Women’s Culture in the Aatrupadai Texts

ஆற்றுப்படை நூல்களில் மகளிர்பண்பாடு

Abstract

The Aatrupadai texts, belonging to the Pattuppattu corpus of Sangam Literature, provide rich insights into the socio-cultural life of ancient Tamils. This study focuses on the cultural practices of women as reflected in these texts. It highlights the central role of women in preserving and expressing values such as hospitality (virundhombal), generosity, and social responsibility. Women from various ecological regions—such as Kurinji, Mullai, Marutham, Neithal, and Palai—are portrayed as active participants in preparing and offering food to guests, regardless of their economic status. The texts reveal that hospitality was not merely a duty but a deeply rooted cultural virtue upheld by women across all sections of society. Through detailed descriptions of food habits and domestic practices, the Aatrupadai works illustrate the importance of sharing, compassion, and communal harmony. Thus, the study concludes that women played a vital role in sustaining and transmitting the cultural ethos of ancient Tamil society.