My Caste
An article I wrote for our family journal "Mayan" some time back.
Recently, I had been to England to set up a project for Glaxo. After we had successfully finished our project, two colleagues (one Indian and one American), our boss (a Canadian) and me went to have dinner at an Indian restaurant. The restaurant was called Bombay Brasserie. The Taj Group of India runs it.
While we were eating, my professor asked my Indian colleague and myself about untouchability in India, whether it was still followed very strictly and so forth.
I was able to answer that it wasn’t followed much in today’s modern times. When I said this, my boss and my American colleague jointly started talking about how stupid they thought it was. I jokingly told them that if it was still followed, I would not be able to come within a certain distance of my Indian colleague (who is a Brahmin), let alone have dinner with him. We all had a good laugh over this, but when I was alone in my hotel room, I started thinking of how it must have been for our ancestors…
Their profession was Toddy-Tapping (the extraction of liquor from the Toddy Palm); they worked almost the whole day in the heat of Southern Tamil Nadu. They owned hardly any land and worked for the higher caste people who refused to even touch coins that had been touched by Nadars. In fact, they would ask Nadars to put the coins into water before they would touch it. They were forced to live outside the village and did not have access to the public well.
However, when Caldwell, the famous missionary came to Tinnevelly, he remarked that the most prominent feature he observed among the Shanars was their “downright insolence”! In fact, our “timiru” got us into a lot of trouble with other castes and that was why the British forced us to pay a “Timiru Vari”!
Some of the key factors that helped in the transformation of the Nadars from one of the lowest castes to the leading caste in Tamil Nadu are a refusal to accept a submissive role, hard work, education, very strong family and caste unity.
I believe that it is a tragedy that the younger generation is being brought up, largely ignorant of the glorious (and inglorious!) parts of Nadar History. The greatness of our caste to me is not that we started a bank, built a thousand schools and colleges, that we run the most successful businesses and that we are successful politicians, lawyers, administrators, doctors, engineers and housewives. It is that we have been able to rise up from the suppression of the past!
So today, when you walk into any commercial establishment, confident that you will be served, when you walk into a temple, confident that you will be welcomed, when you visit a doctor, confident that you will be treated regardless of the doctors caste, REMEMBER, it wasn’t always that way.
The past might seem to be very far away and even unreal, but we always need to be reminded of it, in case we forget about the importance of what made us what we are today – Hard work, education, family and caste unity.
Read more about the Nadars here ...
I will write more about Nadars when I can do so dispassionately ;-)
posted by Ideamani at 5:31 AM
23 Comments:
Hai,
Gud to know nice things abt any community.. "Dispassionate???" You really mean tht..? ;) Bytheway blog abt BADTIMES was a gud one...
Have a nice day,
Ponnarasi Kothandaraman
My ancestors were weavers...
I used to think that casteism exists only in text book until my father who is a doctor, told me about his experiences, he had to face many hardships and ill- treatment in medical college...
I agree that casteism does not have that strong a foothold as it did a few decades back. But it does exist, especially in villages. Riots/Killings etc..based on caste differences are not uncommon. Thankfully,the present generation realizes that caste- system does not make much sense but the older generation i.e. my parents/grand parents still believe in it. The caste system also has a lot of influence when it comes to marriages.Most of the parents would want their kids to marry in their caste. But looking at the trend, I am fairly confident that 4-5 generations later...casteism would infact only exists in history books..:)
- A
Ponnarasi, I agree that its extremely difficult to be dispassionate about one's own caste - However, I am scared I will create a "jaathi kalavaram" or something :-)
Anon, the caste system is still very very deeply rooted in the villages and a relative of mine, who is the leader of my caste in a village has to carry an aruval around in the fear of being attacked by a "rival" caste.
Hey,
I do agree with your views here. But sadly caste-ism still rules most parts of India. And speaking of doctors, in some parts of North India, people will not let a obstetrician from a lower caste deliver a baby in their family. There are even people who would only accept a nanny for the kid if she's a brahmin.
True that many a unwated things happened because of castes. But I guess nowadays its not so, esp. with the educated - atleast there's no 'discrimination' as such. People prefer to marry within their castes, as each caste has its own culture and tradition and its easy for the partner to gel and get into the family affairs easily. But again, its a personal choice. One of my friend ended marrying a Muslim and another one married a Bengali.
So what's the big deal about inter-caste marraiges?! Anyway, I feel very reticent even to talk 'dispassionately' about castes - it shouldn't start off a conversation in the direction of the 'plights of lower castes under the upper castes'.
Hahahaha, Amam amam... Jaathi veri yenakkey vanthrum pola irukey :>
I was just kidding. Ur blog was above ground...
