Mukkulathor
Mukkulathor or Mukulathar (Tamil:முக்குலத்தோர்) literally means the trinity of ancient royal lineages. The title refers specifically to three related Tamil aristocratic and warrior clans that once ruled South India and Sri Lanka. The trinity comprises Kallar, Maravar and Agamudaiyar. They carry the title "Thevar", meaning 'divine being' appended to their names. They are Tamils and were traditionally Hindus while some had become Christians. Today they constitute a significant part of Tamil community in India, Sri Lanka and among the diaspora around the world.
Origins
Kallar
Kallars along with Maravars and Agamudaiyar are an ancient martial caste in TamilNadu, South India. Kallar, Maravar, Agamudayar, Vellalar, Agamudaya Mudaliar or Udayars all originated from the ancient Tamil race called kalabar (citation needed) of the ancient Indian subcontinent. From kalabar first people are called as piranmalai kallar according to place the title changes as maravar, agamudayar, cholarkula tanjore kalla nattar, pandiya vellalars, chola vellalars, chera vellalar or (having pillai, Mudaliar title), vellalamudaliyars, agamudaya mudaliars or udayar etc.
"Kallar'(Tamil: கள்ளர்) as a fearless tribe show many signs of independence and non-submission to any form of subjugation. Throughout Tamil history they had fought against incursions into their territory including the repulsion of Muslim and British colonialists. They were expert soldiers and in the olden days, were often favoured by the Tamil Kings in their military recruitment. One of the weapons the Kallars have in common with the Australian natives is the use of boomerang. They were and still are largely farmers as well.
Kallars are found largely in Madurai, Tanjavur, Thiruchi, Theni and Ramanathapuram. One of their popular deities is Kallazhagar who is a warrior form of Lord thirumal or venkadavan (don't confuse with aryan vaishnavist Lord Vishnu or Rama because the dravidian religion is saivam or siva matham woshiping nature like sun as fire, earth, water, wind, andam or ether, our forefathers like siva, sakthi, muruga, veera bagu thevar and our family kula theivams like karuppu swami, kallazhagar, amman mother goddess etc. (after the invasion of naickers of chalukya dynasty they woshipped the kallazhagar as vishnu and venkada subramaniam as balaji or venkadajalapathi all these deitys are saivist born lord's)). Lord thirumal is also known as Mayandi or "Karuppan Swami" among the Kallars.
"Piramalai Kallar" is one important subcaste of the main Kallar groups.They are the most conservative group and todate maintain indigenous rituals that are recorded even in the most ancient of the Tamil literature that goes back to 300 years B.C. They are found mostly in the districts of Madurai and Theni. One of their most hurtful experiences in their lives was the deep humiliation by the British Colonialists who attempted to confine all male members of the community to stand all night within a circle drawn on the ground. Muthuramalinga Thevar ayya, a highly popular community leader successfully fought against this subjugation. Their popular deity is Amman, the Mother Goddess.
"Ambalakkaarar" is another subcaste found mostly in the east of Madurai.
Maravar
Maravar are one of the earliest social groups to be mentioned by the Sangam Tamil literature, thus indicating an age old association with Tamil lands of at least 2,000 years. They are mentioned by the authors as part of the landscape beyond settled life in cities in the ancient Tamilakam. Maravar means in Tamil warrior.Maravars are the courageous breed and were involved in the major wars Tamilnadu witnessed.
Nativist roots
Other historians postulate that Maravar is derived from Tamil language term Marutham for kind of place (called as Thinnai) they originally lived in (See Ancient Tamil country). The name of the city Madurai is also postulated to be derived from Maruthai and honorific title of local Pandya kings.
Agammudaiyar
Also known as Agam Padaiyar (defending soldiers)or in pure Tamil agam udayar means(agam-prestige udayar-having) indicating a specialization as soldiers. Agam can also be comapared with heart as in (Agathin Azhagu Mugathil Theriyum),and can be interepreted as people with a good heart.Although their name is attested later in literature they and the culture is indigenous to the area and are ancient in origins.
Some believe these castes formed as part of military formation of Kallap Padai or hustlers, Marap Padai or soldiers and Agap Padai or defenders, although no evidence has been put forward towards this theory. The mukulathor who moved to northern Tamil nadu formed chola dynasty are later become agamudaya mudadliyars or udayar,sozhiavellalar(chola vellalar),kaikola maravar padai (who are warriors served in chola dynasty) still now they use tiger as there flag emblem.
kallar, Maravar, Ganathathore Agamudayar mella mella vanthu Vellalar anargal.
