A landless labourer or slave
Explanation
The social structure of the Sangam Age (roughly 300 BCE to 300 CE) in Tamilakam was characterized by occupational differentiation and economic stratification. While the rigid Varna system of North India was not fully established, distinct social groups existed based on their role in the agrarian economy and land ownership.
Detailed Analysis
Sangam literature and Tamil-Brahmi inscriptions provide specific terminology for different classes of people involved in agriculture:
- Vellalar: This term denoted large landowners who held significant economic power and social status.
- Uzhavar: This term referred to ordinary ploughmen or farmers who tilled the land.
- Kadaisiyar: This term was used for landless labourers who worked on the fields of others.
- Adimai: This term specifically denoted slaves or labourers who were at the bottom of the social hierarchy, often working alongside the Kadaisiyar.
Therefore, 'Adimai' represents the lowest stratum of the agrarian society, comprising slaves and landless workers.
Key Takeaway: In the agrarian society of the Sangam Age, Vellalar were landowners, Uzhavar were ploughmen, and Adimai (along with Kadaisiyar) were landless labourers or slaves.