Who are these Keralites in Sri Lanka
Umbertslyr
We hear a lot about the Malayalis, Keralites and Mukkuvas from Kerala in this
NG (soc.culture.Sri-lanka). I thought I will share my readings about who the
Keralites are, and how they came into being, and why so many of them ended up
in Sri Lanka.
What is called Kerala today was called Chera Nadu during the time of Christ.
One of the Chera prince Ilango (which means crown prince in Tamil) wrote a
Buddhist story in Tamil called Manimekalai.(?) Even during the Sangam (1th
century BC - 1th century AD) period many Chera poets, some of who were of
Brahmin decent like Kapila( r) were very popular among the general population
of all Tamil speaking Kingdoms.
The Brahmins have been coming to the south as Buddhis and Jaina monks, Hindu
priests and as advisers to kings since the 3rd century BC, but they did not
come in any numbers to influence the local culture or
ethnic make up. Generally they took over the priestships of newly constructed
temples/viharas and passively accepted the language of the local people like
Telugu, Kannada, Tamil, Tulu, Marata etc. Their speech was the colloquial
lingua mixed with Sanskrit and Pali.
Till the 8th century AD the rulers of Chera Nadu were of local origin and their
court language was an antiquated Tamil as evidenced by the Pattam or Grants
given to Jews and Syrian Christians in Cochin, Kerala. The grants which are
maintained in historic Synagogues and Churches are in Archaic Tamil.
Right around that time the Arab Muslims started to invade Sindh and punitive
forces came all the way up to Goa. The Muslims singularly went after the rulers
and the priests who happen to be Brahmins because of their religious leadership
and also due to their wealth. So after the 8th century the Brahmins from North
West India fled to Chera Nadu seeking refuge, this time they came in very large
numbers and already had a support base among the long domiciled local Brahmins.
Using their local influence, their wealth brought along from north India,
religious authority and education system, these Brahmins started to dominate
the political and economic spheres of Chera Nadu. As they spoke a multitude of
northern colloquial languages they adopted the local lingua as a lingua- franka
but modified with a large admixture of Sanskrit words. As they slowly
subjugated the local Pulava, Chera, and Nairs chiefs/kings through various
means, they came up with this insidious plan to control the entire country.
1) First was the creation of myth, i.e Kerala was created by the Brahmin Muni
Vishwamitra by throwing his axe from Gokarnam in northern Kerala to Kanyakumari
in Southern Tamil Nadu exclusively for the newly created Brahmin caste called
Nambooripads.(Nam) That is, the whole of Keralam now became in the minds of the
illiterate local people who have all by now become the very worst servile
Shudras separated from Mother Tamil Nadu into a separate entity meant only for
their Brahmin masters.
2) Then the most insidious system called Marumakathayam was created, where as
only the eldest Namboodiri son was allowed to marry a Namboodiri women, and
their eldest son inherited the huge estates in control of the Namboodiris. This
was to prevent the estates being divided into many smallholdings. All the other
Nam children were permitted only liaisons (not marriage) with other castes like
Nairs, Pulayar, Eelavar and Tivar. Thus even the Kings house (Tharawad) the
women had to sleep with the local priests son to create a progeny who ruled the
land. So there was this mad rush to sleep with higher and higher socially
connected Nams in order to increase the social prestige of the non Nam
Tarawads, Which meant women could have a multitude of partners and the head
women's brother became the head of the house and a surrogate father to all the
children born to different fathers and to the women of the Tarawad, and
inheritance was matrilineal.
(This association with house is still present among the Karawe of Sri Lanka in
Ge or Gedara nama, or house names which shows substantial number of the Karawe
are from the west coast of Tamil Nadu or Present day Kerala)
3) The creation of a new language keeping in mind the excess of Sanskrit words
which have come into common use because although 10% of the population was
Brahmin 90% of those who were literate where also Brahmins. Thus the Brahmin
elite chose one of their leaders to go to Madurai which was still a place of
Tamil learning and learn Tamil so that, they could create this language which
better suited them. Also we have to keep up in mind a dialectical change has
taken place among the Tamils of Kerala which rendered their dialect distinct.
Like the Tamil dialect of Sri Lankan Tamil is distinct from Indian Tamil.
Thus a new nation called Malayalis were created without 90% of them who became
Malayalis later on, even noticing it. Because most of them were busy working
their asses off in their Nam masters households This is one of the reasons that
a large number of Keralites immigrated to Sri Lanka like the Mukkuvas, Kurrupu
Nair Soldiers and some elements of Karawe in order to escape the tyranny of
this insidious caste system
This is also the reason why these Keralite immigrants spoke and still speak in
Tamil with a distinct Malayala accent, because Malayalam was introduced from
top down. It was the language of the Brahmins first then all the lower castes
picked it up as time went on. Some of the Adivasis in Kerala, still haven't
picked it up. So these Malayalais came to come to Sri Lanka when they still
spoke Tamil with a distinct Malayala accent and thought of themselves as
Tamils.
