai (A thatched roof resting on rectangular sides erected by bamboo sticks), toḻuvam (Cow shed)), koṭṭil (Cattle stall, small armoury), āyutaccālai (armoury), cālai (an edifice with many halls),  vaḷavu (An enclosure with many small houses dwelt by close relatives), Vaḷaivu (houses in an enclosure), maṭa vaḷākam  (Shelter for saints) māḷikai (Mansion),  māṭi vīṭu  (Terraced house), ōṭṭu vīṭu (tiled house) and araṇmaṉai (Royal Palace).

 

 There were houses sarounded by compuound walls called as cuvar, matil, uvaḷakam.

There were Forts with adamantine walls . They were known as ārai. eyil (there were places to deposit war equipments),  iñci, nocci, puricai.

 

In these days we had no air-conditioned houses. But our wise ancestors built  such houses. They were called செழுந்தண் மனை  - CEḺUNTAṆ MAṈAI (ice cool house).

it is mentioned in the anthology titled NAṞṞIṆAI(Poem 271-3).

There were lofty mansions like those carved out of a rock(AKANĀṈŪṞU, Poem 93.12).

The same point is stressed in other poems (AKANĀṈŪṞU Poems 17.1, 22.9, 22.16 &35.2)

 There were huge houses in Uṟantai city (AKANĀṈŪṞU, Poem 385.4-5).

The tuck of the drum was heard from the top of huge mansions (Puṟanāṉūṟu, Poem 68.17)

There were big mansions whence came fragrant fume of burning sandal wood. (PUṞANĀṈŪṞU, Poem 281.6)

In ancient days there were large mansions with a barn full of paddy (PUṞANĀṈŪṞU, Poem 287.9)

There were mansions proud of wealth (Kalittokai, Poem 57.6) (Naṟṟiṇai  258.4)

Naṟṟiṇai speaks of houses full of plenty.

Akanāṉūṟu gives a picture of granaries full of grains. (AKANĀṈŪṞU, Poem 49.14)

There were lofty sky scrapers fitted with bright light that shone till day break. (AKANĀṈŪṞU, Poem 87.13)

There were huge aburn houses in Uṟantai city (AKANĀṈŪṞU, Poem 385.4-5)

There were big houses in the front of which there were sprawling open space and verdant gardens. On the top most floors there were roof gardens.

The houses were roomy with massive doors.

The houses were airy as they had windows and ventilators that  let into the houses balmy breeze.

 

Tamil literature adduces proof to the fact that our ancestors had enginering skills to construct houses, 2000 years back.

There were large fragrance houses (Puṟanāṉūṟu, Poem 337.11),splendid fine rich huge houses (Nattrinai 339.6), very large house where sand filled in front of the house (Nattrinai, Poem 361.6), sky touching huge house where night lights shine until dawn (AKANĀṈŪṞU, Poem 87.13), large broad house with high entrance (AKANĀṈŪṞU, Poem 103.8), houses with abundant rice and great wealth and the houses were very broad and so they had strong double door.

 

All the houses had windows and ventilators.

The construction engineering works before 2000 years, was explained in the chapters 54 - 56

Rain guages were fitted in the high houses. They are explained in the chapter 57.

Two thousands year before thamizh people used ice-pots and hot-pots. It was explained in the chapter 58.

 

These are all not imaginery. Science books in thamizhs are not available. But in the literature the poets spread the science news. Through this we can understand the knowledge behind it.

-       Prof. G.MARIA JOSEPH XAVIOR

‘ANDRE SONNA ARIVIYAL-SANGAKAALAM’ - An Introduction By Prof. G.MARIA JOSEPH XAVIOR : 7/8

 

An Introduction To The Book

‘SCIENCE DURING THE SANGAM AGE’

‘ANDRE SONNA ARIVIYAL-SANGAKAALAM’

By Ilakkuvanar Thiruvalluvan

  7/8

 

Science of civil engineering

 

In the chapters from 38 to 58, the author has explained in detail the town planning and the  knowledge of architectural engineering, our ancestors had duirng the Sangam age.

There are hundreds of references to many mansions, multi-storeyed houses and  skyscrapers  constructed in the days of yore.

