The family life of the rich merchants was carried on in the upper ﬂoors, while the lower ones were set apart for business. Besides the ﬂags waving on the masts of ships in harbour, various other kinds of ﬂags advertised the different kinds of merchandise as well as the fashionable grog-shops. Saliyur in the Pandya country and Bandar in Chera are counted among the most important ports in the poems.