நற்றிணையில் நெய்தல் திணை மாந்தர் வாழ்க்கை / The Life of Neythal Thinai People in Natrinai

Ancient Tamil literatures are classical literatures and are full of various life oriented concepts that benefit everyone in human life. Among the literary arts developed by Tamils, Tamil literature is at the highest position. It is an indisputable fact that there is not adequate information about the life of maritime people (Neithal Thinai) in the contemporary literature in Tamil. But the ancient Sangam literature has recorded many sea-related messages in it. Though, more data is found in the Sangam literature than the news about the coastal people in this time. The Neithal landscape poems from Sangam literature document the life of the coastal communities. In Natrinai, elaborate depictions about fishing, salt production and commerce, maritime adventures and the occupational life of the Parathavar community are seen apparently. The beloved’s (heroine) longing from the leader’s (hero) absence, the clandestine love of the coastal tracts and other socio-cultural lives are articulated in Natrinai. The Sangam literary work Natrinai registers and glorifies the cultural identity of these coastal people. To illustrate them, the paper investigates the life of the coastal (Neithal Thinai) people with valid resources.