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Paraiyar

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Paraiyar
Regions with significant populations
Tamil Nadu, Kerala, Pondicherry, Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka, Sri Lanka, Malaysia, Singapore, Fiji, South Africa, Guyana
Languages
Tamil, Malayalam
Religion
Mainly but not exclusively, Hinduism
Related ethnic groups
Tamil people

Paraiyar or Parayar (in the past, anglicised as Pariah)[1] is a caste group found in the Indian state of Tamil Nadu and Kerala. In Tamil Nadu though they have been enumerated under three different cast names as Paraiyan, Samban and Adi Dravida, they have generally been referred to as Paraiyar. In northern Tamil Nadu they are known as Paraiyar, in southern Tamil Nadu they are known as Samban. Paraiyan and samban are synonymous with Adi Dravida.[citation needed]

The Indian census of 2001 reported that in Tamil Nadu the Adi Dravida population was about 5,402,755 and the Paraiyan population as 1,860,519.[2]

Etymology

Paraiyar

Robert Caldwell conjectured that the Paraiyar or Paraiyan name was derived from the Tamil word Parai (a drum) because some members of the community act as drummers at marriages, funerals, village festivals, and on occasions when Government or commercial announcements are proclaimed. Whereas later, in the 1891 Madras Census Report, it is recorded that "it is only one section of Paraiyars that act as drummers, nor is the occupation confined to the Paraiyars. It seems in the highest degree improbable that a large, and at one time powerful, community should owe its name to an occasional occupation, which one of its divisions shares with other castes." the census report further notes that the word was unknown in old works such as the Divakaram Tamil dictionary of the 11th century AD.[3] This claim was at least in part contradicted by the Census Report for 1901, which refers to an inscription of the Chola king Raja Raja of around the eleventh century in which the Paraiyar caste is called by its name.[4]

Gustav Salomon Oppert was another who thought that the derivation from Parai was unlikely. He argued that it was a "weak foundation" and that the name was "most probably an afterthought, the more easily explicable since the lower classes delighted in the noise of the drum, and the name of the drum-beating class was transferred to the instrument by which the Pariah made his presence known." He thought the name to be "intimately connected" with the names of other communities such as the Paravars, Paradas, Bhars and Mhars.[5]

Pariah

The name Pariah became famous as the Paraiyars were considered typical of the depressed castes in India. The mistaken use of the term Pariah as being applicable to the whole of the lowest castes, or even to out-castes, became generally known in Europe during the last quarter of the 18th century. The natives of India never designate the lower castes of other parts of the country as Pariahs.[6]

History

An eleventh century A.D. inscription states paraiyars had two sub-divisions, the Nesavu or weavers, and Ulavu or ploughmen and this caste had its own hamlets, wells and burning-grounds.[7] One sub-group of Paraiyars — the Valluvans — were renowned as magicians, astrologers and were priests to the Pallava kings.[4]

A Vatteluttu inscription of the ninth century A.D., states that "Sri Valluvam Puvanavan, the Uvacchan (or temple ministrant), will employ six men daily, and do the temple service." The inference is that the Valluvan was a man of recognised priestly rank, and of great influence. The prefix Sri is a notable honorific. By itself this inscription would prove little, but the whole legendary history of the greatest of all Tamil poets, Tiruvalluvar, " the holy Valluvan," confirms all that can be deduced from it.[4]

Caldwell says that, There were various errors respecting the origin of the Pareiyas and their position as low-caste, as they were numerous in Madras presidency and were the majority of the domestic servants than other similar class, frequently brought into contact with Europeans[8] and Anglo-Indians who were not acquainted with the vernacular languages, often designated Pareiyas as outcasts, who were without caste, or who have no caste to lose.[9]

and writes that

" There were various traditions amongst the Pareiyas that their position in the society at some former period was much more honourable and theirs was the most distinguished caste, they were reduced to their present position, as a punishment for the haughty behaviour of their ancestors to some ancient king; on which occasion the Vellalas, who are now called Tamirar, or Tamilians, par excellence, were raised to the place previously occupied by them."[10]

Jean-Antoine Dubois writes:

