Question 72 from UPSC CSE 2023 - Ancient India

Question

With reference to ancient South India, Korkai, Poompuhar, and Muchiri were well known as

IASCODEX · Accepted Answer

Correct Option: B. ports

Strategy: The strategy focuses on identifying common historical traits among Korkai, Poompuhar, and Muchiri. These places consistently appear in ancient Sangam literature within a trade and maritime context, distinct from roles as capitals or religious shrines. Iron and steel making is unrelated to these towns in major sources. Their repeated mention as prominent trading ports clearly identifies them as 'ports'.

Key Info: ## Korkai
-   Ancient port city and capital of the early Pandya kingdom, located near the mouth of the Tamiraparani river.
-   Flourished between early centuries BCE and CE as a major center for pearl fisheries and maritime trade.
-   Mentioned in Sangam literature and by Classical geographers like Ptolemy and the Periplus of the Erythraean Sea.

## Poompuhar
-   Also known as Kaveripattinam or Puhar, it was the celebrated port city of the Cholas at the mouth of the Kaveri river.
-   A bustling center for overseas commerce, extensively described in Sangam texts such as Silappadikaram and Manimekalai.
-   Known to Greek and Roman traders.

## Muchiri
-   Also known as Muziris, an iconic port of the Chera kingdom in present-day Kerala.
-   Cited in Greco-Roman accounts and Sangam poetry for its crucial role in the spice trade with Rome, Egypt, and West Asia.
-   Notably a gateway for Indian pepper and precious stones.

None of these were primarily capital cities, major iron and steel centers, or significant Jain shrines. The economy of ancient Tamilakam's economy relied heavily on these ports for maritime exchange, a fact evidenced by archaeological finds and early Tamil texts.

IASCODEX · Answer

Option A: capital cities

IASCODEX · Answer

Option C: centres of iron and steel making

IASCODEX · Answer

Option D: shrines of Jain tirthankaras