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''Sengunthar'' or [[Kaikolan]] or [[Kaikolar]] are a large group of [[Tamil people|Tamil]] in southern India. ''Sengunthar'' is a distinguished caste from Tamilnadu. Sengunthar are also known as Kaikolar. This dual name of Senguntar or Kaikolar was used for over 1200 years based on literary evidence. Sengunthars live throughout India and around the world. Sengunthars form a significant proportion of population in various districts of Tamilnadu esp. in Arcot, Kanchipuram, Chingleput, Salem, Erode, Coimbatore, Dharmapuri. Sengunthars use the title of '''[[Mudaliar]]''' after their name <ref>http://books.google.com/books?id=ku8_iRded8gC&pg=PA145&dq=ana+nayakka+mudali&ei=TD3HR-OLCo3WzASztczMAQ&sig=hT3wxTBC8lesKBbuPEUoSJc7ITI</ref>. In this page we will discuss about the history of sengunthars, their culture and customs |
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'''Sengunthar''' or [[Kaikolan]] or [[Kaikolar]] are a large [[Tamil people|Tamil]] and [[Telugu people|Telugu]] socially backward caste <ref>[http://www.tn.gov.in/bcmbcmw/bclist.htm List Of Backward Classes Approved<!-- Bot generated title -->]</ref><ref>[http://ncbc.nic.in/backward-classes/ap.html Central List Of Other Backward Classes<!-- Bot generated title -->]</ref> of weavers in the states of [[Tamil Nadu]], [[Andhra Pradesh]] in southern India. They have close ties of kinship with the '''[[Devadasi]]''' or '''Devaradiyars'''<ref>Artisans in Vijayanagar Society, Vijaya Ramaswamy, Indian Economic & Social History Review, Vol. 22, No. 4, 417-444 (1985)</ref><ref>Folk Traditions as a Source of History, Vijaya Ramaswamy, Indian Economic & Social History Review, Vol. 19, No. 1, 47-62 (1982)</ref>. |
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==Origin== |
==Origin== |
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The Kaikolars also called as Sengunthar, are a large [[Tamil people|Tamil]] and Telugu socially backward caste<ref>[http://www.tn.gov.in/bcmbcmw/bclist.htm List Of Backward Classes Approved<!-- Bot generated title -->]</ref><ref>[http://ncbc.nic.in/backward-classes/ap.html Central List Of Other Backward Classes<!-- Bot generated title -->]</ref> of weavers in the states of [[Tamil Nadu]], [[Andhra Pradesh]] in southern India. Their name comes from a mythical hero and from the words "kai" (hand) and "kol" (shuttle used in looming or spear). They consider the different parts of the loom to represent various gods and sages. |
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They were in the army of Chola dynasty. They are also known as ''Sengunthar'', which means a red dagger and is traced to the legend of the earth being harassed by demons, which led to the people asking the god Shiva to help them. He was furious with the demonic giants and sent six sparks from his eyes. Parvati, his wife became frightened and retired to her chamber but dropped nine beads from her anklets. Shiva converted those beads into nine women, each giving birth to a hero, complete with moustache and daggers. These nine led by Subramanya, with a large army destroyed the demons. Kaikolans or Sengundar claim descent from one of the nine heroes. There are seventy-two subdivisions (nadu or desams). These legends were created at a time when the weaver community had lost its social status and the formuale were efforts at self-glorification<ref>Weaver Folk Traditions as a Source of History, Vijaya Ramaswamy, Indian Economic & Social History Review, Vol. 19, No. 1, 47-62 (1982)</ref> |
They were in the army of Chola dynasty. They are also known as ''Sengunthar'', which means a red dagger and is traced to the legend of the earth being harassed by demons, which led to the people asking the god Shiva to help them. He was furious with the demonic giants and sent six sparks from his eyes. Parvati, his wife became frightened and retired to her chamber but dropped nine beads from her anklets. Shiva converted those beads into nine women, each giving birth to a hero, complete with moustache and daggers. These nine led by Subramanya, with a large army destroyed the demons. Kaikolans or Sengundar claim descent from one of the nine heroes. There are seventy-two subdivisions (nadu or desams). These legends were created at a time when the weaver community had lost its social status and the formuale were efforts at self-glorification<ref>Weaver Folk Traditions as a Source of History, Vijaya Ramaswamy, Indian Economic & Social History Review, Vol. 19, No. 1, 47-62 (1982)</ref> |
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==History of Kaikolars in Medieval South India and 21st Century== |
==History of Kaikolars in Medieval South India and 21st Century== |
