Sakkiliar
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Sakkiliar also Chakilli, Sakkili and Arunthathiyar are one of the most marginalized social groups or castes from Tamil nadu and Sri Lanka. Along with Pallar and Parayar, they form the largest Dalit group. They are believed to have moved from Andhra Pradesh into Tamil Nadu along with other Telugu speakers.
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[edit] Primary function
Along with social groups associated with those who wash clothes for other Dalits, Arunthathiyar are one of the most backward castes. It is due to their function as night soil removers. Night soil is a respectable term for human excrement. At some point in history, a whole class of people across India have been forced by violence and religious sanction into this vital role. This is an outcome of lack of proper sanitation system throughout India’s history apart from what was noticed in the Indus Valley ruins where houses were constructed with proper sanitation. In this aspect they have similar castes across India. The most notable one is Chandala and Bhangis of North India.
Due to their association with night soil, others have been reluctant to associate with them including other Dalit castes. But they are also used as general agricultural and manual workers across Western and Northern Tamil Nadu.
They are usually accorded a place that is apart from the main village as the other Dalits. Many place names in India and Sri Lanka are named for this community.
[edit] Modernization
With the migration of many rural workers to urban areas, the primary association with night soil has diminished. Further many state and central govt. programs have been specifically geared towards upgrading the material culture of this group. Further conversion to Christianity and Buddhism is also seen as a method to escape past and present caste discrimination.
[edit] In the Tamil diaspora
There are Sakkilar found in Tamil and Sinhalese speaking regions of Sri Lanka. They were brought by the British to work in the teas estates, (see Sri Lanka Tamils (Indian origin)). Most probably they are also found in traditionally Tamil migratory communities across the world.
[edit] Sakkili as a derogotary term
Sakkili is a term used by certain Flame Warriors from Sri lanka, partisan to the Sinhalese nationalistic cause in the current civil war to describe all Sri Lankan Tamils (native) and has been noted by sociologists.
Due to the negative connotation associated with this world the community has changed it name to Arunthathiyar using Sanskritisation myths of origin from a daughter of a mythical Brahmin sage named Arundati. Another marginal group namely Pariahs too have changed their name to Samabavas.
[edit] See also
- Madiga an Andhra Pradesh caste associated with Sakkiliar