Some poor souls had to go back for some reason or the other and became the most
servile of all Shudras in Kerala the EELAVAR (FROM EELAM - The Tamil name for
Sri Lanka) and TIVAR (FROM the ISLAND) are returnees from Sri Lank who live in
Kerala.
NB: Many Archaic Proto Malayalam-Tamil words which have fallen out of use in
modern day Tamil like "Uduppu" for clothes is still maintained among Sri Lankan
Tamils and Malayalis.
- Slayer -
"You take the lies out of them, and they'll shrink to the size of your hat,
you take the malice out of them, and they will disappear." Mark Twain
Ranjit Mathews
> Thus a new nation called Malayalis were created without 90% of them who became
> Malayalis later on, even noticing it. Because most of them were busy working
> their asses off in their Nam masters households This is one of the reasons that
> a large number of Keralites immigrated to Sri Lanka like the Mukkuvas, Kurrupu
> Nair Soldiers and some elements of Karawe in order to escape the tyranny of
> this insidious caste system
Assuming that your story is correct:
There was already a caste system in Kerala before Nambudiris came. I presume that
you mean "insidious class system".
Umbertslyr
>
>There was already a caste system in Kerala before Nambudiris came. I presume
>that
>you mean "insidious class system".
Agreed, Caste is pretty close to Class system with a racial element attached to
it.
South had a rampant tribal and clan system before Bhudhism and Jainism was
introduced by northern monks and traders. But they did not have a caste system.
When the population was converted to Hinduism lateron these tribal differences
were exploited by co-opting some of them into higher castes/class where as some
tribes/clans became lower caste/class. The usual divide and conquer.
The migration of Dravidian speaking people both from present day Kerala and
Tamil Nadu was partly an attempt escape the clutches of this system by changing
place of domicile after the 9th century AD. It continued till the very late
colonial period.
I dont know about the current day Kerala society, I hope you have over come
this Caste/Class/Apartheid system.
I would appreciate if anyone in this NG can post folk stories/myths/written
facts about the origins of the EELAVAR and TIVAR and other class/caste of
Kerala because it is a reverse migration paradox. Thank you.
- Slayer-
Ranjit Mathews
> >Assuming that your story is correct:
> >
> >There was already a caste system in Kerala before Nambudiris came. I presume
> >that
> >you mean "insidious class system".
>
> Agreed, Caste is pretty close to Class system with a racial element attached to
> it.
>
> South had a rampant tribal and clan system before Bhudhism and Jainism was
> introduced by northern monks and traders. But they did not have a caste system.
I would equate tribal/clan identity with jati/caste. There would have already been
a class system to some degree, where adivasi hunter gatherers would have probably
been considered lower class by townspeople (say).
> When the population was converted to Hinduism lateron these tribal differences
> were exploited by co-opting some of them into higher castes/class where as some
> tribes/clans became lower caste/class. The usual divide and conquer.
Applying the above terminology, I would say that some jatis/castes became lower
class(varna).
Umbertslyr
>been
>a class system to some degree, where adivasi hunter gatherers would have
>probably
>been considered lower class by townspeople (say).
>
Class awareness in Pre Historic Society ? Pretty Interesting. I think you
should read up early history on Cultural Aryanization of South India and you
will understand the technical precision with which this Varna (which means
color in Sanskrit) system was superimposed on the existing racial/tribal/clan
divisions of a comparitively primitive society.
There is parallel in East Asia. This is where Indian traders, Monks and Priests
introduced advanced Indian culture into relatively primitive present day
Vietnam, Cambodia, Indonesia, Malaysia etc you can see this same dynamics at
work.
Bali is one of the few remaining places of this later cultural colonization. 3%
of Balinese claim Tri Vamsa (Three Castess - namely Brahmana, Kshatriya and
Vysya) ancestry versus the rest of the 97 percent who are Shudras.
>Applying the above terminology, I would say that some jatis/castes became
>lower
>class(varna).
By themselves ? no my friend never. People have always worked hard to elevate
themselves never go down in the social ladder.
They were culturally/physically subjucated and kept there by this ideology
which I prefer to call "Spritual Apartheid" or Hinduism
(I dont want to start a flame war here with RSS sympathisers)
Now to the real question is there is any one who knows more than me about the
Eelavar and Tivar ?
Ranjit Mathews
> >I would equate tribal/clan identity with jati/caste. There would have already
> >been
> >a class system to some degree, where adivasi hunter gatherers would have
> >probably been considered lower class by townspeople (say).
>
> Class awareness in Pre Historic Society ? Pretty Interesting.
There have been class stratifications in all societies, although they have varied
widely in nature and degree.
> I think you
> should read up early history on Cultural Aryanization of South India and you
> will understand the technical precision with which this Varna (which means
> color in Sanskrit) system was superimposed on the existing racial/tribal/clan
> divisions of a comparitively primitive society.
> There is parallel in East Asia. This is where Indian traders, Monks and Priests
> introduced advanced Indian culture into relatively primitive present day
> Vietnam, Cambodia, Indonesia, Malaysia etc you can see this same dynamics at
> work.