The author has cited many examples and explained the following phrases and lines in ancient Tamil literature.

Line No 84 in the poem PORUNARĀṞṞUPPAṬAI speaks about the topmost floor in an edifice that touched the clouds.( மழைஎன மருளும் மகிழ் செய் மாடம் - Maḻai'eṉa maruḷum makiḻ cey māṭam)

 

Line 355 in the poem MATURAIKKĀÑCI tells us that different types of buildings rose up very high in the sky.

[மழை ஆடும் மலையின் நிவந்த மாடமொடு - Maḻai āṭum malaiyiṉ nivanta māṭamoṭu ]

 

The Line No 357 in the same MATURAIKKĀÑCI speaks about the formation of streets that were wide and long like rivers. [யாறு கிடந்தன்ன அகல் நெடுந் தெருவில் - Yāṟu kiṭantaṉṉa akal neṭun teruvil]

 

Buildings rose up so as to touch the clouds. The walls were of great strength with many sections. (MATURAIKKĀÑCI 352-355)

[விண் உற ஓங்கிய பல்படைப் புரிசை
தொல் வலி நிலைஇய அணங்குடை நெடுநிலை
நெய்படக் கரிந்த திண்போர்க் கதவின்
மழை ஆடும் மலையின் நிவந்த மாடமொடு

Viṇ uṟa ōṅkiya palpaṭaip puricai

tol vali nilai'iya aṇaṅkuṭai neṭunilai

neypaṭak karinta tiṇpōrk kataviṉ

maḻai āṭum malaiyiṉ nivanta māṭamoṭu ]

 

The lofty mansions had flights of staircases. It is said that the top most floor soared high so as touch the sailing clouds.  (PATTINAPPAALAI 142-145)

The tall light house was at the port. It was so tall that it seemed to touch the sky.  The night lamp with a bright flame, guided the mariners to arrive at the shore.

We learn these facts from PERUMPĀṆĀṞṞUPPAṬAI (lines 346-351)

 

[வானம் ஊன்றிய மதலை போல

ஏணி சாத்திய ஏற்று அருஞ் சென்னி

விண்பொர நிவந்த வேயா மாடத்து

இரவில் மாட்டிய இலங்கு சுடர் ஞெகிழி

உரவு நீர் அழுவத்து ஓடு கலம் கரையும்  

துறை (346-351)

 

Vāṉam ūṉṟiya matalai pōla

ēṇi cāttiya ēṟṟu aruñ ceṉṉi

viṇpora nivanta vēyā māṭattu

iravil māṭṭiya ilaṅku cuṭar ñekiḻi

uravu nīr aḻuvattu ōṭu kalam karaiyum  

tuṟai]

 

We learn from PUṞANĀṈŪṞU(390.7) that there were long lines of splendid mansions that looked like ranges of mountains.

[மலைக் கணத்து அன்ன மாடம் சிலம்ப

Malaik kaṇattu aṉṉa māṭam cilampa]

 

Mansions with plastered walls were like the full moon.( PUṞANĀṈŪṞU: 378.6)

புதுப் பிறையன்ன சுதை செய் மாடத்துப்

Putup piṟaiyaṉṉa cutai cey māṭattu

 

From PUṞANĀṈŪṞU(32.5), we learn that MATURAI City was rich with many mansions. [மாட மதுரை - Māṭa maturai]

There were towering  big mansions in the city of URANTHAI(PURANAARU 67.9). 

[ உயர் நிலை மாடத்து - Uyar nilai māṭattu]

We learn from the Poem MULLAIPAATTU(86) by the poet NAPPOOTHANAAR that there were seven storeyed mansions (எழுநிலை மாடம் – EZHU NILAI MAADAM)

in ancient Tamilnadu.

In the city of MATURAI, the wede streets were straight and splendid. Many mansions beautified MATURAI(TIRUMURUKĀṞṞUPPAṬAI 70). [மாடம் மலி மறுகின் கூடல்

Māṭam mali maṟukiṉ kūṭal]

MATURAI is an ancient city with tall mansions. Thus NEṬUNAL VĀṬAI (29) endorses this fact.

