Puhar (also known as Poompuhar) is a town in the Nagapattinam district in the southern Indian

state of Tamil Nadu. It was once a flourishing ancient port city known as Kaveri poompattinam,
which for a while served as the capital of the early Chola kings in Tamilakam. Puhar is located near
the end point of the Kaveri river, aside the sea coast. it is mentioned in the Periplus of the
Erythraean Sea. it is now established by marine archaeological research conducted by the National
institute of marine archaeology, Goa that much of the town was washed away by progressive
erosion and floods. Submerged wharves and several meter lengths of pier walls excavated in recent
times have corroborated the literary references to Poompuhar. It was rebuilt several times after that.
Ancient Pottery dating back to the 4th century BCE have been discovered off shore by marine
archaeologists east of this town.

Contents
[hide]

1City layout
o 1.1Maruvurpakkam
o 1.2Pattinappakkam
2In culture
3Descriptions in Tamil poetic works
4Merchants of Puhar
5City's destruction
6Manimekalai
7Geography
8Politics
9Tourism
10Gallery
11Notes
12References
13External links

City layout[edit]
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List of Chola kings and emperors

Early Cholas

Ellalan
Kulakkottan
Ilamchetchenni
Karikala
Nedunkilli
 Nalankilli
Killivalavan
Kopperuncholan
Kochchenganan
Perunarkilli

Interregnum (c.200 c.848)

Medieval Cholas
Vijayalaya Chola 848891(?)
Aditya Chola I 891907
Parantaka Chola I 907950
Gandaraditya Chola 950957
Arinjaya Chola 956957
Sundara Chola 957970
Aditya Chola II (co-regent)
Uttama Chola 970985
Rajaraja Chola I 9851014
Rajendra Chola I 10121044
Rajadhiraja Chola 10441054
Rajendra Chola II 10541063
Virarajendra Chola 10631070
Athirajendra Chola 10701070

Later Cholas
Kulothunga Chola I 10701120
Vikrama Chola 11181135
Kulothunga Chola II 11331150
Rajaraja Chola II 11461173
Rajadhiraja Chola II 11661178
Kulothunga Chola III 11781218
Rajaraja Chola III 12161256
Rajendra Chola III 12461279

Related dynasties
Telugu Cholas of Andhra
Chodagangas of Kalinga
Rajahnate of Cebu

Chola society

Chola government
Chola military
Chola Navy
Chola art
Chola literature
Flag of Chola
Great Living Chola Temples
 Solesvara Temples
Poompuhar
Uraiyur
Melakadambur
Gangaikonda Cholapuram
Thanjavur
Tiruvarur

v
t
e

The general plan of the city of Puhar is described in considerable detail in the fifth book
of Silapathikaram (c. ). The town was built on the north banks of the river Kaveri. The town had two
distinct districts, Maruvurpakkam near the sea and Pattinappakkam to its west. These two villages
were separated by a stretch of gardens and orchards where daily markets were held under the
shades of the trees. The market place was known as Naalangadi during the day and as allangadi by
night.

After 2004 Tsunami

Poompuhar Beach

Maruvurpakkam[edit]
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The district of Maruvurpakkam was near the beach and had several terraced mansions and
warehoused with windows shaped like the eyes of the deer. Maruvurpakkam being close to the
shore and hence to the shipyard was naturally preferred by the many overseas travellers, merchants
and 'yavanas (foreigner) whose pleasant features arrested the eyes of the spectators living close to
each other.
Maruvurpakkam was inhabited by the fisher folk. The town had several warehouses.
Weavers, silkmerchants, vendors, fish and meat sellers, potters, grain merchants, jewellers
and diamondmakers lived in Maruvurppakkam.

Pattinappakkam[edit]
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The King and nobles, rich traders, physicians, astrologers, members of the kings army, court
dancers occupied Pattinappakkam. The five Manrams - Vellidai Manram, Elanchi Manram, Nedankal
manram, Poothachathukkam and Pavaimanram were located in Pattinappakkam. Gardens like
Elavanthikaicholai, Uyyanam, Chanpathivanam, Uvavanam, and Kaveravanam added beauty to the
town.

In culture[edit]
The city of poompuhar is a very ancient one. Legends relate how great Muchukunda chola of solar
race once led his troops to guard kingdom of lord indra namely amaravathi in battle against some
powerful demons who were in possession of very destructive weapons. The king and his soldiers
held guard without sleeping for 3600 years and as a matter of gratitute lord Indra king of devas
ordered his chief engineer viswakarma to build the city on the same lines of amaravati. He also
presented the king with sivalingam that he personally worshipped. The great Tamil work
Silappathikaram says that in puhar ships creaked in with wealth from all 7 continents, that devas in
guise of humans came and worshipped in its temples and that the nights were so bright that even a
small grain of white lentil dropped in the beach sand could be spotted by naked eye.

Descriptions in Tamil poetic works[edit]

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A Purananuru poem (poem 30) says that big ships entered the port of Puhar without slacking sail,
and poured out onto the beach precious merchandise brought from overseas. In the extensive
markets of Puhar there were many tall mansions surrounded by platforms reached by high ladders.
These mansions had many apartments and were provided with doorways, great and small, and with
wide hallways and corridors (Pattinappaalai II 142-158). In all parts of the town there were flags
flying of various kinds and shapes.
Pattinappaalai, a poem that describes the ancient Puhar very vividly, was written by the poet
Kadiyalur Uruthirangannanaar is part of the Ten Idylls anthology and was sung in praise of Karikala
Chola, a second-century Chola king.