Which one of the following was an important Pandya port, celebrated for its pearls in Sangam poems and Greek accounts ?

Korkai was the primary port of the Pandya dynasty, located near the confluence of the Thampraparani river and the Bay of Bengal [1]. It is celebrated in Sangam literature as 'Korkai Perundurai' and was the early capital of the Pandyas before they moved to Madurai [3]. The port was world-renowned for its pearl fisheries and chank (conch) diving, with Sangam poems like Agananuru and Maduraikkanchy highlighting its wealth. Greek accounts, specifically the Periplus of the Erythraean Sea, refer to it as 'Kolkoi' and describe it as a major center for the pearl trade [1]. While Muchiri (Muziris) was a major Chera port [2] and Puhar (Kaveripattinam) served the Cholas, Korkai remained the 'Pearl Capital' of the Pandyas, attracting merchants from Rome, Egypt, and China.

Sources

1. [1] History , class XI (Tamilnadu state board 2024 ed.) > Chapter 5: Evolution of Society in South India > The Muvendar > p. 67
2. [3] History , class XI (Tamilnadu state board 2024 ed.) > Chapter 11: Later Cholas and Pandyas > II PANDYAS > p. 165
3. [2] History , class XI (Tamilnadu state board 2024 ed.) > Chapter 6: Polity and Society in Post-Mauryan Period > 6.4 Trade Between Tamizhagam and Rome > p. 84