>
> Bali is one of the few remaining places of this later cultural colonization. 3%
> of Balinese claim Tri Vamsa (Three Castess - namely Brahmana, Kshatriya and
> Vysya) ancestry versus the rest of the 97 percent who are Shudras.
>
> >Applying the above terminology, I would say that some jatis/castes became
> >lower class(varna).
>
> By themselves ?
Many, presumably, willy nilly found themselves manouvered into lower classes.
> no my friend never. People have always worked hard to elevate
> themselves never go down in the social ladder.
>
> They were culturally/physically subjucated and kept there by this ideology
> which I prefer to call "Spritual Apartheid" or Hinduism
Chaturvarna is not the only feature of Hinduism.
Umbertslyr
>widely in nature and degree.
In the pre aryanized south class stratification was minimal notbwell developed.
>manouvered into lower classes.
Yes we agree Ranjit
>Chaturvarna is not the only feature of Hinduism.
Yes no doubt, but the control of society through religious subjucation was in
the benefit of those in power.(still is) Ask the 90% indians who are realing in
povert today.
Jim K Jacob
I am trying to write you,
your return address is not working(I know must be handy against flaming)
I was wondering if you could send me a message with your real return
address, if you don't mind, as I wanted to converse with. write me back if
you can.
Umbertslyr
South Indians and other natives of India (Dravidians and Austro-Asiatic Mundas)
were neither Hindus nor Shudras. The whole subcontinent was like the American
continent at the time of Spanish conquest. There were people of high culture
like in Indus Valley and Ganges Valley area. There were primitive
hunter-gatherers like we still have in India. There were multitudes of people
in-between these two extreme levels of civilization all over the continent. I
tend to believe the Tamil or Proto Tamil speaking people of the southernmost
India were a relatively cultured people due the location of their region and
commercial and other contacts with the rest of the world. (Encompassing Kerala
and Tamil Nadu)
There is evidence that they had a rudimentary writing system, sense of
nationhood (enam) beyond tribal and clannish origins, belief in god or gods, a
democratic system of electing chiefs and a vibrant commercial and literary
culture. They were not coalesced into an expanding nation state ruled by
autocrats. There was also a large element of hunter gather tribes who were in
the process of acquiring the culture of the coastal people. Obviously there
must have been class exploitation based on relative levels of civilization.
To this melange, the northern traders and lay people introduced Buddhist and
Jaina religious themes. Till the advent of these religions which in itself was
a reaction of native elements in northern India to throw the yoke of casteism
in the form of Vedic religious practices, the elite elements of Indo-Aryans
were not interested in missionary work as they were consolidating their spoils
of the conquest in the north. These foreign religions were eagerly accepted by
the literate elements of the local population as they exposited themes that
were not foreign to their egalitarian culture. But insidiously, this also
introduced them to Sanskrit/Pali languages and other elements of northern
culture. This in a way culturally prepared the natives to the level when the
new wave of Hindu missionaries came to the south later on, the missionaries and
the natives were not treading on completely new territory in spreading and
accepting Hindu religion. The Vedic/Hindu revivalism in north India was
followed by priests and Hindu traders coming south to preach their new religion
with a missionary zeal.
The co-option of southerners into this system was achieved by converting the
local elected chiefs and granting them Kshatriya status thus elevating them
from the status of commoners. This converted elite also became hereditary chefs
who could rule cart blanche as the divine gods power on earth. Once the
co-option of the rulers was successful, all the non-Buddhist/Jaina gods like
Iyyappa, Mariamma and Muruga were given Hindu status like Shasta, Parvati and
Iskanada. Thus the illiterate people of the south were converted next. Thus the
Buddhist/Jaina middle class did not have any choice but to follow this mass
conversion. In north India you can still see that all Jaina people are traders,
thus indicating that they were the educated middle class of the northern
society who have managed to survive. The Buddhist were completely eradicated
from India (the new ones are recent converts)
If you study old Tamil classics (Tamil Grammar particularly) written by Hindu
missionaries in theirs effort to spread their religion;
(like the Portuguese Catholic Friars did in Goa by writing Latinized Konkani
grammar when Konkani already had grammar written by the prior Hindu
missionaries)
they seem to be genuinely perplexed as to the structure of the local society.
One author called Thol Kapiyar (who wrote Thol Kappiyam - oldest surviving
Tamil Grammar in the style of Paininis Sanskrit work 1st century B.C) said in
one of his couplets that the local kings (read chiefs) and merchants were drawn
from the same stock as the local farmers, and all these people intermarried
which was against his religion! There is the evidence that some have been
looking for, vast majority of the locals were all one people who were later
divided upon into castes and converted.
Taeller D
>Vishwamitra
Is it Parashurama and this myth is used from Konkan in Maharastra by the
Saraswat Brahmins all the way to Kerala
.>EELAVAR
I think you mean EZHAVA, Which also means from EZHAM or like you say Tamil name
for Shri Lanka.