Traditional Agriculture of the People of Maruta Land

Early Tamils divided the land into five categories namely Kurinji, Mullai, Marutham, Nethal and Palai. The people of this land were called Uzhavar, Uzhatiyar, Kadayar, Uladayar, Uran, Makizhan, and Kalamar.  The land they cultivated was called Palanam, Vyal, Kalani, Seru, Kalam, Panay, Pulam. They prepared the land with a tool called 'Talambu' and the seeds were sown. The sprouted seedlings were planted in the prepared land by the ploughman. The water collected in the reservoirs was used for agriculture. Animal waste and leaves were used as fertilizer for crops. Weeders remove unwanted weeds growing through the crops. When the crops were ready for harvest, they were harvested with sickles. Then they collected the grains in the sheds in the houses.  The people of Marutam land ate food such as sugarcane, sweet potato, rice, jackfruit, crab, deer's food, aval, pedaikozhi, rice, milk, pongal fruit juice mixed with urad dal, swordfish etc. This article decodes the traditional agricultural methods used in the Marutham Land.