தச்சம்பத்து: வைகை கரையோர தச்சர்களின் வரலாற்றுப் பயணம்

Thachampathu: The Historical Journey of Carpenters on the Vaigai Riverbank

Abstract

This study investigates Thachampathu as a place name that reflects the close interrelationship between Tamil society, occupation, landscape and cultural memory. Adopting a qualitative approach grounded in toponymic analysis, oral traditions and historical references, the study interprets Thachampathu as a settlement shaped by artificer occupations, agrarian practices and the riverine geography of the Vaigai basin.

The paper further explores how the village’s social and economic life is closely linked to traditional craft practices, agriculture and religious, particularly temple-centered community identity. A comparative reference to Thatcham in England highlights how settlements across different cultural contexts preserve traces of livelihood and environment within their place names. Overall, the study argues that Thachampathu is not merely a geographical designation, but a living historical record of people, land use and the continuity of Tamil cultural traditions.