In very early days however the separation between the Parayas and others do not appear to have been so marked as at present. Though relegated to the lower grade in the social scale Parayas were not then placed absolutely outside and beyond the line of demarcation between them and the Sudras being almost imperceptible and they are even today considered to be direct descendants of the better class of agricultural labourers. The Tamil Vellalas and the Vockalikas (Vockaliyar) do not disdain to call them their children.[11]

Caldwell states that

The Pareiyas constitute a well-defined, distinct, ancient caste, independent of every other; and the Pareiya caste has subdivisions of its own, its own peculiar usages, its own traditions, and its own jealousy of the encroachments of the castes which are above it and below it. They were numerous and in the city of Madras they numbered twenty one per cent, of the Hindu population.[9]

and that

" Though the Pareiyas themselves will admit that they belong—or, as they would prefer to say, that they belong at present—to the lowest division of castes, and are not fabled to have sprung from even the least noble part of Brahma; nevertheless, they are not the lowest of the castes... I am acquainted with several castes of the Tamil country, which are considered lower than the Pareiyas in the social scale ... It is not known by Europeans who sympathise on the Pareiyas, that, whenever they have an opportunity, the Pareiyas deal out the very same treatment to other castes which are inferior to them — e.g., the caste of shoemakers, and the lowest caste of washermen; that they are, equally with the higher castes, filled with that compound of pride of birth, exclusiveness, and jealousy, called 'caste feeling'."[12]

Edgar Thurston notes that there is some evidence that their social position may at one time have been higher than it was when he was writing in 1909,[4] and also states that Some of their privileges, duties and facts show that they represent the original owners of the land, subjected by conquerors.[7] Some scholars presume that Paraiyars must have been followers of Buddhism, constituted the original population and after the invasion by Brahmanical conquerors, they lost their culture, religion, wealth and status in the society and become destitute.[13]The writers Thiruvalluvar and Auvaiyar, as well as the architect of Hastinapur, were all Paraiyars.[14](Irschick (1994), p. 177.)

Paraiyar and Brahmin connection legends

In a note on the Paraiyans in the Gazetteer of Trichinoply District, it written as follows.

They have a very exalted account of their lineage, saying that they are descended from the priest SalaSambavan, who was employed in a Siva temple to worship the god with offerings of beef, but who incurred the anger of the god by one day concealing a portion of the meat, to give it to his pregnant wife, and was therefore turned into a Paraiyan. The god appointed his brother to do duty instead of him, and the Paraiyans say that Brahman priests are their cousins. For this reason they wear a sacred thread at their marriages and funerals. .... It is a curious fact that, at the feast of the village goddess, a Paraiyan is honoured by being invested with a sacred thread for the occasion by the pujari (priest) of the temple, by having a turmeric thread tied to his wrists, and being allowed to head the procession. This, the Paraiyans say, is owing to their exalted origin.[15]

In the Census report of 1891, it is mentioned that

The Valluvans(Paraiya priests) were priests to the Pallava kings before the introduction of the Brahmans, and even for some time after it.[4]

A.C. Clayton records that

he saw a Brahman women worshipping at Paraiyan shrines in order to procure children, and then a Paraiyan exorciser treating a Brahman by uttering mantrams (consecrated formulae), and waving a sickle up and down the sufferer's back, as he stood in a threshing floor.[16]

The following extract is taken from a note on the Paraiyans of Travancore.[15]

In the Keralolpathi, they are classed as one of the sixteen hill tribes. Concerning their origin the following tradition is current. They were originally Brahmans, but, on certain coparceners partitioning the common inheritance, the carcase of a cow, which was one of the articles to be partitioned, was burnt as being useless. A drop of oil fell from the burning animal on to one of the parties, and he licked it up with his tongue. For this act he was cast out of society, and his descendants, under the name of Paraiyas, became cow-eaters.[15]

The Paraiyars of Northern Travancore held a traditional belief "that they were a division of the Brahmans, who were entrapped into a breach of caste by their enemies, through making them eat beef."[17]

There is an old tamil saying, "பார்பனுக்கு மூத்த பறையன் கேட்பார் பேச்சு கேட்டு கீழ் சாதி ஆனானே", which shows the old high positions of Paraiyars

A subdivision of Tamil Brahmans as Madyana Paraiyans.

