With reference to ancient South India, Korkai, Poompuhar and Muchiri were well known as

States a pattern/example that Korkai is 'believed to have been' an early capital and port of the Pandyas, showing ancient ports could also be early capitals.

A student could compare this claim with other sources (inscriptions, Sangam classics, archaeological reports) or maps of Pandya polity to test whether Korkai functioned as a capital.

Identifies Korkai as an ancient port mentioned in Sangam and Greek texts, suggesting literary and foreign sources record its prominence (a clue to possible capital status).

Look up Sangam/Greek references and archaeological findings to see if administrative or royal features are reported for Korkai.

Gives a general rule: many ancient cities in India were the capitals of kings, with central palaces and official functions.

Use this general pattern to treat any prominent ancient city (like Poompuhar or Muchiri) as candidate capitals and seek specific evidence (palaces, inscriptions) for confirmation.

Notes that ports on the coasts were 'vibrant centres of trade' and that cities began emerging in southern regions from about 400 BCE, implying coastal urban centers could gain political importance.

Combine this with a map of southern ports to evaluate whether coastal towns (e.g., Poompuhar) were likely administrative centres or capitals.

Shows a pattern that dynasties (e.g., Sātavāhanas) had different capital cities at different times, implying capital locations could shift and that multiple towns might have served as capitals historically.

Apply this idea to southern dynasties (Pandyas, Cholas, Cheras) to consider whether places like Muchiri/Poompuhar might have been capitals during particular periods and then moved.

States that Korkai is an "ancient port" mentioned in Sangam and Greek texts and locates the Porunai (Thamirabarani) river basin, giving a geographic anchor.

A student could use this to check maps of the Thamirabarani river mouth and classical Periplus/Greek references to see if Korkai matches known ancient port sites.

Explicitly describes Korkai as the Pandyas' main port near the river's confluence and famous for pearl fishery — a typical port economic activity.

Combine this with basic facts about pearl fisheries and coastal settlement patterns to evaluate whether such a site functioned as a port.

Explains that Roman ships sailed to several Coromandel coast ports mentioned in the Periplus, indicating a pattern of east-coast port locations being recorded in classical sources.

A student can look for Poompuhar/Puhar or variant names in the Periplus and compare coastal locations to infer if those towns were likely ports.

Discusses Muziris/Musiri as a busy port identified by excavations and by a papyrus trade agreement, showing that archaeological and documentary evidence can confirm ancient port status.

Use this as a methodological example: search for similar archaeological finds or trade references for Poompuhar (Puhar) and Muchiri to test their port status.

Lists Korkai and Puhar among important Pandya/Chola regional centres, implying they were notable coastal settlements in discussions of later dynastic geography.

A student could cross-reference such lists with coastal maps and Sangam-era descriptions to infer which listed settlements served as ports.

Lists craft production in Sangam urban centres and explicitly names 'iron smithy' among crafts, and lists Korkai as a major urban centre.

A student could map Korkai and other named centres against archaeological finds and historical trade references to assess whether ironworking there was significant enough to be called a centre.

Reports discovery of iron objects (and other megalithic iron-age material) in Tamil Nadu, showing local iron use and smithing traditions in the region during the relevant period.

Combine this archaeological pattern with the locations of Poompuhar, Korkai, Muchiri to see if iron artefacts or production debris have been reported at or near those sites.

Identifies Korkai as an ancient port mentioned in Sangam and Greek texts and situates it in the Porunai basin, suggesting it was a significant settlement and trade node.

Use the port/status plus known trade in metal goods to infer plausibility of local metal-working or distribution of iron products from nearby production areas to external markets.

Gives a broad pattern that ironworking in India is very ancient (thousands of years) and that iron/steel production centers and technology evolved over time.

Use the long history of ironworking as background to justify investigating whether specific ancient South Indian ports could have had local iron production or acted as distribution centres.

States that Jainism spread widely and that some of the earliest stone sculptures associated with Jaina tirthankaras have been recovered from several sites across the subcontinent.

A student could check whether archaeological surveys of Korkai, Poompuhar and Muchiri have produced Jaina stone sculptures or inscriptions indicating Tirthankara shrines.

Notes that in Badami (Deccan) there are temples dedicated to Jaina tirthankaras, showing royal/architectural patronage and identifiable Jaina shrines in southern regions.

Use this pattern of identifiable Jaina temple sites in the south to investigate whether similar temple remains exist at the three Tamil ports.

Mentions Ellora and Rashtrakuta-period Jain cave temples, illustrating that Jain religious monuments were constructed and preserved in regional cave and temple contexts.

A student could look for comparable monument types (cave/stone shrines) or dated inscriptions at Korkai, Poompuhar and Muchiri to evaluate claims of Tirthankara shrines.

Describes conversions to and conflicts involving Jainism in Tamil country (e.g., Maravarman Arikesari), indicating an active Jain presence in the region historically.

Combine this historical presence with geographic maps of Tamil sites to assess plausibility that major coastal settlements hosted Jain shrines.

Identifies Korkai and the Porunai basin as important ancient Tamil port and archaeological areas, signalling places where religious remains might be found.

A student could examine published archaeological reports from Korkai, Poompuhar and nearby Muchiri for finds (temple remains, inscriptions, sculptures) indicative of Jaina shrines.