Well, it seems I forgot to write my full name with my comment. My name is Alpa.( signed off as '-A').
Btw,what is 'aruval'? I am from Ludhiana and just know a few words in Tamil; courtesy my Tamil friends.
- Alpa
Alpa, an aruval is a long curved knife with a very sharp edge that is primarily used in agriculture but somtimes to kill people :-(
http://www.ciks.org/images/aruval.jpg
Hello Mani,
It is nice to know that you know a lot about Nadars. Having grown up in modern India. I think it is still neccasary to understand the culture and tradtion of the community in which we are born. Especially I am really proud to born in this community, and everywhere I go I find Nadars are a admired and hated both for thier love for their people. I hope this will continue in the coming generations also.
Thanks Allwyn. I am a little bit pessimistic though, about future generations of Nadars, because our wealth and success in these years seems to be making us a little bit soft and less hardworking - Qualities which could lead to our downfall.
hi..
was amazed to read about the nadars.have got doubts which i hope u can help clear.are the nadars still considered the lower caste in india despite the fact that they are successful now?how low are the nadars compared to the kaunders?are they as low as the pariyans.
ps:sorry if i have offended anyone with these questions
Anon, Nadars are still classified as OBC's and most people would consider us of low caste. I am not sure that I care, and therefore there is no point in comparing our "status" with other castes.
hai guys
Hi,
I am a kerala Nadar christian living in Singapore. I was shocked to read that we were the "heirs of pandyan kingdom" from Wikipidea.I always thought low of our community.
Anyway, thank god of his blessings.My family has a lot of professionals, well educated ones. I hope Nadars will continue to emphasize on education for their future generations. This can always Keep them ahead with God's blessings. God bless
Things to ponder with:
Ever tried to ask the word "why" to yourself when people talk history. History has been, most times written only by the vanquished.
Have you ever thought why varma kalari was practiced only by nadars or why there were so many of the palm scripts that were destroyed when people converted to chrititanity? As for land not being owned by nadars --mm ever heard about Kayamoli Nadan?
I am in no way a casteist or whatever but in no way I would let others demean either.
Check this out
http://www.gemify.com/private/hrpt/index.html
--dharman
Nadar or Nadalvar community of Tamil Nadu may descend from ancient Pandiyan rulers. Nadars belong to an ancient Tamil Dravidian community called Villavars (who mixed with Meenavars) who assumed the title Nadalvar ( Nadavar or Nadar). Nadars evolve from the ancient twin communities called Villavars and Meenavars(Bhils and Meenas could be the North Indian equivalent).The Pandiyan and Chera kingdom was perhaps founded by the Villavars (Bowmens- Hunters)in the prehistory dating 8 to 10 thousand years. The Villavars(Bowman)and Meenavars(Fishermen)were Tamils and they form the nucleus of the Dravidian civilization in India.The Villavar Nobility who mixed with the Meenavar Nobility assumed the title Nadalvar and became the rulers of the Pandyan kingdom.The Nadars of Tamil nadu,Nadavas of Karnataka Nalavar of Sri Lanka all derive their title from the ancient Tamil title Nadalvar the lords of the land.(Nadu = country)Alvar (Aluvar,Alupas)=rulers). Other titles of Pandiyan rulers are Maran,Mara rayan Nelveli maran Cheeveli Maran, Maveli etc. The lords were called Karukku Pattayathar(Defenders),Sivanthi(Suicidal army), Adityan (overlord)Kodimarathar (defenders of flags), Nadan, Nattar Nadalvan etc. Many of these titles still used by the Nadar community.
Many North Indian Rajput or Kshatriya kingdoms of North India also may have their origins in Bhils(Villavar) and Meenas(Meenavar) though now they are Aryanised and talk Hindi(Many Bhils still talk a Dravidian tongue).During the coronation of Rajput kings the forehead of the New kings should be smeared with the blood of a bhil tribal to indicate the former authority of Bhils.The modern Meeans and Bhil Meenas could be the rulers of the ancient Matsya kingdom which is mentioned in Puranas and Mahabharatha and could be the Northern equivalents of the Villavar and Meenavar Kingdoms of south such as Cheras and Pandyan kingdoms.
Indian civilization was founded by the interaction and Intermixture of various invaders from North including Aryans and Nagas starting from 3500 years. The Nagas were the arch enemies of the early Pandyan rulers starting from prehistory. The first Pandyan kingdom was situated at Kumarikkaandam, a large land mass which was situated south of Kanyakumari between Kumari and Paqruli rivers. The most famous king of first ancient Pandyan dynasty Chenkon succeeded in defeating the Nagas and chasing them away to North.