Prathamasaki:These Brahmans were sometimes called Prathamasaka, In the Tanjore district, the Prathamasakis are said to be known as Madyana Paraiyans. The following quaint legend is recorded in the Gazetteer of that district: " The god of the Tiruvalur temple was entreated by a pujari of this place (Koiltirumulam) to be present in the village at a sacrifice in his (the god's) honour. The deity consented at length, but gave warning that he would come in a very unwelcome shape.He appeared as a Paraiyan (Pariah) with beef on his back, and followed by the four Vedas in the form of dogs, and took his part in the sacrifice thus accoutred and attended. All the Brahmans who were present ran away, and the god was so incensed that he condemned them to be Paraiyans for one hour in the day, from noon till 1 P.M., ever afterwards. There is a class of Brahmans called midday Paraiyans, who are found in several districts, and a colony of whom reside at Sedanipuram five miles from Nannilam. It is believed throughout the Tanjore district that the midday Paraiyans are the descendants of the Brahmans thus cursed by the god. They are supposed to expiate their defilement by staying outside their houses for an hour and a half every day at midday, and to bathe afterwards; and, if they do this, they are much respected.[18]

and

In Kerala the most important Legend of Parayi petta panthirukulam, Pakkanar (Paraiyar) was one of the twelve children of a great Brahmin Vararuchi and his low caste wife. The story or myth states that During Vararuchi's travels along the Nila river, his wife had given birth to twelve children. The children left out in the forest were subsequently found, adopted and raised by families belonging to different communities, recognised one another as they grew up. Those twelve sons were: Mezhathol Agnihothri (Brahman), Pakkanar (Parayan), Rajakan (Washerman), Naranath Bhranthan (Elayathu, a lower class Brahman), Kaarakkal Maatha (high caste Nair), Akavoor Chaathan (Vysyan), Vaduthala Nair (Nair Soldier), Vallon (Thiruvalluvar of Tamil Nadu), Uppukottan (Muslim), Paananaar (Paanan, a low caste of country musicians), Perumthachan (carpenter), Vaayillaakkunnilappan (deity).[19]

Right-hand caste faction

Paraiyars belong to the Valangai ("Right-hand caste faction"). Some of them assume the title Valangamattan ("people of the right-hand division").[20] The Valangai comprised castes with an agricultural basis while the Idangai consisted of castes involved in manufacturing.[21] Valangai, which was better organized politically,[22] J.A. Dubois on Valangai writes "The Paraiyars are its chief support, as a proof of which they glory in the title ‘Valangai-Mougattar’, or friends of the Right-hand".[23]

Caldwell states that "In the insane dispute about pre-eminence, which is always being carried on in Southern India between the 'right hand' and the 'left hand' castes, the Pareiyas (Paraiyars) range themselves on the right hand."[24]

British colonial era

Thurston states during his time(1909),The Paraiyars are very largely employed as domestic servants by Europeans and the Christian Paraiyas had become ' Native Christian ' caste, and achieved University honours, the wearing of the surplice, and the rod of the pedagogue,[25] and a number of them emigrated to Ceylon, Mauritius, South Africa, the West Indies, the Straits Settlements, and to Fiji.[26]

Paraiyars as a Disinherited sons

In the second half of the 19th century Paraiyars are described as ‘disinherited sons of the earth’ are found again and again in official documents and reformist tracts.[27][28] This new definition of the Paraiyars is first found in a text of Francis Whyte Ellis, from the year 1818, in which he writes that the Paraiyars “affect to consider themselves as the real proprietors of the soil”. In 1894,William Goudie, a Weslyan missionary states that the Paraiyars are self evidently the “disinherited children of the soil”.[28]

Paraiyars in Sakya Buddha Society and Theosophical Society

Iyothee Thass, a Siddha doctor by occupation, belonged to a Paraiyar elite. In 1898, Thass and a large number of his followers converted to Buddhism and founded the Sakya Buddha Society (cākkaiya putta caṅkam) with the influential mediation of Henry Steel Olcott of the Theosophical Society. Olcott subsequently and greatly supported the Tamil Paraiyar Buddhists.[29]

ātitirāvịţa jaṉa capai (Adidravida jana sabai) and the term ātitirāvịţa (Adidravida)

