சங்க இலக்கிய ஆற்றுப்படை நூல்களில் பாணர்களின் பயணமும் அலைகுடி வாழ்வியலும்

The Journey and Nomadic Lifestyle of Panars in Sangam Attrupadai Works

Abstract

Sangam literature serves as the primary evidentiary source for understanding the art, culture, and socio-economic framework of ancient Tamil society. In particular, the Attrupadai works within the Pathupattu (Ten Idylls) collection meticulously record the lifestyles of the Panars, Viraliars, Koothars, and Porunars, who relied entirely on their artistic professions for their livelihood. This study focuses on the arduous journeys these artists undertook to alleviate poverty and express their artistic prowess. These journeys, referred to as Selavu in Sangam literature, possess all the qualifications of modern travel literature. This article examines in detail the nomadic lifestyle of these artists, the sophisticated musical instruments they employed, and the natural disasters, wild animals, and threats from bandits they encountered on their travel routes. Furthermore, the charitable nature of the Kadeyezhu Vallalgal (the seven great patrons) and various minor chieftains, along with the ways they protected these artists, is analyzed from a socio-economic perspective. This research establishes that these artists were not merely recipients of gifts but acted as vital media carrying news and artistic traditions from one landscape to another.