Puhar

Puhar is the Tamil name for an ancient port city on the eastern coast of the Indian subcontinent, in the Tamil region of South India. It is also known as Kaveripattinam and is considered a major urban center of the Sangam period. The city lay on the delta of the Kaveri river, near the coastal plain that fed its harbor and markets.

Historically, Puhar functioned as a significant maritime hub from roughly the early centuries BCE to the early centuries CE. It engaged in extensive trade with distant regions, including the Roman world and Southeast Asia. Goods such as textiles, spices, pepper, pearls, and other commodities circulated through its markets. The city is prominently described in Tamil literature, especially in the epic Silappatikaram, where it is portrayed as a cosmopolitan port with commercial activity and cultural exchange.

Archaeological and geographical scholarship has sought to identify the precise site of ancient Puhar. A widely cited candidate is the site at Poompuhar (near Sirkazhi in present-day Nagapattinam district), where remains interpreted as harbour facilities have been reported. Nevertheless, the exact location and extent of the ancient city remain subjects of debate among researchers.

Decline came in the later centuries as river courses shifted, coastlines changed, and sedimentation reduced port function. By medieval times, Puhar had faded as a major commercial and urban center. Today, Puhar remains an important symbol in Tamil history and literature for early urbanization and long-distance trade in the Tamil-speaking world.

See also: Silappatikaram, Kaveripattinam, Poompuhar, Sangam literature.