Kaarkaathaar: Difference between revisions
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Kuvalāla was the name given to the present day [[Kolar]] region in [[Karnataka]] by the Cholas<ref name="Karnataka State Gazetteer: Hassan, page 45">''Karnataka State Gazetteer: Hassan, page 45''</ref>. |
Kuvalāla was the name given to the present day [[Kolar]] region in [[Karnataka]] by the Cholas<ref name="Karnataka State Gazetteer: Hassan, page 45">''Karnataka State Gazetteer: Hassan, page 45''</ref>. |
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| ⚫ | [[Manimekalai]], one of the five great Epics in the Tamil language, mentions Karalar, the name generally believed to denote Karkarthar, twice, using the phrase ''Karalar Sanbai'' meaning ''the city Sirkazhi of the Karkathar''<ref name="Gender, caste, and power in South Asia: social status and mobility in a transitional society, page 199">''Gender, caste, and power in South Asia: social status and mobility in a transitional society, page 199''</ref>. Sanbai is one of the 12 names of Sirkazhi popularized by [[Bhakti]] era poet Sambandar in his song sung before the [[Pandya]] prince of [[Madurai]], saying that he hailed from Sirkazhi the holy place with twelve names. Amongst the 12 names he mentions Sanbai as one because of the wild growth of elephant grass, namely Sanban korai around the city. Sirkazhi has a pre-eminent place in the literature related to the [[Saiva Siddhanta]]m, of [[Hinduism]]. |
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'''Settlement of Pudukottai region''' |
'''Settlement of Pudukottai region''' |
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{{Cquote|<center><i>..A record of the [[Chola]] king Parakesarivarman alias Udaiyar Sri Rajendradeva. Records in his third year, gift of 90 sheep, for a lamp by Velala Madurantakam alias Dandanayakan Rajadhiraja Ilangovelan of Nadar, a village in Tiraimur-nādu which was a sub-division of Uyyakondan-valanādu in Sola-mandalam.<ref name="South Indian shrines: illustrated, page 53">''South Indian shrines: illustrated, page 53''</ref></i></center>}} |
{{Cquote|<center><i>..A record of the [[Chola]] king Parakesarivarman alias Udaiyar Sri Rajendradeva. Records in his third year, gift of 90 sheep, for a lamp by Velala Madurantakam alias Dandanayakan Rajadhiraja Ilangovelan of Nadar, a village in Tiraimur-nādu which was a sub-division of Uyyakondan-valanādu in Sola-mandalam.<ref name="South Indian shrines: illustrated, page 53">''South Indian shrines: illustrated, page 53''</ref></i></center>}} |
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| ⚫ | [[Manimekalai]], one of the five great Epics in the Tamil language, mentions Karalar, the name generally believed to denote Karkarthar, twice, using the phrase ''Karalar Sanbai'' meaning ''the city Sirkazhi of the Karkathar''<ref name="Gender, caste, and power in South Asia: social status and mobility in a transitional society, page 199">''Gender, caste, and power in South Asia: social status and mobility in a transitional society, page 199''</ref>. Sanbai is one of the 12 names of Sirkazhi popularized by [[Bhakti]] era poet Sambandar in his song sung before the [[Pandya]] prince of [[Madurai]], saying that he hailed from Sirkazhi the holy place with twelve names. Amongst the 12 names he mentions Sanbai as one because of the wild growth of elephant grass, namely Sanban korai around the city. Sirkazhi has a pre-eminent place in the literature related to the [[Saiva Siddhanta]]m, of [[Hinduism]]. |
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==Culture== |
==Culture== |
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Revision as of 07:53, 21 February 2011
| Regions with significant populations | |
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| Tamil Nadu | |
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| Tamil | |
| Religion | |
| Hinduism | |
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| Tamil people |
The Karkathar (கார்காத்தார்) is a Tamil caste in Tamil Nadu and in north eastern parts of Sri Lanka[1][2]. They are also called Karaikattu vellalar or Karalar[3]. In some areas they are simply known as Karkatha Pillaimar[4]. They also use the Gounder title[5]. Historically, the Karkathar have had a presence in the Pudukottai and Kodumbalur regions, the strong hold of the Irukkuvel line of Velir chiefs[6].
Etymology
Karkathar (Kar-cloud, Kaattu- protect) and means protector of clouds or savior of clouds in Tamil[7]. It can also thought of to mean that they waited or were dependent on rain as they lived beyond the drought of the river and used wells and tanks to irrigate the lands, rain-making was their ancient profession. In the cloud legend, the Karkathar identify themselves with the very heart of the Tamil originality[3].