The Parayar Mahajana Sabha was founded by Rettamalai Srinivasan in 1892 and in 1895 Thass founded the “People’s Assembly of Urdravidians” (ātitirāvịţa jaṉa capai)or(Adidravida jana sabai) in Madras. Michael Bergunder states that, it was the circles around Iyothee Thass claimed the description ‘Urdravidian’ (ātitirāviţar) or (Adidravidar), still a common synonym for Paraiyars in South India and Iyothee Thass Was the first to introduce the concept ātitirāvịţa (Adidravida) into political discussion and In the 1920s and 1930s E.V.Ramasami ensured the wide dissemination of this term.[30]

List of Paraiyars

Legendary poet and poetess

Religious and spiritual leaders

Social reformers and activists

  • Iyothee Thass Pandithar (1845–1914), founded the Sakya Buddhist Society (also known as Indian Buddhist Association)
  • Rettamalai Srinivasan (1860–1945), a Dalit activist, politician from the Indian state of Tamil Nadu.
  • M. C. Rajah (1883–1943), a Dalit politician, social and political activist from the Indian state of Tamil Nadu
  • J. Shivashanmugam Pillai (1901–1975), first Dalit mayor of Madras and first speaker of Madras Legislative Assembly since India's independence.
  • N. Sivaraj (1892–1964), Indian lawyer and politician. former Mayor of Madras and Member of Lok Sabha.

Politicians

See also

Notes

Citations

  1. ^ Clayton & Karunakarara (2004) [1903], p. 53.
  2. ^ Tamil Nadu — Data Highlightst: The Scheduled Castes — Census of India 2001 (PDF). p. 1. Retrieved 20 March 2012.
  3. ^ Thurston (1909), Vol. VI, p. 77.
  4. ^ a b c d e Thurston (1909), Vol. VI, p. 82.
  5. ^ Oppert (1893), p. 32.
  6. ^ James Hastings (2003), Vol. 18, p.636.
  7. ^ a b Thurston (1909), Vol. VI, pp. 82-83.
  8. ^ Caldwell (1875), p. 543.
  9. ^ a b Caldwell (1875), p. 545.
  10. ^ Caldwell (1875), pp. 547-548.
  11. ^ Dubois (1899), p. 52.
  12. ^ Caldwell (1875), pp. 545-546.
  13. ^ Bergunder (2004), pp. 67 - 72.
  14. ^ a b c Irschick (1994), p. 177. Cite error: The named reference "Irschick2001p177" was defined multiple times with different content (see the help page).
  15. ^ a b c Thurston (1909), Vol. VI, pp. 84-85.
  16. ^ Thurston (1909), Vol. VI, p. 84.
  17. ^ Thurston (1909), Vol. VI, p. 139
  18. ^ Thurston (1909), Vol. I, pp. 344-345.
  19. ^ Thurston (1909), Vol. I, pp. 120-124.
  20. ^ Thurston (1909), Vol. VI, pp. 81, 91.
  21. ^ Gift Siromoney (1975). "More inscriptions from the Tambaram area". Madras Christian College Magazine, Vol. 44, 1975. Madras Christian College Magazine. Retrieved 21 September 2008.
  22. ^ Caste Ideology and Interaction, Pg 105
  23. ^ Dubois (1899), p. 25.
  24. ^ Caldwell (1875), p. 546.
  25. ^ Thurston (1909), Vol. VI, pp. 114.
  26. ^ Thurston (1909), Vol. VI, pp. 89.
  27. ^ Irschick (1994), pp 153–190.
  28. ^ a b Bergunder (2004), p. 68.
  29. ^ Bergunder (2004), p. 67.
  30. ^ Bergunder (2004), p. 69.
  31. ^ Thurston (1909), Vol. VI, p. 78.
  32. ^ Mylapore Institute for Indigenous Studies; I.S.P.C.K. (Organization) (2000). Christianity is Indian: the emergence of an indigenous community. Published for MIIS, Mylapore by ISPCK. p. 322. ISBN 978-81-7214-561-3. Retrieved 7 April 2012.
  33. ^ vck
  34. ^ Namadhu Thamizhmann:: Monthly Magazine for VCK

Bibliography

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