Nature writes back: Sangam literature’s ‘natural epics’ show reverence for the environment in Ancient Tamizhakam

We are now compelled to study our ancient traditions deeply to regain strength to fight the current environmental degradation. Our ancient society, tradition and culture, and languages were intensely nature conscious. Because of this, in ancient times development happened without damaging the environment much. In the mad rush for material progress, somewhere we lost our nature-sensitive tradition and culture. It led to the onslaught on mother Earth.

In this context, eco-literature highlights the environmental damages. In this sphere, the society also gets warning signals of the future shocks—the possible doom, if the trend is not halted.

Ancient Tamil tradition portrayed nature and realised its power. Nature is often portrayed as an entity outside the world of humans and external to the culture of the society. But since time immemorial, nature has been part of the construction of language and humanity’s initial words were closely associated with natural elements. Language has an “umbilical cord” relationship with nature and it is natural that literature, a by-product of language and intellect, has to closely portray nature either very outwardly or in subtle nuances.

Classical Tamil literature is an essential example of this notion. Various ancient marvels such as Tholkappiyam, Silappadhikaram, Manimekhalai and Pattupattu are grouped under Sangam literature. These have mentions of about five eco-zones, or thinai (meaning land, genre or type in Tamil poetics). The five thinais are: kurinji (mountainous regions), mullai (pastoral regions), marutham (riverine agricultural regions), neidhal (coastal regions) and palai (arid/desert regions). Each thinai used to have a special tree, an animal, a bird, a flower and a deity of her own. Thus, each thinai also meant behaviour or culture appropriate to each zone. In turn, it was believed that the environmental factors influenced the culture and behaviour. The worship of trees was widely prevalent among the Tamils. There are numerous references to the belief that trees were the abode of deities in the Sangam literature. Trees worshipped in the temple and associated either with the village, temple or the deity are known as sthalavrikshas or sacred trees. When temples were erected for the gods who had originally existed in the shade of trees, people took special care not to remove those trees which had been preserved and worshipped.

The ruler V˜el Pãri was noted in the last Sangam era for his generosity and was popular as one among the Kadai Ezhu Vallalgal (last seven patrons). Pãri’s fame is described in Sangam literature as, “One who gave his chariot to a climber plant”. He was so generous that he gave away his chariot to a climber plant when he saw that it was struggling to grow without suitable support. In simple yet profoundly striking language, poetess Avvaiyar illustrates the eco-social and political impacts of a prosperous ridge:

As the ridge of field raises, its capacity to hold water will raise;

As the water capacity raises, the crops will grow well;

As the crops grow well, people will live a better life;

As people live a better life, the Kingdom will prosper;

As the kingdom prospers, the King

himself will rise to a great prosperity.

Poet and philosopher Thiruvalluvar perhaps recorded the universal truth in his remarkably brilliant words: “Neer Indri Amaiyathu Ulagu” (There is no world without water). The couplet goes on to say how there will be a collapse of morality if the rains fail. Interestingly, studies linking climate change to increased crimes have begun to emerge in recent years. Tiruvavalluvar devotes a separate chapter with the heading “Van Sirappu” (In Praise of Rain) in the immortal Tirukkural. Here are a few quotes from it: “The world survives because of the rains and therefore rain is known to be the nectar of immortality”; “Charity and penance will both cease to exist in this world, if the clouds are not charitable.”

Akanaanuru, one of the eight anthologies from Sangam literature, is introspective, yet the songs are informed by a very sensitive concern for nature and environment. A song in Akanaanuru mentions how a mother would sacrifice her sleep to protect her newborn, just like a man appointed to guard the lakes.

The poetry collection Tolkaapiyam draws comparison between a warrior marching to take on a mighty army, and the dams that stop the force of flowing water. In doing so, the song elaborates on the importance of dams (karsirai, as they were called in those days). Several poems speak virtuously of kings who focussed on waterbodies.

Some poems in Puranaanuru (Sangam poetry, but extrospective) illustrate the points to be considered in the construction of lakes. Some hail as “immortal the king” who built waterbodies in low-lying areas.

Celebrated as one among the five great epics, Silappadhikaram by Ilango Adigal speaks of the king who made his country fertile by harvesting rainwater through construction of lakes and tanks, and put them to good use. To many poets, water was as personal as it was political or social. It was important to protect and nurture a waterbody (like one would protect a newborn) and feel proud about it (like a warrior taking on a mighty army).

Tamil tradition and culture have successfully preserved biodiversity through the ages. The sacred trees are symbolic of a single genetic resource and play an important role in the conservation of biodiversity. The social, economic, medicinal and environmental importance of these trees were recognised and the sacred tree evolved as a means of conserving the land’s rich genetic plant diversity. The sacred trees, thus, represent various geo-climatic habitats.

We came to realise through the literatures, the ancient Tamil kingdom was concerned with the environment in order to bring prosperity to their own people. They wanted to preserve nature because they respected nature as God. They strongly believed that if we disturb nature, then nature will punish us in her own way. In a way their ignorance was bliss! But we believe that science and technology will solve all our problems. In fact it creates more problems than it provides solutions.

Our biggest concern today is how to reorient our science and technology to live in tune with nature.

(A Annamalai is Director, National Gandhi Museum, New Delhi)

This series explores the most pressing environmental issues through the prism of literature

This article was originally published in the May 16-31, 2025 print edition of Down To Earth