Karkarthar

Karkathar
Regions with significant populations
Tamil Nadu
Languages
Tamil
Religion
Saiva Siddhantam, Hinduism
Related ethnic groups
Vellalar, Tamil people

Karkathar is a Forward caste in the Indian state of Tamil Nadu. It is a sub-caste of the greater Vellalar community of India. Karkathar are also known as Karalar.

Etymology

Karkathar (Kar-cloud, Kathar- protector) means protector of clouds in Tamil.[1] They are also called as pillai(saiva pillai) which means son in Tamil.In ancient past, it is said, that people were starving to death because there was no food for the masses . To redeem people from hunger and poverty Goddess Parvati created persons of Karkathar Vellala caste to save people from hunger by teaching them the nuances of agriculture and water management. As these Vellalas were created by Goddess Parvati they are referred to as Pillais, sons of Parvati. Karkarthar Caste has 108 folds in it, that 108 folds are called as "Kothram".

Karkathars are a sub-caste of Vellalar.

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.[2] According to historian Burton Stein, this theory is purely mythical.[2]

Kuvalāla was the name given to the present day Kolar region in Karnataka by the Cholas.[3]

Settlement of Pudukottai region

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.[4] 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.[5] The seven lineages of Karkathar vellalars were the overlords of the Kaniyatchi in the Ponnamaravati, having 756 villages, 1511 hamlets, 21 brahmadeyams, 212 devadayams, and 64 nādus

The noted scholar I .Mahadevan of Indus script fame postulates that the Vellalas who are identified with the Velirs have migrated from Dwaraka to the southern states some 3200 to 3500 years BP. He identifies them as the marvelous creators of the Harappan civilization.He further remarks that the naidus of Andhra and Nairs of Kerala form part of the greater Vellalar community.

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.[6][7] Stein disputes Arokiaswami's claim that the Irukkuvels were Vellalar.[6]

Distribution

Areas of Karkarthar population include:

References

Citations

  1. ↑ Rajannan (1992), p. 157
  2. 1 2 Stein (1980), p. 320
  3. ↑ Karnataka State Gazetteer: Hassan, page 45
  4. ↑ Dirks (1993), p. 139
  5. ↑ Dirks (1993), p. 140
  6. 1 2 Dirks (1993), p. 149
  7. ↑ Volume 6 of A Topographical List of Inscriptions in the Tamil Nadu and Kerala States, page 47, 49
  8. ↑ Madras District Gazetteers: Tiruchirappalli (pts. 1-2)
  9. ↑ Mathur (1994), p. 153
  10. ↑ Baliga (1967), p. 121

Bibliography

Further reading

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