History
Migration
According to tradition, the Karkathar migrated from the Gangetic plains and over time spread over the entire macro region of present day Tamil Nadu. According to satakams, the Pandya country was settled by these people after they had resided in the Chola country[8]. According to historian Burton Stein, this theory is purely mythical and according to another historian, Suomen Itämainen Seura, the Karkathar are so called as they migrated from a place called Karaikadu[9]. But here is an inscription from Malur taluk in Karnataka (original in Tamil and Grantha):
I, Karkata mārāyan alias Uttama Sōla Gangan Virundar, supreme lord of the city of Kuvalāla, lord of Nandigiri, the truth speaker, granted the village of Samandarpalli, in Talaimalai-nādu, as a sarva mānya, for as long as the moon and the sun exist, to provide for offerings of rice, sandal, lamps and temple repairs, for the god Arulāla nādan of Têkkal, and gave a deed of gift to the above effect to the authorities of the temple and to Sokkapperumāl-tâdar, with permission to have it engraved in stone and copper..May there be prosperity.[10]
Kuvalāla was the name given to the present day Kolar region in Karnataka by the Cholas[11].
Settlement of Pudukottai region
According to historian Nicholas B. Dirks, the Pudukottai region was sparsely populated until the early Chola period. But with the beginning of the Chola era, there is strong evidence of increasing agrarian settlement, the growth of villages, institutions, the construction and expansion of temples[12]. According to the Tekkattur manuscript, the Karkathar were initially divided into Kanāttars and Kōnāttars, each of which had many exogamous sub-divisions. Kōnādu or the land of the king (Chola country) mostly consisted of the regions north of the river Vellar except for the western part of the state where it included certain regions south of the river as well. Kanādu, literally meaning the land of the forests was included in the Pandya country. The manuscript goes on to describe the decline in the position of the Karkathar after the initial golden age due to the fighting between the two branches over various issues such as land, rights to the water of the river Vellar, temples etc. and the subsequent settlement and dominance of the Maravars in the region who were initially imported from Ramnad by both branches. The copper plate inscriptions held by every Maravar community in the region indicates that the Kōnāttu vellalar were victorious in the end[13].
According to historian Arokiaswami, the Irukkuvels of Kodumbalur who were the main allies of the Cholas from an early period were all Vellalars. According to historian Nicholas B. Dirks, the local sources like palm leaf manuscripts, copper plate inscriptions and many of the origin stories also indicate that there was a relationship between the Irukkuvel family of chieftains and the Karkathar vellalar community and he says, that the Irukkuvel titles such as Vēlār as in Madurantaka Irukkuvēlār, Śembiyan Irukkuvēlār, etc. proves that the Irukkuvels were indeed Vellalar[14][15]. The following is an inscription from Bowringpet district in Karnataka that shows that the Vēlār was the title of Vellalar (original in Tamil):
I, Vayirāndai, son of Mâdēvar, who was the vēlār of Kallagara-pudavur and one of the Vellala residents of Pudavur in Ilavanji-nadu gave 4 pon to provide for the offerings of rice at the tiruvotta-sāmam for the god Swayambhu-nayakar and also granted some lands. We the siva brahmanas (3 named with their gotras) of the temple have received the above pon and pledge ourselves to supply the quantity of rice for as long as the moon and the sun exist, out of interest of the sum, at the rate of one pāgam per month oneach pon.[16]
But historian Burton Stein disputes Arokiaswami's claim that the Irukkuvels were Vellalar[14]. But here is an inscription (Tiruvorriyur) of a top officer (Dandanayaka) of Rajendra Chola II/ Rajadhiraja Chola I from the Irunkōvēl family:
..A record of the Chola king Parakesarivarman alias Udaiyar Sri Rajendradeva. Records in his third year, gift of 90 sheep, for a lamp by Velala Madurantakam alias Dandanayakan Rajadhiraja Ilangovelan of Nadar, a village in Tiraimur-nādu which was a sub-division of Uyyakondan-valanādu in Sola-mandalam.[17]
Sangam Literature
Manimekalai, one of the five great Epics in the Tamil language, mentions Karalar, the name generally believed to denote Karkarthar, twice, using the phrase Karalar Sanbai meaning the city Sirkazhi of the Karkathar[18]. Sanbai is one of the 12 names of Sirkazhi popularized by Bhakti era poet Sambandar in his song sung before the Pandya prince of Madurai, saying that he hailed from Sirkazhi the holy place with twelve names. Amongst the 12 names he mentions Sanbai as one because of the wild growth of elephant grass, namely Sanban korai around the city. Sirkazhi has a pre-eminent place in the literature related to the Saiva Siddhantam, of Hinduism.
