Panans (female Patini), who lived by begging, and whose duty it was to recite songs before kings and chiefs. They were rewarded with elephants, chariots and garlands of golden flowers. And they used to accompany kings to battles and visit camps in the hope of sharing with the victorious soldiers the booties taken in wars.
Rice, sugar and ginger, varagu, kollu and tinai, cocoanut and palinyra were largely cultivated. Meat was eaten by all classes, not excepting even Brahmans, and the drinking of liquor was very common. Soldiers used to wear garlands of ginger and flowers in order to eat that pungent root at intervals while quaffing liquor (v. 2). Rice cooked with flesh was the favourite viand of soldiers. They observed feasts when they returned after success in wars, or on the birthday of kings, and fasts on full-moon days (vi. 1). The Brahinans performed Yagas or sacrifices for the benefit of kings. The God Vishnu at Tri. vandrum was worshipped by all people of higher castes (iv. 1'. Females, especially the class called விறலியர், were in the habit of tying their locks of hair divided into five knots like the Toda women of modern time (ii. 8). Compare with this the following extracts from Kalittcgai which gives a graphic description of the coiffure in vogue among the Dravi. dian Tamil woman of antiquity.
(1) எஃகிடை தொட்ட கார்க்கவின் பெற்றவைம்பால். (2) ஐதாக நெறித்தன்ன வலைவிர் நீளைம்பா
லணிநகை யிடையிட்ட வீகையங்கண்ணி.