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===Ties of Kinship between Kaikolar and Devadasis=== |
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Traditionally, one girl in every family from the [[Sengunthar]]/ [[Kaikolar]] caste was set apart to be dedicated to temple service and becomes a [[Devadasi]] (meaning female servant of god). In the temple, the girl is considered married to the temple deity and she learns traditional music and dancing<ref>Contending identities: Sacred prostitution and reform in colonial South India Priyadarshini Vijaisri A1, A1 Centre for the Study of Developing Societies (CSDS), New Delhi, South Asia: Journal of South Asian Studies Publisher: Routledge, part of the Taylor & Francis Group Issue: Volume 28, Number 3 / December 2005 Pages: 387 - 411. http://journalsonline.tandf.co.uk/link.asp?id=jv31l27518262711</ref><ref>[http://globalindiamissions.org/newsletter/nwsltr0802.htm Manna - Global India Missions Newsletter<!-- Bot generated title -->]</ref><ref>http://www.go2southasia.org/lUS95peoples.html</ref>. |
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This research article talks about the relation between the ''Kaikolan musicians and the Devadasis'' <ref>The Erotic Sculptures of India Y. Krishan, Artibus Asiae, Vol. 34, No. 4 (1972), pp. 331-343</ref> This research article explains the blood relation between the Devadasis and the Kaikolar. (Quoted from article: ''"Devaradiyar (dancing girls who have very close kinship ties with the Kaikkolar"'') <ref>Artisans in Vijayanagar Society, Vijaya Ramaswamy, Indian Economic & Social History Review, Vol. 22, No. 4, 417-444 (1985), http://ier.sagepub.com/cgi/content/citation/22/4/417">Artisans in Vijayanagar Society, Vijaya Ramaswamy, Indian Economic & Social History Review, Vol. 22, No. 4, 417-444 (1985), http://ier.sagepub.com/cgi/content/citation/22/4/417</ref> |
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This research article explains in vivid detail, the way the Kaikkolas used their women to enjoy special privileges in the Vijayanagar empire. (Text Quoted from article: ''At least one woman in every Kaikkola household was, according to age-old tradition dedicated to the temple as a devaradiyar or devadasi. The devaradiyar enjoyed special privileges in the days of the Vijayanagar empire and were the only women permitted a direct audience with the king''<ref>Weaver Folk Traditions as a Source of History, Vijaya Ramaswamy, Indian Economic & Social History Review, Vol. 19, No. 1, 47-62 (1982), http://ier.sagepub.com/cgi/content/citation/19/1/47?ck=nck</ref> |
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This research article (along with references to an inscription) ''describes how a devaradiyar or devadasi won special privileges for the Kaikkolas from the King Deva Raya II (A.D 1433)'' <ref>Weaver Folk Traditions as a Source of History, Vijaya Ramaswamy, Indian Economic & Social History Review, Vol. 19, No. 1, 47-62 (1982), http://ier.sagepub.com/cgi/content/citation/19/1/47?ck=nck</ref><ref>Some Enquiries into the Condition of Weavers in Medieval South India, Indian Historical Review, Vol. VI, Nos. 1 and 2</ref> |
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The research articles clearly define Kaikolars as the Sengunthar-Kaikolars of the terinja-Kaikolar Padai of the Chola empire. There is absolutely no question of ambiguity regarding their identity. |
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Another reference book ''Donors, Devotees, and Daughters of God. Temple Women in Medieval Tamilnadu by Leslie C. Orr.'' gives ample references to inscriptions regarding the Kaikkolars being Devadasis in Tanjore temples during the Chola empire. This research article explains how ''Kaikola women still go into sacred prostitution''<ref>Contending identities: Sacred prostitution and reform in colonial South India Priyadarshini Vijaisri A1, A1 Centre for the Study of Developing Societies (CSDS), New Delhi, South Asia: Journal of South Asian Studies Publisher: Routledge, part of the Taylor & Francis Group Issue: Volume 28, Number 3 / December 2005 Pages: 387 - 411. http://journalsonline.tandf.co.uk/link.asp?id=jv31l27518262711</ref> |
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===Sengunthars Temple Trustees=== |
===Sengunthars Temple Trustees=== |
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As part of their association with the merchant group Ayyavole 500, Sengunthars were responsible for transporting goods manufactured from one area to another in ancient India. Like other merchant groups this led to their settling down in various areas all the way north from the Vindhya mountains i.e. Godavari district to the south in Sri Lanka. Similarly they settled in all the major ports such as Cochin, Mangalore and Malabar areas. This is shown by the fact that Sengunthars were noted for their handling of export goods in Malabar, according to A Sourcebook of Indian Civilization By Niharranjan Ray and Brajadulal Chattopadhyaya (Pg. 458). |
