The concept of Tinai is one of the most important ideas for understanding the relationship between human society and the natural environment during the Sangam Age of ancient Tamilakam. The Sangam literary tradition, broadly dated between the early centuries BCE and the early centuries CE, contains detailed descriptions of landscapes, occupations, food habits, settlements, social practices, emotions, and economic activities. The Tinai system classified the Tamil landscape into five ecological regions—Kurinji, Mullai, Marutam, Neital, and Palai. Each region was associated with particular geographical features, climate, vegetation, animals, occupations, settlements, deities, and ways of life. Thus, Tinai represents an early cultural and ecological understanding in which human society was closely connected with its physical environment. Kurinji represented the mountainous and hilly region. It included hills, rocky terrain, forests, waterfalls, and areas with relatively high rainfall. The people living in this ecological zone depended heavily on hunting, gathering, and shifting forms of cultivation. Hunting wild animals, collecting honey and forest products, and cultivating crops suited to the hilly environment were important economic activities. The landscape supported animals such as elephants, deer, and other forest species. The deity associated with Kurinji was Murugan. Sangam poems frequently describe the beauty of mountains, flowering plants, streams, forests, and wildlife. The relationship between people and nature in Kurinji was therefore based upon direct dependence on forest and mountain resources. Mullai represented the pastoral and forested region. It consisted of forests, grasslands, and areas suitable for cattle grazing. The people of Mullai were primarily pastoralists and depended on cattle, dairy products, and related activities. Herding cattle required seasonal movement in search of water and pasture. The landscape also provided forest products and other natural resources. Mayon, generally identified with Vishnu, was the principal deity associated with Mullai. The literary descriptions of this region show an environment in which forests and grasslands supported pastoral communities. The ecological conditions shaped their settlement patterns, economic activities, food practices, and social organization. Marutam represented the fertile agricultural plains, particularly the river valleys and wetland regions. It was the most suitable area for intensive agriculture because of fertile alluvial soils and the availability of water. Rivers, tanks, irrigation channels, and seasonal rainfall supported the cultivation of rice and other crops. Agriculture became the principal economic activity, accompanied by occupations such as fishing, cattle rearing, craft production, and trade. The agricultural landscape encouraged relatively permanent settlements and the development of villages and towns. Indra was traditionally associated with Marutam, reflecting the importance of rainfall and agricultural fertility. Sangam literature contains references to ploughed fields, paddy cultivation, irrigation, agricultural labour, and prosperous settlements, providing evidence of a close relationship between environmental resources and agrarian society. Neital represented the coastal region consisting of the seashore, beaches, lagoons, estuaries, and surrounding marine environments. Fishing and maritime activities were central to the livelihood of the people living in this ecological zone. Communities depended on fish, salt production, shellfish, and other marine resources. Boats and knowledge of the sea facilitated fishing as well as long-distance maritime trade. The coastal environment also connected Tamilakam with other regions through overseas commerce. The deity associated with Neital was Varuna, reflecting the importance of the sea and water. Sangam poems describe waves, boats, fishing communities, salt-making activities, coastal settlements, and maritime trade, demonstrating how the marine environment influenced economic and cultural life. Palai represented the dry and arid environment. Significantly, Palai was not necessarily considered a permanent independent geographical region. In Sangam ecological thought, fertile landscapes such as Kurinji and Mullai could