In the early days the Pandya Kingdom used Vil(Bow) in the flag but in later periods the Pandya ruler used Fish insignia in the flag.The Pandyan king took part in the Kurukshetra war(1200 BC) according to Mahabharatha in many chapters.Mahabharatha calls the Pandyan king as Saranga Dwaja(Saranga=Bow, Dwaja=Flag).
In laterdays the Pandyan Capital was at Korkai(Tuticorin)and the Royal House of Pandyans was at Tenkasi(Thirunelveli)even now strongholds of the Nadar community.Tenkasi,which was situated at the Banks of Tamira Parani river was the Then Madurai and was the capital of the Pandyan kingdom before the Capital was shifted to Vada Madurai(Modern Madurai).
Mahabharataha includes Gokarna(modern Udupi) whole of Kerala, and South and Eastern Tamilnadu. The Pandiyan kingdom originally included the Southern Karnataka,whole of Kerala and whole of Sri Lanka. Ancient Sri Lanka was ruled by Pandiyan kings and Sri Lanka itself wss called Tamira parani named after the Royal house of Pandiyan at the banks of Tamira Parani river in South India, mispronounced as Tambapani by Sinhalese and foreign travellers. The Pandiyan kings of Sri Lanka ruled whole of Sri Lanka not only the present day Tamil areas though the Sinhalese who migrated from present day Orissa would like to present them as invaders.
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The ancient Pandiyan kingdom was attacked by Nagas from North whom the ancient Tamils called Vadugas.(Vada= North Naga).
The ancient Tamil work Kalithokai mentions the battle between Nagas against the combined forces of Villavar and Meenavar perhaps around 1000 BC.
Kerala and Tamil Nadu and whole of South India used to be ruled by Dravidian rulers who descended from ancient Tamils till 1100 AD in Kerala and 1300 AD in Tamil Nadu. The Nagas and Aryans of North India were not present in the ancient Tamil Kingdoms of Tamil nadu and Kerala. The Aryans appeared in the middle ages and the Nagas started to form kingdoms in south India only in the second millennium.
In the past 2000 years many Naga tribes actually found residence in the ancient Tamil land in the South India. The Vadugas or the Nagas are found in all the south Indian states. The interaction of Dravidians with the Nagas form the modern Dravidian community of south India.1000nd years ago most of the South Indian kingdoms used to be ruled by Vellala and Villavar Meenavar (Nadalvar Nadar)kingdoms. The Aryans appeared in the middle ages and the Nagas started to form kingdoms in south India only in the second millennium.
But in the early second millennia the Dravidian country was flooded by Naga invaders from the Northernmost portions of the Dravidian country. Naga and Aryan tribes who became dominant in Kerala in the second millennium might have migrated from Ahichatra in Uttarpradesh around 345 AD during the rule of Kadamba king Mayuravarma. Most of these Nagas (related to Bunts of Karnataka) and Aryans are had been staying at Tulunadu in the first millenium according to the Grama Paddhati and other Tulunadu records. Keralolpathi also affirms the migration of Aryans and Nagas from Ahichatra.
After the Muslim invasion of 1300s all the pure Dravidian kingdoms of Vellalas, Villavars were replaced by Naga kingdoms or Muslim Sulthanates. There is ample evidence that the Nagas were allies of Turkish invaders in 1306.
Hoysala kingdom ruled by Ballala, kingdoms of Andhra pradesh, Pandyan kingdom and the Vellala and Villavar kingdoms of Kerala all were replaced by Naga kingdoms or Muslim Sulthanates after 1300s.
Many of these Naga tribes including Naicker and Nairs are not Tamils but Nagas who once migrated from North and favoured a North Indian culture and a different form of Hinduism.
The Alupas Kingdom was perhaps ruled by Nadalvars of Pandiyan kingdom.Karnataka had a group of Nagas who migrated from Ahichatra in Uttarpradesh called Bunts who used to serve the Alupas Pandyan kingdom. Some of the members of this Bunt community still have a subcaste called Nadavas indicating the Bunts might have mixed with the ancient Pandyan Nadalvars after the 1300 invasion.
Most of the Nagas who started ruling south India favoured a Northern form of Hinduism and were hostile to the Pandyan and Chera people.
After 1300s Kerala was ruled by a combined Aryan and Naga rulers who replaced the original Villavar(Chera) and Nadalvar (Pandyan )and Vellala (Eradi of Calicut,Valluvanadus Vellatiris,Venads Ayvels etc) rulers.These Aryans and Naga rulers followed matriarchy and Polyandry while most of the Malayayalee Hindus remained Patriarchal like their Chera ancestors.