As part of their association with the merchant group Ayyavole 500, Sengunthars were responsible for transporting goods manufactured from one area to another in ancient India. Like other merchant groups this led to their settling down in various areas all the way north from the Vindhya mountains i.e. Godavari district to the south in Sri Lanka. Similarly they settled in all the major ports such as Cochin, Mangalore and Malabar areas. This is shown by the fact that Sengunthars were noted for their handling of export goods in Malabar, according to A Sourcebook of Indian Civilization By Niharranjan Ray and Brajadulal Chattopadhyaya (Pg. 458). |
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===Current Status in the Society=== |
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According to author Leslie C. Orr, the Kaikolar girls who were dedicated regularly came back and married other Kaikolars and occasionally the children of temple also married regular Kaikolars and thus some of them have been assimilated into the Kaikolar caste <ref>Donors, Devotees, and the Daughters of God: Temple Women in Medieval Tamilnadu -Page 158 by Leslie C. Orr - 2000 - 305 pages</ref> |
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This is also confirmed by authors Bannerji, Himani, Mojab, Shahrzad, Whitehead, Judith who describe that most of the present day Kaikolars are offsprings of Kaikolar Devadasis and men from Brahmin communities <ref>Book Of Property and Propriety: The Role of Gender and Class in Imperialism and Nationalism - Page 178 by Bannerji, Himani, Mojab, Shahrzad, Whitehead, Judith</ref> |
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Isai Vellalar are none other than that section of Sengunthar Mudaliars or Kaikolars who were associated with the system of Devadasis<ref>Union Territory of Pondicherry By Francis Cyril Antony, Pondicherry (India : Union Territory)</ref> |
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In present day, the regular Kaikolars have renamed themselves as Sengunthars and the Kaikolar Devadasis have renamed themselves as Isai Vellalar in order to evade detection and for the purpose of social upliftment in the society<ref>Union Territory of Pondicherry By Francis Cyril Antony, Pondicherry (India : Union Territory)</ref>. This is similar to Pallars renaming themselves as Devendra Kula Vellalars and claiming to be the Vellalars and descendants of the Pallavas. |
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==Devadasi Culture and Marriage Customs== |
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According to the book, ''Some Marriage Customs in Southern India:Deformity and Mutilation, Uralis, Sholagas and Irulas by historian Thurston'', A custom prevails among the Kaikolars by which one woman in each family becomes a prostitute, while retaining her caste<ref>Some Marriage Customs in Southern India:Deformity and Mutilation, Uralis, Sholagas and Irulas by Thurston.E</ref>. The girl chosen is taken to the temple where a sword is placed beside her with a tali (marriage badge) under it. The tali is then tied round her neck by any woman present and she returns to her own house where she is permitted to carry on any amours she chooses. <ref>Some Marriage Customs in Southern India:Deformity and Mutilation, Uralis, Sholagas and Irulas by Thurston.E</ref>. She gets her share of the family property just as if no such ceremony had taken place. |
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==Community Legends and festivals== |
==Community Legends and festivals== |
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Revision as of 07:53, 2 April 2008
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Sengunthar or Kaikolan or Kaikolar are a large group of Tamil in southern India. Sengunthar is a distinguished caste from Tamilnadu. Sengunthar are also known as Kaikolar. This dual name of Senguntar or Kaikolar was used for over 1200 years based on literary evidence. Sengunthars live throughout India and around the world. Sengunthars form a significant proportion of population in various districts of Tamilnadu esp. in Arcot, Kanchipuram, Chingleput, Salem, Erode, Coimbatore, Dharmapuri. Sengunthars use the title of Mudaliar after their name [1]. In this page we will discuss about the history of sengunthars, their culture and customs
Origin