The mukulathor who moved to south&western Tamil nadu formed chera dynasty are later become pillai (saiva pillai)(nanjil vellalar).they have no relations with ettuveetill pillamar and other nair pillais of south travancore.
Legends of the British Era
Marudu brothers Periya Marudhu and Chinna Manrudhu are the sons of Udayar Servai alias Mookiah palaniappan servai and Anandayer alias Ponnathal. They are native of Kongulu street of Ramnad. The Marudu brothers with 12,000 armed men surrounded Sivaganga and plundered the Nawab's territories. The Nawab on the 10th of March 1789 appealed to the Madras Council for aid. On 29 April 1789, the British forces attacked Kollangudi. It was defeated by a large body of Marudu's troops. He was in close association with Veera Pandiya Kattabomman of Panchalankurichi. Kattabomman held frequent consultations with Marudhus.
Pooli Thevar is another legend in Thirunelveli district of Southern Tamilnadu who fought the British during the 1755 and is the first king who fought and defeated the British in India on several wars before he was defeated by British forces in collaboration with the Trivancore forces
Padal vellaiya devan is the important legend in tirunelveli district of southern tamilnadu who fought the British with the kattapomman.his son desakaval senbaga devar also the legend
Queen Velu Nachiyar from Ramanadhapuram district of Southern Tamilnadu is another noted personality who fought with the British during early British Era.
Descendents of the Very First Modern Humans
Dr Spencer Wells and Dr Pitchappan have found an ancient DNA marker in the blood of Piramalai Kallar that links them to the very first modern humans who migrated out of Africa about 60,000 years ago and travelling through the southern coastline of Asia had eventually reached Australia. From this it is clear that the Piramalai Kallar can be said to be the longest living human tribe in India and one of the oldest in the world.
Current status
Although a great many of the members are still agriculturalists many have also progressed up the social ladder as doctors, engineers, entrepreneurs, politicians and civil servants.
Members of these castes are also found in the Tamil diaspora across the world,the word AGAM-PADAIYAR,or AGAP-PADAI, has a similarity with the surname AGAMPADI,in Srilanka which is used amongst one of the sub castes in the Sinhalese Salagama caste "Hewapanne"(Warriors)the name "AGAMPADI",(AGAMPU)+(ADI=TO HIT) or "AGAMPODI is used in front of their surnames, (e.g.),Agampadi Thabrew, Agampodi De Zoysa,Agampadi Jayathileke,Agampadi Abeysekara, etc...they are very proud of the military tradition of their ancestors,according to a legend, their ancestors were mercenary soldiers,from South India,who were brought to protect Royal Palaces,& to fight wars, they were highly trained in Martial Arts,Sword Fighting, etc...they were supposed to have fought valiantly against the Portuguese,there were apparently, several military camps in the southern part of Srilanka,& some of these soldiers married local Salagama women & got assimilated in to the Salagama caste.
Some of them have embrassed Christianity. There was a familiar priest in Tirunelveli - Rev Issac Abraham who was given a status of Sainthood by the local people for his exemplary living and generousity. He and his wife were buried near the church at Pannaivilai. His descendants and relatives were also serving as pastors such as Rev Jeevanandam, Rev M D Joshva in the Church of South India. One of his family person is working as a professor at Birmingham University. His name is Rev Dr Joshva Raja. They come originally from Seevaleperi. the commonly used titles & surnames of this community, are Thevar, Nattaar,Thalaivar, Ambalakarar, vandiyars, salvars, kaduvettiar, Agamudaiya Mudaliar. this title differ according to the region they live etc. Women use the title Nachiyaar, and it's a general practice in Southern Tamil Nadu to address a Thevar woman as "Nachchiyaar". In present day "nachiyaar" become "Achi".
The code of sucide by warriors or maravars in ancient tamilnadu
Avippali, Thannai, Verttal, Vallan pakkam, Pun Kilithu Mudiyum Maram and Marakkanchi:
the forms of martial suicide and suicidal battle of the warrior as the ultimate expression of his loyalty to his commander. These six forms of martial suicide are defined as described by the works referred to above.