The Dravidian temples were occupied by Nagas around 1300s in Kerala.
Numerous temples of Kerala which were housing Dravidian deities (Hindu and Jain)were occupied by Nagas who simply called them Bhagvathi as their Naga counterparts in Nepal and Uttarpradesh call Hindu goddesses. The Dravidian goddesses such as Esaki, Chudalai Madan, Kottavai, Neeli and Kannakis were all called Bhagavati . The famous temple Kurumba Bhagavathi temple of Kodungalloor is infact a Jain deity called Kannaki worshipped by ancient Pandyas and Cheras .
After the 1500s when the last of the Pandiyan rulers were replaced by Vijayanagara Naickers few of the original Naga tribes of Tamil nadu who hitherto serving the Pandiyan kings preferred to join the new Naga invaders. Similarly the Vellalas of Kerala joined the Nairs of Kerala, another Naga tribe.
Between 1500 to 1800 Ad Nadars of old Pandiyan kingdom were forced to live under the Naga and Muslim yoke. They were not allowed inside the temples which were built by the ancestors , the Pandiyans and Cheras. Many of the Keralas laterday princes who claimed descent from Pandiyas and Cheras were not Tamils but of Aryan and Naga descent. (Some of these Samantha Kshatriyas of Kerala also claim descent from Bhargava or Viswamitra Gotras of Aryan Brahmins). Unlike the Tamil Pandiya and Chera Princes who followed Patriarchal inheritance the Naga rulers after 1300s followed Matriarchy and Polyandry which are not Dravidian customs. Many Nagas of Tamil Nadu also now claim Pandiyan descent while the original Pandiyas were Tamils not Nagas .
Though Brandhan Chanan or Anandhan Nadar along with the Kalari trained Nadar army helped the Kerala king Marthanda Varma. (Mysteriously the Brandhan Chanan reincarnated as a Nair in CV Raman Pillais Marthanda Varma (1891). Papputhampi the rival of Marthanda Varma was served by hundreds of Nadanmar and Panikkanmar Knights at 1725 AD.
Nadars that time thought that they can throw away the yokes of Nagas.After Marthanda Varmas period Nadars though warriors sent to a lower stratum. Even the Martial Nadanmar and Panikkanmar (another Pandyan title) Families were sold from one lord to another lord as mentioned in Valia Tampi Kunchu Thampi Kathaippadal a southern ballad.
The old saying among the Travancore Nadars is Nadalum Ramavanmanukkum Nadalvar kulathil Penn kodom.
Nadars and most of the Dravidians of Travancore were harassed during the Naga rule between 1306 after the Turkish invasion and the British take over of Travancore in 1809. The Naga- Aryan rulers of Kerala treated Dravidians (most of them descended from Tamil Chera and Ay kingdoms of Kerala) contemptuously. In this period revolution would not have been successful because the whole of South India was under the Turkish kingdoms and Naga(Naicker Nair rulers). Kerala princes were paying yearly tribute to either Vijayanagar Naicker or Arcot Nawab or Mysore Sulthans.
Nadars and most of the Dravidian ladies were not allowed to cover their breasts with a cloth. Though most of the Keralas temples housed Tamil deities only those Dravidians who joined the enemy Nagas were allowed inside the temples. Most of the Dravidians worshipped their ancient deities from Chera and Pandiyan period in makeshift temples usually under a tree ornamentally decorated with red Kunkum and few swords and spears. Most of the Keralas place names are still in archaic Tamil. But in the Naga period most of the Dravidians of ancient Tamil roots who make upto 40 percent of Keralas population were not allowed to own land more than 10 acres. The Dravidians were not allowed to build houses with more than one storey not allowed to were gold and many of them were forced to wear a stone necklace around their necks. Many of the Dravidians who were slaves when Europeans arrived had been lords and landed gentry and warriors just a few hundred years ago.
In the earlier Pandyan period and Chera period there was no dress code. Most of the Dravidian people were fully clothed. Mar Kaccha or breast cloth and Sarees were worn by people. But in Travancore even the rulers preferred only a loincloth and a Mundu (a piece of cloth) in the Naga period.
In Tamil Nadu the British East India company gained control replacing the Telugu Naicker Palayams in 1881.
As early as 1801 AD a group of Nadar aristocrats(though poor and often landless Nadar aristocracy did exist) met the district collector of Thinneveli (Thirunelveli) and pleaded their case that they were the original Pandyan rulers and their ancestors used to rule southern India (Tamil Nadu, Kerala and Karnataka) and and Sri Lanka. They claimed that their Pandyan ancestors had issued many gold coins. The British were assisted by Brahmins who served as clerks. The Brahmins told the British that the Kshatriyas exist only among the Aryans not Dravidians.