They were in the army of Chola dynasty. They are also known as Sengunthar, which means a red dagger and is traced to the legend of the earth being harassed by demons, which led to the people asking the god Shiva to help them. He was furious with the demonic giants and sent six sparks from his eyes. Parvati, his wife became frightened and retired to her chamber but dropped nine beads from her anklets. Shiva converted those beads into nine women, each giving birth to a hero, complete with moustache and daggers. These nine led by Subramanya, with a large army destroyed the demons. Kaikolans or Sengundar claim descent from one of the nine heroes. There are seventy-two subdivisions (nadu or desams). These legends were created at a time when the weaver community had lost its social status and the formuale were efforts at self-glorification[2]
History of Kaikolars in Medieval South India and 21st Century
Sengunthars Temple Trustees
According to India Before Europe by Catherine Ella Blanshard Asher, Cynthia Talbot, Sengunthas attained positions of responsibility at the two major Vaishnavite temples of Srirangam and Tirupati. In Tirupati, they were in charge of distributing the consecrated food offerings to the worshippers. [3]
In the book The Political Economy of Commerce: Southern India, 1500-1650, author Sanjay Subrahmanyam states that many Senguntha families were rich enough to contribute both land and gold to temples. [4][5][6]
According to Ruth Barnes in Textiles in Indian Ocean Societies, in AD 1418 in Tiruvannamalai, Sengunthars were given the right to blow the conch, ride palanquins and elephants and wave the temple fly whisk. [7] [8]
Sengunthars as Merchants
As part of their association with the merchant group Ayyavole 500, Sengunthars were responsible for transporting goods manufactured from one area to another in ancient India. Like other merchant groups this led to their settling down in various areas all the way north from the Vindhya mountains i.e. Godavari district to the south in Sri Lanka. Similarly they settled in all the major ports such as Cochin, Mangalore and Malabar areas. This is shown by the fact that Sengunthars were noted for their handling of export goods in Malabar, according to A Sourcebook of Indian Civilization By Niharranjan Ray and Brajadulal Chattopadhyaya (Pg. 458).
Community Legends and festivals
The Uram aruthar chadangu is a ritual among Kaikkola weavers signifying the re-enactment of soldiering activites by the weaver caste in the memory of militant past. Its a ceremony literally depicting the troops of the enemy that culminates in the the celebration of the Sura Samhara festival. But this ritual by itself is not sufficient evidence to prove the major hypothesis it suggests: that the Kaikkolars were initially mainly warriors and due to some compulsions they had to take up weaving[9].
The Sura Samhara festival is a ritual tradition practised by the Kaikolars to sustain the myth of the divine origin of the weavers with the intention of exalting their caste in the face of actual social inferiority[10]. According to the mythology of weaver community, the Kaikolars weavers were born out of nine gems that were scattered from Parvati's anklet. At the Sura Samhara festival, they dress up as the nine warriors of Virabahu, the lieutenant of Lord Karthikeya and enact the killing of the demon Narakasura[11] These legends were created at a time when the weaver community had lost its social status and the formuale were efforts at self-glorification[12]
Gods/Goddesses
Kaikolars are predominantly Shaivites. They possess a Clan God as most of the castes in Tamil Nadu. Mostly, it is some form of Amman i.e Parvati or Murugan[citation needed].
Kootam/kulam
Kootam defines birth from a single male ancestor. Kootam is transferred patrilineally i.e., via the father of a person. Hence people belonging to the same kootam are considered brothers and sisters. So marriage between a male and female belonging to the same kootam is prohibited however distantly they may be related. Historically there were 72 kootams in Kaikolan. Each kootam had a leader. The head leader in Kanchipuram was the head for all these leaders. This was used to manage disputes within the community. Nowadays, the kootams have merged into one another and there is no well defined leader for each kootam. It is used only for setting up marriage alliances.
Weaving Clans
Kaikolars took up weaving on a mass scale or continued their weaving business exclusively for pretty much the next six to seven centuries. Even though there may have been a few rich Kaikolans doing various businesses including agriculture, the vast majority of Kaikolans were involved in weaving which was not a profitable business due to the industrial revolution[citation needed].
Modern Clans
While the 4 desai nadus, 16 peria nadus and 72 nadus in the Sengunthar have now disappeared as Sengunthar have embraced the modern growth of India, there is still a lot of diversity among Sengunthars.
