Kaarkaathaar

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KaarKaathar
ClassificationForward caste
ReligionsHinduism
LanguagesTamil
CountryIndia
Populated statesTamil Nadu
RegionSouth India

Kārkāthār (also known as Kaarukaatha Vellalar) is a Hindu caste in the Indian state of Tamil Nadu.

Etymology[]

Karkathar, (kar 'rain', and kathar, 'protector' in Tamil), signifying 'protector of rain'.[1] It could also mean 'one who is dependent on rain', as kaar means 'raincloud' and kaatha means 'to wait for' in Tamil.[2]

History[]

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. According to historian Burton Stein, this theory is purely mythical.[3]

Historian Usha R. Vijailakshmi observes that Verse 34 of the Karmandala Satakam connects the origin of the Gangas to the origin of the Karakatha Vellalas of southern Karnataka, as follows:[4]

Gangeya Murthaka pala was born to Lord Shiva and he had two wives; the first wife had 54 sons & the second wife had 52 sons. Out of these Bhupalar, (one who practiced Agriculture) gave birth to 35 Vellala leaders, Dhanapalar, who was into trade, gave birth to 35 Vellala leaders Gopalar, (one who herded cattle) and one Agamurthi gave birth to 1 Vellala leader.

The names Bhupālar, Dhanapālar, and Gopālar[4] refer to the three subdivisions of Vaishyas. They derive from word-elements associated with each occupational sub-group. For the agriculturists, bhu is used. This refers to the earth, as with the Hindu goddess who represents earth, Bhūmi, (Sanskrit: भूमि). For the merchants, dhana signifies wealth or material goods (Sanskrit: धन्य, dhánya, 'riches') and for the cattle-herders, the element go, signifying cow (Sanskrit: गो, 'cow, domestic bovine') is employed.[5][6][7][8][9][10] According to Simon Casie Chetty, the Karkatha Vellalas of Sri Lanka are classified as Bhu-Vaishyas.[6]

According to anthropologist 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.[11] 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.[12]

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 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.[13][14] Stein disputes Arokiaswami's claim that the Irukkuvels were Vellalar.[13]

Caste structure[]

The caste is composed of ninety six patrilineal exogamous clans or gotras, sixty nine of which end in the title Udaiyan, fourteen ending in Rayan and thirteen ending in Thiraiyan.[15]

As founders of Saivite Mutts[]

Gnanasambandhar, the founder of the Saivite mutt Dharmapuram Adheenam that historically managed temples like the Thyagaraja temple at Thiruvarur hailed from this community.[16]

Varna[]

The Varna status of the Vellalars is a contested and complex topic, they have been classified as high ranking Shudras by various historians. However the traditional chaturvarna (four varnas) system was inapplicable to South India where there existed only 3 classes: Brahmin, Non-Brahmin and Dalit. All non-Brahmins were classified as Shudras irrespective of their status and function.[17]

Distribution[]

Areas of Karkathar population have included:

Notable People[]

  • Meykanda Devar, the son of Achyuta Kalappaalar and the author of the Saivite scripture Sivagnana bodham hailed from this community.[20]

See also[]

References[]