Pulla Vazhkai Vallan Pakkam – the martial attitude of the warrior who goes forth into suicidal battle is mentioned by Tholkappiyam. The other works refer to it as Thannai Verttal. Duarte Barbosa describes the practice among the Nayar (of the Chera kingdom). It was later noticed by British officials as well. It was also prevalent among the Maravar (of the Pandya kingdom) from whom the suicidal Aapathuthavi bodyguard was selected. Thannai Verttal also refers to the suicide of a warrior on hearing that his king or commander has died (Purapporul Venpa Malai). Punkilithu Mudiym Maram is the martial act of a warrior who commits suicide by tearing apart his battle wound.
Another form of martial suicide mentioned by all the works except Veera soliyam, is Avippali. Tamil inscriptions speak of it as Navakandam. Inscriptions found in many parts of Tamilnadu provide greater information on the practice. Navakandam is the act of a warrior who slices his own neck to fulfil the vow made to korravai – the Tamil goddess of war – for his commanders’ victory in battle. The Kalingathu Parani(10) – a work which celebrates the victory of the Chola king Kulotunga and his general Thondaman in the battle for Kalinga, describes the practice in detail. “The temple of korravai is decorated with lotus flowers which bloomed when the warriors sliced their own necks”(106); “they slice the base of their necks; the severed heads are given to the goddess”(111); “when the neck is sliced and the head is severed, the headless body jumps with joy for having fulfilled the vow”(113).
The epics of Chilapadikaram (5: 79-86) and Manimekalai (6: 50-51) mention the practice. To ensure the complete severing of the head, the warrior tied his hair to a bamboo bent taut before he cut his neck. Hero stones depicting this practice are found all over Tamil Nadu, and are called Saavan Kallu by locals. The warriors who thus committed suicide were not only deified in hero stones (saavan kallu) and worshipped but their relatives were given lands which were exempted from tax(11).
An area handbook (Tharamangalam) of the Tamilnadu archeology department notes that “the Nava Kandam sculpture which is found widely all over Kongu Nadu (Coimbatore, Salem) is to be seen at the Tharamangalam Kailasanathar kovil also. The people call it Saavan Kallu. “The practice of Nava Kandam existed in Kongu Nadu till the early part of this [i.e., 20th] century.”(12)
A Saavan Kallu at Thenkarai Moolanatha sami Kovil in Madurai, depicting the act of a warrior holding his hair with his left hand and slicing his neck with his right – 14th century – is said to be annually worshipped by the Conjeevaram Mudaliyars.(13) The Conjeevaram Mudaliyars are Kaikola marava perumpadai or Sengunthar, a presentday weaving caste which was militarized under the Chola empire and was made into a special military body; there are indications that Kaikolar warriors practiced Nava Kandam(14).
Apart from these codified forms of martial suicide, a method called Vadakkiruththal is mentioned in Tamil heroic poetry. It is the act of a warrior king fasting to death, if some dire dishonour were to come upon him(15). The Tamil teacher, and the Dravidian propagandist, turned the song of the legendary Chera king Irumborai who committed suicide when he was taken captive by his enemies into a compelling theme in Tamil renaissance.
The Avippali form of martial suicide as the ultimate expression of loyalty to one’s commander, is deeply embedded in the Tamil psyche. Senchorru-kadan (the debt of red rice) is a phrase that is widely used today by Tamils as an expression of loyalty. One frequently hears of it in a popular Tamil song. The phrase sands for the ritual of partaking of rice by which Maravar and other Tamil military caste warriors bound themselves to their king or commander to die in suicidal battle for him, or to commit suicide on the day he was slain. Of Avippali, the Puraporul Venba Malai ([verse] 92) says, “thinking of nothing but the red (blood) rice the Maravar give their life as offering in battle.”
The ritual of red or blood rice was described by two Muslim travellers who had visited the Tamil country in the 9th century. “A quantity of cooked rice was spread before the king, and some three or four hundred persons came of their own accord and received each a small quantity of rice from the king’s own hands, after he himself had eaten some. By eating of this rice, they all engage themselvesto burn themselves on the day the king dies or is slain; and they punctually fulfill their promise.”(16) In modern times it has been observed that “when a Maravar takes food in the house of a stranger, he will take a pinch of earth and put it on the food before he commences his meal.”(17) This act freed him from the debt of blood rice.[1]
Popular personalities of the community
See List of prominent mukulathor actor arun pandian actor vivek
Reference
^ *Untouchability and Inter-caste relations in Rural India: The case of Southern Tamil Villages by A. Ramaiah Journal of Religious Culture, No 70 (2004)
^ *" Social Organization and Religion of the Pramalai Kallar" by Louis Dumon, Oxford India Paperback,(2000)