Certain regions of Sengunthars are still very much separated both by distance, culture and marriage relations. They are
a. Kanchipuram (more than 2 major subgroups)
b. Tiruvannamalai
c. Salem, Erode (more than 10 subgroups)
d. Coimbatore
e. Madurai and southern districts (multiple subgroups)
f. Tanjore, Tiruchi(multiple subgroups)
g. Kerala (Cochin, Trivandrum)
h. Andhrapradesh (Chittoor, Nellore, Prakasam, Hyderabad, etc)
i. Karnataka (Kolar, Bangalore, Mangalore, etc)
Kaikolar regiments
During Chola rule Kaikolars served as soldiers and were called "Terinja kaikolar padai". (Terinja means "known" in Tamil and Padai means "regiment"), so "terinja-kaikolar padai" were the personal bodygurads. Kaikkolars who were initially weavers were militarised during the Chola empire and formed a major part of the Chola army from 8th century to 13th century. There were no Kaikolar army before or after the Chola empire. They formed many regiments in the Chola army. Some of those regiments are:
Singalantaka-terinda-Kaikkolar (a regiment named after Singalantaka i.e. Parntaka I)
Virasola-terinja-Kaikkolar
Kodandarama-terinja-Kaikkolar
Danatonga-terinja-Kaikkolar
Parantaka-terinia-Kaikkolar
Muttavalperra-Kaikkolar - (meaning the "recipient of the pearl ornamented sword" in Tamil)
Samarakesarit-terinja-Kaikkolar
Vikramasingat-terinja-Kaikkolar
Adityapanma-terinda-Kaikkolar
Karikala-Chola-terinja-Kaikkolar
Arumolideva-terinja Kaikkolar
Parttivasekarat-terinja-Kaikkolar
Gangadaditta-terinja-Kaikkola
Madurantaka-terinja-Kaikkolar
Pirantaka-terinja-Kaikkolar
Ootakoothar
Ootakoothar was a court poet of three Chola kings namely Vikrama Chola, Kulotunga-II and Rajaraja II. He wrote poems in praise of these three kings namely Vikrama Cholan Ula, Kulothunga Cholan Ula and Rajarajan Ula. Ottakoothar had also written Kulothungan Pillai Tamil in praise of Chola king Kulothunga II and Saraswathy Andhadhi in praise of Saraswathi the Goddess of learning[citation needed].
Popular Personalities
 | This article needs additional citations for verification. (July 2007) |
Pulavar Govindhan: Former Speaker of Tamil Nadu Assembly.
Ethiraj Mudaliar: Chairman, Binny Group, partner Ramachandra medical college.
K.S.Ravikumar: Tamil film director
R.K.Selvamani director: Tamil film director
P.Vasu director: Tamil film director
M. Nandagopal Executive Chairman, Mohan Breweries and Distilleries Limited, Chennai
Prof. Dr.Arumuga perumal.S, Professor of Computer Science,Fellow of IETE.
Associations
- Socio Economic Service Society (SES) in Nungambakkam - Chennai.
- Sengunthar Mahajana Sangam.
References
- ^ http://books.google.com/books?id=ku8_iRded8gC&pg=PA145&dq=ana+nayakka+mudali&ei=TD3HR-OLCo3WzASztczMAQ&sig=hT3wxTBC8lesKBbuPEUoSJc7ITI
- ^ Weaver Folk Traditions as a Source of History, Vijaya Ramaswamy, Indian Economic & Social History Review, Vol. 19, No. 1, 47-62 (1982)
- ^ India Before Europe by Catherine Ella Blanshard Asher, Cynthia Talbot
- ^ The Political Economy of Commerce: Southern India, 1500-1650 by Sanjay Subrahmanyam
- ^ Textiles and Weavers in Medieval South India by Vijaya Ramaswamy - Business & Economics - 2006
- ^ The Everyday Politics of Labour: Working Lives in India's Informal Economy By Geert de Neve
- ^ Textiles in Indian Ocean Societies By Ruth Barnes
- ^ Mines, Mattison 1984. The Warrior Merchants: Textiles, Trade and Territory in South India.
- ^ Weaver Folk Traditions as a Source of History, Vijaya Ramaswamy, Indian Economic & Social History Review, Vol. 19, No. 1, 47-62 (1982)
- ^ Weaver Folk Traditions as a Source of History, Vijaya Ramaswamy, Indian Economic & Social History Review, Vol. 19, No. 1, 47-62 (1982), http://ier.sagepub.com/cgi/content/citation/19/1/47?ck=nck
- ^ Weaver Folk Traditions as a Source of History, Vijaya Ramaswamy, Indian Economic & Social History Review, Vol. 19, No. 1, 47-62 (1982), http://ier.sagepub.com/cgi/content/citation/19/1/47?ck=nck
- ^ Weaver Folk Traditions as a Source of History, Vijaya Ramaswamy, Indian Economic & Social History Review, Vol. 19, No. 1, 47-62 (1982), http://ier.sagepub.com/cgi/content/citation/19/1/47?ck=nck