The miserable condition of Nadars was not because of their occupations such as toddy tapping. It is because their earlier Tamil Kingdoms had been replaced by that of their enemies who were culturally different and talked northern languages. The laterday rulers of southern day kingdoms were also of Sudra origins.
European rulers of 19th century refused to help Nadars militarily though they were eager to convert Nadars to Christianity. Many Nadars chose Christianity because of the strong resemblance to Jainism, their ancient religion. But even now Nadars are having more of Dravidian Hindu customs than Christian customs.
The British missionaries such as Robert Caldwell neither understood who the Nadars were really were. His cheap opinion dominated the mind set of British conquerors. When Nadars claimed that they were Dravida Kshatriyas ( Alwars) of the Pandyan kingdom it amused him. Bishop Robert Caldwell called Nadars the savages, Demon worshippers, Uncouth, Dimwitted ,Not Hindus,aborigines not sophisticated and did not have any religion.(The Pandyan kings were strong saivite Hindu kings who worshipped Shiva more than five thousand years predating Aryan arrival). Robert Caldwell thought that Tamil words are of Scythian and Indo-Aryan roots and Tamils are a Turanian tribe from Central asia (Tamils are indigenous people of India).Robert Caldwell said that Shanars are immigrants from Srilanka (Pandyan kingdom originated at the banks of Thamira Parni in Thirunelveli District not in Sri Lanka though its influence dominated Sri Lanka). This kind of nonsense spread by the Christian missionaries such as Robert Caldwell who infact had no idea about any Dravidian community shaped the official policy of British period. Gnanamuthoo Nadar (1850) – a Christian converted Clerk at District court of Thirunelveli was enraged by Robert Caldwells utterances. Gnana Muthu Nadar had some knowledge of Anthropometry which he used to prove that Nadars actually belong to the original Dravidian race.
Samuel Sarguner another Nadar Christian convert tried to convince the British of Bishop Robert Caldwells unosound and superficial knowledge of Tamil in vain (Which White British will accept the words of a dark Dravidian ?).
In modern times the half baked works of Dennis Templeman, Robert Hardgraves and recently Eliza Kent the American researchers have been printed as books. These Americans have least understanding about India especially Dravidians . The American researchers Knowledge of Dravidian language is questionable.These Americans are rumoured to be assisted by some Christian priests with the sole intention to effecting further religious conversions.
Christian Nadars of Kerala are moving away from their Hindu brethren. Their views are influenced by missionary writings during British period. They are also influenced by other Christians of foreign origin. While Christianity helped to some extent in the 19th century to regain their position, in the 20th century Christianity has divided the opinion among Nadars and thus weakened them. At present Views of Keralas Nadars are different from their Tamil Nadu counterparts. This again prevenst them to vote uniformly.
Nadar Mahajana Sangham is defunct in Kerala which hardly runs any educational institutions or hospitals.
The Nadar Mahajana Sangham in Tamil Nadu is no more powerful as it has minimum membership, mostly from business communities.
In India most communities which are hardly 40 lakh strong are represented by three to five state ministers and one or two central ministers.
But Nadars who make about one percent of Indias population(one crore people)are not politically represented adequately in the Parliament and legislative assemblies because of the lack of unity among themselves.
The importance of Nadars lies in the fact that Nadars are as old as Pandyan kingdom and the origin of ancient Villavar people who perhaps founded Indian civililization, though pushed to extreme south still holding ground.
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I agree to a large extent with Anon on the history of Nadars. I do a research on this subject and found many similarities between:
1. Nadars-Channars(Ezhava community is called as Channars even now in southern Kerala)-Thiyas (of Malabar) and Billavas of Karnataka. All these are powerful communities. They are particularly worshipping Shiva as against Vishnu. There are evidences showing that they were the ruling communities. Before them the ruling community was today's Adidravidars, Pulayas etc. Nadar-Channar-Thiya -Billava communities are overthrown by Thevar-Nair-Bunt rulers. Thevar-Nair-Bunts are mainly Vishnu worshippers.
2. Nadars-Channar(Ezhava)-Thiya-Billava were enjoying high caste positions till the advent of migrating forces of Karnataka , Andhara Pradesh, Maharashtra and other northen parts.
3. There have been enemity between Thevars-Nairs-Bunts and Nadars-Channars (Ezhava)-Thiya-Billava.
4. The Nadar history is wrongly intereprested and propogated by Christian missionaries thereby denying the community its rightful place in the Indian context.
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