. Tamil Polity In a way this thinai classification is said to reflect the uneven socio-economic developments of the different localities. That is seen in the political forms too. Three levels of rulers are found: ) Kizhar, ) Velir, ) Vendar.
Kizhar were the heads of the villages or a small territory, later known as nadu. They were the chiefs of tribal communities living in specific areas. The Vendar were kings controlling larger, fertile territories. The Velir, who were many in number, controlled the territories of varied geographical nature, mainly hilly and forest areas, that were in between the muvendar’s fertile territories.
Chiefs like Athiyaman, Pari, Ay, Evvi and Irungo each commanded a big area, rich in natural resources. They were generous patrons of the poets and bards. They had military power and there were frequent wars among these chiefs on account of capture of cattle. On many occasions they seem to have united and confronted one or other of the three kings.
There are differing views among scholars, with regard to the political organization of the three kingdoms. The earlier and dominant view is that the Sangam Age society was a well- organised state society. The other view which is put forward in recent decades is that the polities of the Cheras, Cholas and Pandyas were pre-state chiefdoms. The arguments for the latter view are: .
No social stratification is noticed. . Proper territorial association is absent. .
Destructive warfare did not allow the development of agriculture and surplus production for the emergence of the state. . No evidence of taxation as in the governments of North India. The following counter arguments are presented in response: A closer look at the Sangam literature reveals that social differentiation is evident in the Marutham region.
The territorial associations are very clear in the case of the Muvendar, and their important position is corroborated by the Greco-Roman texts from the first century CE. Warfare for territorial expansion was a major theme of Puratthinai Evidence for taxation at the highways and in the port of Kaviripattinam is cited. The Chera king is spoken as