Tidal Waves that destroyed regions of ancient Tamil Nadu

[P_R]

There was some disagreement about the word 'naadu', wasn't there? That in those times 'naadu' didn't mean nation as we consider today but a much smaller territory (like thennamannaadu, oraththanaadu etc.)

There was a book on Kumarikkandam - Kumari Nila Neetchi (குமரி நில நீட்சி) by Su.Ki.Jayakaran that traces the history of the debate. Talks about the history of the development of this point of view, the literary references and also oceanographic studies and concludes against the existence of KumarikaNdam. I found it quite convincing.

He goes to say, there was indeed a loss of lands - most notably the land connecting today's INdia and SL- as recorded in the poems that caused widespread destruction and migration. But the geographical extent has been overstated - there was one 'map' in the early 20th century that charted KumarikaNdam all the way to Australia!