The ancestors of the primitive Tamilians ought to have lived or chosen to live only in a mountainous or hilly region first. Because, in their savage state they could get there alone all the three necessaries of life, viz., food, clothing and shelter from Nature. They would have lived as troglodytes; eaten the fruits of trees, roots of creepers, and flesh of hunted birds and animals, drunk wild cow's milk; and clothes themselves with leaves, barks or animal skins. Water and fire(naturally produced by friction of trees), they could get plenty.

      When population increased and raising of crops was learnt, some of the hill-dwellers seem to have moved to a lower region partly pastoral and partly wooded, along the course of big rivers, as rivers alone served as highways in the most primitive times. The word ƒŠu denoting both a river and a way is a relic of the past condition. Cattle and sheep were tended and rain-fed crops raised in the pastoral region.

      As the soil was unsuitable for wet crops like paddy and plantain trees, and the natural irrigation facilities lacking, some of the pastoral people appear to have moved further down to the most fertile agricultural region, settled there permanently and lived happily and prosperously, heaving a deep sigh of relief, as they were no more subject to the sufferings of nomadic life and frequent attacks by wild animals.

      It was in the agricultural region, that towns and cities, grew first all arts and sciences developed, and all-round civilization became perfect.