Murugan (god of war and hunting, under the name Seyyon), the Vel (spear of Murugan), the tiger and the tree Venkai. Their settlements were known as sirukuti and their place-names attached the suffixes kuricci (hilly village) and malai (hill). Mullai—Forests Mullai is the land of the forest. The forest is rich with lakes, waterfalls, teak, bamboo and sandalwood. In this region millet grows and wild bees are a source of honey. Mullai or Jasmine (Jasminum auriculatum) is the flower of the forests. The inhabitants were known as kovalar, ayar and idaiyar, whose occupation included livestock, shifting cultivation, husbandry and dairy farming. The kovalars were cowherder and the ayar were pastoralist involved in cattle herding. Their settlements were known as pāti and seven nrega the suffixes patti, vati, katu and ental attached to their place-names. Their headmen bore the titles kon, Annal, Tonral, Kuramporai, and headwomen as Manaivi. The theme of the forest and of shepherds at play, the image of confident waiting for the loved one, produced an original offshoot; for this is the region of Maayon (Ancient Tamil god), and the love theme it represents symbolizes the devotee waiting in the hope that Maayon will eventually come and fill his soul, thus experiencing the joys of expectation. {| border="1" align="center" cellpadding=4 cellspacing="0" width="600" style="margin: 0 0 1em 1em; background: #fafafa; border: 1px #aaaaaa solid; border-collapse: collapse; font-size: 95%;" |style="width:300px"| முல்லை—தலைவி கூற்று சுடர்செல் வானஞ் சேப்பப் படர்கூர்ந் தெல்லறு பொழுதின் முல்லை மலரும் மாலை என்மனார் மயங்கி யோரே குடுமிக் கோழி நெடுநக ரியம்பும் பெரும்புலர் விடியலு மாலை பகலும் மாலை துணையி லோர்க்கே. —மிளைப்பெருங் கந்தனார். |style="width:300px"| The sun goes down and the sky reddens, pain grows sharp, light dwindles. Then is evening when jasmine flowers open, the deluded say. But evening is the great brightening dawn when crested cocks crow all through the tall city and evening is the whole day for those without their lovers. (Kuruntokai-234)' tr. George L. Hart |} Marutham—Cropland The plains were the scene of triangular love plots in which the hero's visits to the courtesan oblige the heroine to counter with a mixed show of coquetry and moodiness, tactics whose limits are described in the Thirukkural ("Sulking is like flavouring with salt; a little suffices, but it is easy to go too far."). Senon, the god of thunderstorm, is the god of Marutham land. The inhabitants were known as ulavar, velanmadar, toluvar and kadaiyar or kadasiyan whose occupations were involved in agriculture. The