[மாடம் ஓங்கிய மல்லல் மூதூர்

Māṭam ōṅkiya mallal mūtūr]

 

The lofty  mansions with bright flames resembled tall light houses that guided the mariners to reach their destination.

There were splendid mansions in the Famous city kūṭal / MATURAI was proud of spruce mansions. (MATURAIKKĀÑCI, line 429)

[மாடம் பிறங்கிய மலி புகழ்க் கூடல்

Māṭam piṟaṅkiya mali pukaḻk kūṭal]

The lofty houses looked like the cloud cappeed mountains (MATURAIKKAANJI, lines 355 & 406) [மழை ஆடும் மலையின் நிவந்த மாடம்

Maḻai āṭum malaiyiṉ nivanta māṭam]

[மலை புரை மாடம் - Malai purai māṭam]

There were tall houses with terraces on which the graceful moon shone bright.( MATURAIKKĀÑCI, line 451)

The Palatial mansions were as tall as the cloud capped mountains(MALAIPAṬUKAṬĀM, line 484).

[மலைஎன மழை என மாடம் ஓங்கி

Malai'eṉa maḻai eṉa māṭam ōṅki]

There were multi storeyed splendid mansions that beautified Maduai. (AKANĀṈŪṞU, Poem124.6).

[மாட மாண் நகர் - Māṭa māṇ nakar]

Many lofty houses seemed to touch the clouds in the sky. (AKANĀṈŪṞU, Poem 167.4)

    The houses were well guarded at night (AKANĀṈŪṞU, Poem 255.16).

Ancient towns were rich with mansions (AKANĀṈŪṞU, Poem 335.11).

There were streets flanked by splendid houses in Koodal/MATURAI (AKANĀṈŪṞU,Poem 346.20).

There were stately mansions with their walls plastered. Their courtyards were lit by the milky moon. They regated the eyes of he beholders. (KALITTOKAI, Poem 96.19)

There were houses with tall columns (PAṬṬIṈAPPĀLAI, Poem 111)

Koodal city was full of  tall mansions (KALITTOKAI, Poem 35.17)

The clouds that sailed in the sky gently brushed the top most storey of the lofty mansions. (PAṬṬIṈAPPĀLAI, Poem 145)

The splendid mansions erected had strong columns and wide entrances (PAṬṬIṈAPPĀLAI, Poem 261)

The same poem speaks about the splendour of URANTHAI town  (PAṬṬIṈAPPĀLAI, Poem 285).

At the top of the tall houses bright banners werefluttering (PATIṞṞUPPATTU,  Poem 47.3)

 

Prof. G.MARIA JOSEPH XAVIOR

An Introduction To The Book ‘SCIENCE DURING THE SANGAM AGE’ - Prof. G.MARIA JOSEPH XAVIOR

 

An Introduction To The Book

‘SCIENCE DURING THE SANGAM AGE’

‘ANDRE SONNA ARIVIYAL-SANGAKAALAM’

 

 2/8

FESTIVAL FOR ENVIROMANTAL SCIENCE

 

From time immemorial the Tamils have been celebrating PŌKI festival. In the chapter 6, the author has explained the festival as a function which emphasise enviromantal science.

 

Knowledge of earth revolving on its axis

 

In the 16^th century, the western scientists discovered the truth that the earth is revolving. But the Tamil knew this fact in the dim past. The  Tamil word for earth is Ulakam – i.e. one that is revolving. The author has explained it In the chapter 7.

 

Knowledge of StepnEy

 

In the chapter 8, the authour has made a mention of STEPNEY.

 

Actually stepney is the name of one of the streets in Llanelli of Wales. In the year 1904 Walter Davies and Tom, invented the spare wheel and it is named after the street in which their workspot was situated. The spare wheel began to be known as Stepney.

2000 years ago The Tamils used the spare wheel when they were in dire necessity.

Our celebrated Poetess Avvaiyaar has mentioned about the Spare Wheel as CĒMA ACCU in the poem No 102 in the anthology titled PUṞANĀṈŪṞU.