Citations

  1. ^ Rajannan, Busnagi (1992). Salem Cyclopedia: A Cultural and Historical Dictionary of Salem District, Tamil Nadu. India: Institute of Kongu Studies (Salem, India). p. 340. ISBN 978-8-19002-880-6. Rulers of the clouds
  2. ^ S. O. Canagaratnam. Monograph of the Batticaloa District of the Eastern Province, Ceylon. H. R. Cottle. p. 80.
  3. ^ Stein (1980), p. 320
  4. ^ a b Vijailakshmi, Usha R. (2010). KARMANDALA SATAKAM: POLITICO-SOCIO-CULTURAL ANALYSIS OF MEDIEVAL TAMIL LITERATURE ON THE VELLALA COMMUNITY OF SOUTH KARNATAKA. India: Indian History Congress. p. 430.:"The work connects the origin of the Gangas to the origin of the Karkatha Vellalas of Karnataka. Gangeya Murthaka pala was born to Lord Shiva and he had two wives; the first wife had 54 sons & the second wife had 52 sons. Out of these Bhupalar, (one who practiced Agriculture) gave birth to 35 Vellala leaders, Dhanapalar, who was into trade, gave birth to 35 Vellala leaders Gopalar, (one who herded cattle) and one Agamurthi gave birth to 1 Vellala leader."
  5. ^ Rajannan, Busnagi (1992). Salem Cyclopedia: A Cultural and Historical Dictionary of Salem District, Tamil Nadu. India: Institute of Kongu Studies (Salem, India). p. 340. ISBN 978-8-19002-880-6. VELLALAR , Kongu. They are variously referred to as Bupaalan , Buvaisya, Dhevar, Gangavamsam, Rayar and most commonly vivasayee and kudiyaanavar.
  6. ^ a b Casie Chitty, Simon (2016) [First published 1834]. The Ceylon Gazetteer: Containing an Accurate Account of the Districts, Provinces, Cities, Towns ... &c. of the Island of Ceylon. India: Palala Press. p. 230. ISBN 978-1-35811-601-8. [Note: Publication byline shown as 'Casie Chitty'; usually shown elsewhere as 'Casie Chetty'].
  7. ^ Karve, Irawati (1981). Biology of the People of Tamil Nadu. India: Indian Society of Human Genetics. p. 19. There is a tradition among the Vellalans that there were 3 divisions of the Vaisyas : ( 1 ) Bhuvaisyas or farmers , ( 2 ) Govaisyas or husbandmen and ( 3 ) Dhanavaisyas or merchants . The last division is claimed to have given rise to the Chettis who originally belonged to the Vellala tribe.
  8. ^ Nambiar, P.K. (1961). Village Survey Monographs, 13 Kadukkara, Part VI, Vol-IX, Census Year 1961. India: Office of the Registrar General. pp. 7–8. “These people are considered as high caste Hindus and Mr. Thurston classifies them as a sub-sect of Vaisyas. According to Mr. Thurston these people belong to the sub-sect known as Buvaisyas as distinguished from Thanavaisyas. The former are cultivators by tradition and the latter are traders by profession. The word Vellala is believed to be derived from the word Velanmai meaning cultivation and thereby indicating their traditional occupation.”
  9. ^ Nambiar, P.K. (1961). Village Survey Monographs, 13 Kadukkara, Part VI, Vol-IX, Census Year 1961 (PDF). India: Office of the Registrar General. pp. 7–8. “These people are considered as high caste Hindus and Mr. Thurston classifies them as a sub-sect of Vaisyas. According to Mr. Thurston these people belong to the sub-sect known as Buvaisyas as distinguished from Thanavaisyas. The former are cultivators by tradition and the latter are traders by profession. The word Vellala is believed to be derived from the word Velanmai meaning cultivation and thereby indicating their traditional occupation.”
  10. ^ Census Division, India (1965). Madras: Volume 9, Part 6, Issue 13 of Census of India 1961, India Census Division. India: Office of the Registrar General. pp. 7–8. considered as high caste Hindus and Mr . Thurston classifies them as a sub - sect of Vaisyas . According to Mr . Thurston these people belong to the sub - sect known as Buvaisyas as distinguished from Thanavaisyas . The former are cultivators by tradition and the latter are traders by profession . The word Vellala is believed to be
  11. ^ Dirks (1993), p. 139
  12. ^ Dirks (1993), p. 140
  13. ^ a b Dirks (1993), p. 149
  14. ^ Volume 6 of A Topographical List of Inscriptions in the Tamil Nadu and Kerala States, page 47, 49
  15. ^ Muttusvami Srinivasa Aiyangar (1914). Tamil Studies Or Essays on the History of the Tamil People, Language, Religion and Literature. Guardian Press. p. 63.
  16. ^ Rajeshwari Ghose (1996). The Tyagaraja Cult in Tamilnadu: A Study in Conflict and Accommodation. Motilal Banarsidass Publishers Private Limited. pp. 255, 257, 258.
  17. ^ A Comprehensive History of India: Pt.2 No special title. 2008. ISBN 9788173045615.
  18. ^ Mathur (1994), p. 153
  19. ^ Baliga (1967), p. 121
  20. ^ Rajeshwari Ghose (1996). The Tyagaraja Cult in Tamilnadu: A Study in Conflict and Accommodation. Motilal Banarsidass Publishers Private Limited. p. 258.

Bibliography

Further reading[]

  • People of India: A - G. Vol. 4.
  • Social science and social concern: felicitation volume in honour of Professor B.K. Roy Burman.
  • Raghavan, M. D. Tamil culture in Ceylon: a general introduction.
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