Correct Option
The correct option isPulaiyas
Explanation
The Periyapuranam, a 12th-century Tamil Shaivite hagiography composed by Sekkizhar, is a key source for understanding the social history of the Chola period. While primarily a religious text detailing the lives of the 63 Nayanars, it provides vivid descriptions of the social stratification and the living conditions of various communities during that era.
Option Analysis
- Vellalas: Incorrect. The Vellalas were the dominant agricultural community in the Tamil region. They were landholders who enjoyed a high social status and were often closely associated with the royal administration and temple patronage, unlike the marginalized group described.
- Pulaiyas: Correct. The Periyapuranam contains a detailed description of the Adanur Cheri, a segregated hamlet inhabited by the Pulaiyas. In the narrative of the saint Nandanar, the text describes this group as living on the outskirts of villages and engaging in menial occupations such as working with leather and playing drums. They were considered "outcastes" in the rigid social hierarchy of the time.
- Nagarams: Incorrect. Nagarams were assemblies of merchants and traders organized in commercial centers. They were influential economic bodies responsible for trade and urban administration, not a marginalized social group.
- Samantas: Incorrect. Samantas were feudatory chiefs or military subordinates who held political power and land grants under the king. They belonged to the ruling elite or warrior class.
Key Takeaway
The Periyapuranam serves as a vital historical document that highlights the rigid caste divisions in medieval Tamil society, specifically documenting the existence of segregated "untouchable" communities like the Pulaiyas, while simultaneously illustrating the Bhakti movement's attempt to integrate them into the spiritual sphere.