 

BIG BANG THEORY

 

In the early years of the 20^th century scientists revealed thd Big bang theory. The world poet Thiruvalluvar in his book Thirukkural has mentioned that Āti pakavaṉ mutaṟṟē ulaku.  By this phrase he says the earth  came from the sun. In the chapter No 9 the author has revealed this truth.

 

SCIENCE OF RAIN

 

The Rome people and others believed  Rain as god and goddess. But ancient Tamil people had the knowledge of nature. So they knew the birth of rain and mentoned it in many poems. In the chapter No 10 the author gives this fact to us.

 

Science of clouds

 

In the chapter No .11, the author has described various types of clouds.

 

The Western Scientists spoke about the types of clouds just in the 19th century. Luke Howard (1772-1864) described different kinds of clouds. Jean-Baptiste  Lamarck(1744-1829) spoke of different kinds of clouds. Any how Sir (Basil) John Mason correctly explained the types of clouds and named them in his  book titled ‘The Physics of the Clouds’,  which was published in 1957.

 

In Tamil Nadu,  2000 years back TAMIL Poets described the types of  clouds as shown below. 

 

1.    KOṆMŪ  (Cirrus) / கொண்மூ

[ Mā malai aṇainta koṇmū pōlavum - like ‘KOṆMŪ’ clouds hugging the dark mountains Paṭṭiṉappālai: line 95

and there are 16 references about it in sangam literature ]

           

2.    KAṆAM (Cirrostratus) / கணம்     

[There are more than 25 references. For example :

 Maḻai kaṇam cēkkum mā malai kiḻavaṉ - lord of the great mountain with
masses of clouds ‘KAṆAM’ - Puṟanāṉūṟu; poem 131; line 1]

 

3.    CEL(Cirrocumulus) / செல்

[There are more than hundred references in Sangam literature. For example:

 

Cel puṉal uḻanta cēy varal kāṉyāṟṟu - moving ‘CEl’ clouds crawl in his fine mountain country

Naṟṟiṇai Poem 197; line 12 ]

 

           

4.    MAI (Altostratus) / மை

There are many references. For example:

Maipaṭu māmalai vilaṅkiya curaṉē  - wasteland with huge blocking mountains where ‘MAI’ clouds touch peaks ; Akanāṉūṟu: poem 17; line 22]

           

5.    KĀR  (Altrocumulus) / கார்

[There are many references. For example:

Kārp peyal urumiṟ piḷiṟic cīrttaka - made noises like the rainy KĀR season’s thunder;

Kuṟiñcippāṭṭu: line 162 ]

 

6.    VIṆṬU  (Stratocumulus) /விண்டு

[ It is mentioned in 8 poems. For example:

Viṇṭu muṉṉiya koṇṭal mā maḻai - large Rain ‘ clouds from the east and Viṇṭu surrounding the mountain;

Akanānūru 235: line 5 ]

 

7.    MUTIRAM (Cumulonimbus) / முதிரம்

The mountain surrounded by ‘MUTIRAM’ clouds

Atirā yāṇar mutirattuk kiḻava - lord of Muthiram crawling Mountain with unending prosperity,:

Puṟanāṉūṟu:Poem 158, line 25]

 

8.    MAÑCU  (Cumulus) / மஞ்சு

[mentioned in 10 poems. For example:

 

Mañcu āṭu malai muḻakkum -  sounds of the mountain where cloud Mañcu play;

Paripāṭal : Poem 8, line 110 ]

 

9.    VICUMPU (Stratus) / விசும்பு

[ mentioned in many poems. For example:

Mā vicumpu vaḻaṅkum periyōr pōla – The great men who give like huge vicumpu;

Maturaik kāñci : line 495 ]

 

10. EḺILI (Nimbostratus) / எழிலி

[mentioned in 31 poems

-       Paṇai muḻaṅku eḻili  - clouds EḺILI roar like panai drums;

-       Akanāṉūṟu: poem 84, line 2]

These names are based on cloud science. For example, EḺILI means the cloud in the raising level of the surface of the sea and KOṆMŪ means the cloud around the top of the mountation. Thus the scientific names of the different clouds prove that the Tamils had profound knowledge of cloud science even in the dim past.

                                                                                            Prof. G.MARIA JOSEPH XAVIOR