Culture
The mother tongue of the Karkarthars is Tamil language, with a unique dialect that is particular to the city of Mayavaram. They are Hindus and generally follow Dvaita (Dual) Saiva Siddhantam school of thought in Hinduism. Karkarthars are traditionally vegetarians. This community is very orthodox and in olden days they were performing "Anushtanam" which is similar to Sandhya vandam. Karthar vellalar has a community magazine called "oppuravu". They are predominantly Shaivites but Vaishnavites are also found among the community and intermarriage is allowed between both sects. They all follow the traditional Gotras system. The people belonging to this caste are conservative and do not marry into the other vellalar sub castes.
Distribution
The majority of Karkarthar live in the Tamil Nadu districts of :
- Udaiyarpalayam taluk[19].
- Cuddalore (Chidambaram, Kattumannar Kovil, Virudhachalam, Pennadam, Kothattai, Anganur and Thittakudi)
- Nagapattinam (Around Mayavaram including and not limited to Sirkali, Poompuhar, Manigramam, Akkur, Kanyakudi, Melaiyur, KalyanaCholaPuram, Thazhancheri, Thiruvilayattam, Poigaikudi etc. )
- Thiruvarur
- Chennai
- Tanjore Kumbakonam, Thirupanandal, Sripuram[20].
- Trichy
- Anbanathapuram, Karugudy, Pallavarayanpet, Kanganaputtur & Enathimangalam
- Pondicherry (Karaikal)
- Thirunelveli
- Ariyalur (Nagamangalam, Vikramangalam, Keelanatham, Gunamangalam)
- Attur and Omalur taluks.[21].
Prominent Personalities
- Arumuga Navalar, a prominent hindu reformer from Sri Lanka[1].
- Meykandar, the common preceptor of the Dharmapuram or the Thiruvaduthurai adhinam hailed from this community[22].
- Gurugnanasambhandar, an ascetic from present day Ramnad district took up residence near the Dharmapurisvara temple and founded the Dharmapuram mutt[23].
- A.V.C Trust was created by five brothers from this community. Initially the trust had 100 Acres of Land in and around mayavaram.
See also
Notes
- ^ Tamil culture in Ceylon: a general introduction, page 132
- ^ People of India: A - G., Volume 4, page 3640
- ^ The hollow crown: ethnohistory of an Indian kingdom, page 141
- ^ Salem cyclopedia: a cultural and historical dictionary of Salem District, Tamil Nadu, page 157
- ^ Peasant state and society in medieval South India, page 320
- ^ Studia orientalia, Volumes 49-50, page 150
- ^ Epigraphia Carnatica, Volume 10, Part 1, page 159
- ^ Karnataka State Gazetteer: Hassan, page 45
- ^ The hollow crown: ethnohistory of an Indian kingdom, page 139
- ^ The hollow crown: ethnohistory of an Indian kingdom, page 140
- ^ a b The hollow crown: ethnohistory of an Indian kingdom, page 149
- ^ Volume 6 of A Topographical List of Inscriptions in the Tamil Nadu and Kerala States, page 47, 49
- ^ Epigraphia Carnatica, Volume 10, Part 1, page 142
- ^ South Indian shrines: illustrated, page 53
- ^ Madras District Gazetteers: Tiruchirappalli (pts. 1-2)
- ^ Applied anthropology and challenges of development in India, page 153
- ^ Madras District Gazetteers: Salem, page 121
- ^ Changing South Asia: Religion and society, page 40
- ^ Contributions to Indian sociology, Volume 25, page 192
References
- Salem cyclopedia: a cultural and historical dictionary of Salem District, Tamil Nadu By Busnagi Rajannan
- Gender, caste, and power in South Asia: social status and mobility in a transitional society By John Peter Neelsen
- Madras District Gazetteers: Salem, Madras (India : State) By B. S. Baliga
- People of India: A - G., Volume 4
- The hollow crown: ethnohistory of an Indian kingdom By Nicholas B. Dirks
- Tamil culture in Ceylon: a general introduction By M. D. Raghavan
- Social science and social concern: felicitation volume in honour of Professor B.K. Roy Burman
- Peasant state and society in medieval South India By Burton Stein
- Volume 6 of A Topographical List of Inscriptions in the Tamil Nadu and Kerala States By T. V. Mahalingam
- Studia orientalia, Volumes 49-50 By Suomen Itämainen Seura
- Epigraphia Carnatica, Volume 10, Part 1 By Benjamin Lewis Rice, Mysore (India : State). Archaeological Dept, Mysore Archaeological Survey
- Volume 10 of Karnataka State Gazetteer, Karnataka (India)
- South Indian shrines: illustrated By P. V. Jagadisa Ayyar