Konar (caste)
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| Tamil | |
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Konar , also known as Kon or Ayar or Idaiyar is one of the ancient Tamil castes.[1]
Etymology
Kon
It is worth noting that the Tamil word Kon means both king and herdsman. The word Kon is derived from Kol, meaning a herdsman’s staff or Sceptre. The Konars have reached a stage of tribal Kingship in Sangam age true to their title Kon implying that they were both kings and herdsman. While Kon means king and herdsman, Aycci means both queen and herds-woman. Among the Konar community even today, grandmothers are called by their grand-children as aycchi and not called as paatti, which is the usual Tamil term for grand-mother.
The word Kon means King in ancient Tamil literature.[2]
varappu uyara neer uyarum
neer uyara nel uyarum
nel uyara kudi uyarum
kudi uyara kol uyarum
kol uyara kon uyarvaan
Translation of the above text:
If the ridges of the water canal are raised, the level of the water in the canal can be raised;
If the water level in the canal is raised, the produce of crops (paddy/rice) will be increased;
If the produce of the crop is increased, the subjects will flourish;
If the subjects flourish, the staff will rise;
If the staff rises, the King will flourish.
Both the words kol and kon represent the heritage of the Ayar community.
Idaiyar
The etymology for the word Idaiyar originates from the Tamil word Idai means in-between. The Idaiyar are so called perhaps because they originally inhabited the lands which lay mid-way or in-between the hills and the arable lands, the jungly plains suited for the pasturage.
Ayar
The name Ayar is derived from the Dravidian word A meaning cow. Ayar represents one who owns the cow or one who herds the cattle.
Konars of Sangam age
During the Sangam ages, the Konars or the Idaiyars were called as Ayars. They are the great pastoral people of the Tamil country, as well as land-lords. A remarkable picture of the pastoral groups is given in the early Tamil Sangam literature, dating from the opening centuries of this era.[3] It is well known that there is a division of Tamil land into geographical tracts, each associated with a particular occupational group. The tracts are Kurinci(mountainous), Mullai(forest), Marutam(cultivated / arable land), Neytal(litoral) and Palai(desert). The forest tract that lay in-between the mountainous region and the arable land is associated with the pastoral group, Ayar.[4]
According to V.Kanakasabhai, in his book, "The Tamils 1800 years ago" in Chapter IV, [5] the Ayar or the Cowherd race was distinct from the other races such as Villavar & Meenavar (the ancient tribes of Tamilakam) and Nagas. They were known as Abhiras in Puranic history. In northern India they are still called Ahirs.
In the Tamil land they were also called the Pothuvar or Commons (from the Dravidian word Pothu meaning Common) apparently because they professed friendship to the Nagas and the Tamils alike. They are described, as having reached a stage of kingship in the Chola dominion, but Karikala-Cholan is said to have exterminated their line of Kings and one of them being Irunkovel. Pattinappalai line 281.[6]
The Ayar in the Pandyan dominion had a tradition that the Ayars came into the Tamil land, along with the founder of Pandyan dynasty, who established the Pandya kingdom and consider themselves as Tamils and not Aryas although Pandyas claim descent from the Pandus, as per Kalitthokai stanza 104, II 4 to 6.
Their favorite deity was however their national hero Krishna whose liaison with shepherd girls and feats celebrated in the Mahabharata formed the theme of their festive songs.
Konars in Tamil Society in the 19th & 20th century
From the book "Castes and Tribes of Southern India" written by E. Thurston:[7]
The Idaiyans (Konars) are the great pastoral or shepherd caste of the Tamil country, as well as land-lords. The class consists of several clans, but they may be broadly divided into two sections, the one more thoroughly organized, the other retaining most of the essential characteristics of an aboriginal race. The first section follow the Vaishnava sect, wear the Naamam, and call themselves Yadavas.
Those belonging to the second section stick to their Yaksha worship, and make no pretensions to a descent from the Yadava race. They daub their foreheads with the sacred cow-dung ashes, and are regarded, apparently from this circumstance alone, to belong to Saiva sect.
In the Madras Census Report, 1871, it is noted that milkmen and cowherds appear to hold a social position of some importance, and even Brahmans do not disdain to drink milk or curds from their hands. Further, the Census Superintendent, 1901 writes that “the Idaiyans take a higher social position that they would otherwise do, owing to the tradition that Krishna was brought up by their caste. and to the fact that they are the only purveyors and milk and ghee (clarified butter), etc., and so are indispensable to the Brahmin community.
All Brahmans except the most orthodox, will accordingly eat butter-milk and butter brought by Idaiyans or Konar. In some places, Idaiyans have the privilege of breaking the butter-pot on the Gokulashtami or Krishna’s birthday, and get a new cloth and some money for doing it. The Idaiyans will eat in the houses of Vellalas, Pillais and Nattamans.
The Idaiyans claim that Timma Raja, the prime minister of Krishna Deva Raya of Vijayanagar, who executed various works in the Chengleput district, was an Idaiyan by caste.
Konars in the contemporary Tamil Society
In contemporary Tamil society Konars (Yadavars) are one of the visible middle level land-owing castes.[8]
Castes found in Tamil Nadu in general may be broadly grouped into three categories: Brahmins, caste-Hindus and the Scheduled Castes. While the Brahmins are considered the highest in the caste hierarchy, the non-Brahmin castes are considered as the middle level castes and also called as caste-Hindus.
In contemporary Tamil society Konars (Yadavars) are one of the visible middle level land-owing castes. The other land-owning castes are but not limited to Vellalar, Ahamudayar (Servai), Maravar (Thevar) and the Telegu speaking Naidus. Middle-level castes also include trading castes such as Chettiyar and artisan castes like Thachan (carpenter), Kollan (blacksmith), Nahai Aasari (goldsmith). [9]
The city dwellers among the Konar / Idaiyan community adopt the title Pillai and non city-dwellers still use Konar as their title. Due to the fact that Konars owned huge lands, they ventured into Agriculture, by employing Pallars to tend the agriculture fields. Engagement in Agriculture or Agricultural science is known as Velan and hence some of the Konars came to be known as Vellalar due to their agricultural ventures(not the same as Devendrakula Vellalas as the Devendrakula Vellalas belong to the Scheduled caste).
In the recent times, Konars have been identified with the wider Yadava community in India.
See also
References
- ^ http://theartofalanreid.com/upload/pdf/the-tamils-1800-years-ago.pdf
- ^ http://www.ae.iitm.ac.in/pipermail/ilugc/2004-August/011687.html
- ^ Neolithic Cattle-Keepers of South India
- ^ http://www.rarebooksocietyofindia.org/book_archive/196174216674_10152785561286675.pdf
- ^ http://theartofalanreid.com/upload/pdf/the-tamils-1800-years-ago.pdf
- ^ http://www.ulakaththamizh.org/JOTSArticle.aspx?id=558
- ^ http://www.rarebooksocietyofindia.org/book_archive/196174216674_10152785561286675.pdf
- ^ http://tamilnation.co/caste/ramaiah.htm#Methodology
- ^ http://tamilnation.co/caste/ramaiah.htm#Methodology