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Paravar
Paravar (also known as Bharathar) is a predominantly Catholic Tamil maritime community, mainly living in the state of Tamil Nadu, and in Sri Lanka. Historically, they were inhabitants of the Neithal (coastal) lands of Tamil Nadu, and find mention in various ancient Tamil literary works.
In modern India, Paravars are concentrated along the coastal belt extending along the Gulf of Mannar, from Kilakarai to Kanyakumari (Cape Comorin). They also live in some pockets along the Arabian Sea coast in Kanyakumari District as well as central Kerala. Paravars have been significant among the population of the port city of Thoothukudi and Ramanathapuram, since the 1580s. Apart from Thoothukudi and Ramanathapuram, Paravars also live in many of the big cities and towns in South Tamilnadu like Tuticorin, Nagercoil, Tirunelveli, Rameshwaram, Thiruchendur and Madurai where they are into diverse professions.
In Sri Lanka, the Paravas (called Bharathas in Sri Lanka) have been a more affluent, merchant community since the British colonial times. Today, they are found in significant numbers in the cities of Negombo and Colombo. A section of the Bharathakula community in Sri Lanka has been classified as a separate ethnic group since 2001, whereas another section which identifies itself as Sri Lankan Tamil live in towns such as Vankalai in Mannar District and Puttalam.
The Paravars have a rich history, starting from their major economic contributions to the coffers of the ancient Pandya kings through their pearl-harvesting and trade, to their later interactions with the Portuguese in the 16th century and later. The arrival of Portuguese soldiers and missionaries in their midst, including the great missionary St. Francis Xavier, resulted in their conversion to the Catholic faith, adoption of Portuguese surnames and also protection against marauding enemies.
The name Paravar literally means "dwellers on seacoast" and is derived from the Old Tamil word paravai meaning "sea" or "expanse". The Paravars may have been the Paradavar mentioned in Sangam literature, who are mentioned in the Pattinappaalai. They were maritime inhabitants of the littoral Sangam landscape known as Neithal, who were involved in pearls-harvesting, boat-building, salt-making, fishing, among other maritime activities. Professor Subramaniam says, they were “ferocious warriors” and constituted the most part of Tamil Navy at all times The name Parathavar may have been derived from the Tamil root word paravai.
The Paravars prefer to call themselves Parathar, also written Bharathar, which may be a corrupted form of the Tamil word padavar meaning "boat men". Another theory proposes that the community originated from ancient Ayodhya and are descendants of the Bharatas clan from the Hindu epic Mahabharata, who were the ancestors of the heroes in the epic.
The Pandya kings, eventually, moved their capital to Madurai. Pandyas were rulers with fish on their flag. There is also a theory that the etymology of the name Meenakshi, for whom the great Meenakshi Temple, Madurai was built, is derived from the Tamil words meen (fish) and aatchi (rule). Thus, some researchers point to the fact that the Pandyans may have been from the Neithal lands of ancient Tamil country, which were then mostly occupied by the Bharathars. Also, in the ancient Tamil epic Cilappatikaram, the Pandyan king is referred to as Korkai Pandyan by Kannagi, which gives credence to the theory that the Pandyas were originally from Korkai, where the Bharathars lived. The Cilappatikaram praises Bharathavars as one who sails high seas, killed whales, one who did pearl and valampuri shell diving, one who runs world’s famous kingdom and city, and kings.
Pearls were major exports from the Pandya Kingdom by the first century AD, and was a major source of revenue for the kingdom. (The pearl diving season usually lasted 20 – 30 days, around March). The Paravas were skilled in diving and in the harvesting of pearls, which were done scientifically. Thus, the control of the Paravas and the Pearls trade led to many skirmishes in the region, right from the ancient Pandyas to the friction between the Muslims, the Portuguese and the Dutch, in later centuries.
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Paravar
Paravar (also known as Bharathar) is a predominantly Catholic Tamil maritime community, mainly living in the state of Tamil Nadu, and in Sri Lanka. Historically, they were inhabitants of the Neithal (coastal) lands of Tamil Nadu, and find mention in various ancient Tamil literary works.
In modern India, Paravars are concentrated along the coastal belt extending along the Gulf of Mannar, from Kilakarai to Kanyakumari (Cape Comorin). They also live in some pockets along the Arabian Sea coast in Kanyakumari District as well as central Kerala. Paravars have been significant among the population of the port city of Thoothukudi and Ramanathapuram, since the 1580s. Apart from Thoothukudi and Ramanathapuram, Paravars also live in many of the big cities and towns in South Tamilnadu like Tuticorin, Nagercoil, Tirunelveli, Rameshwaram, Thiruchendur and Madurai where they are into diverse professions.
In Sri Lanka, the Paravas (called Bharathas in Sri Lanka) have been a more affluent, merchant community since the British colonial times. Today, they are found in significant numbers in the cities of Negombo and Colombo. A section of the Bharathakula community in Sri Lanka has been classified as a separate ethnic group since 2001, whereas another section which identifies itself as Sri Lankan Tamil live in towns such as Vankalai in Mannar District and Puttalam.
The Paravars have a rich history, starting from their major economic contributions to the coffers of the ancient Pandya kings through their pearl-harvesting and trade, to their later interactions with the Portuguese in the 16th century and later. The arrival of Portuguese soldiers and missionaries in their midst, including the great missionary St. Francis Xavier, resulted in their conversion to the Catholic faith, adoption of Portuguese surnames and also protection against marauding enemies.
The name Paravar literally means "dwellers on seacoast" and is derived from the Old Tamil word paravai meaning "sea" or "expanse". The Paravars may have been the Paradavar mentioned in Sangam literature, who are mentioned in the Pattinappaalai. They were maritime inhabitants of the littoral Sangam landscape known as Neithal, who were involved in pearls-harvesting, boat-building, salt-making, fishing, among other maritime activities. Professor Subramaniam says, they were “ferocious warriors” and constituted the most part of Tamil Navy at all times The name Parathavar may have been derived from the Tamil root word paravai.
The Paravars prefer to call themselves Parathar, also written Bharathar, which may be a corrupted form of the Tamil word padavar meaning "boat men". Another theory proposes that the community originated from ancient Ayodhya and are descendants of the Bharatas clan from the Hindu epic Mahabharata, who were the ancestors of the heroes in the epic.
The Pandya kings, eventually, moved their capital to Madurai. Pandyas were rulers with fish on their flag. There is also a theory that the etymology of the name Meenakshi, for whom the great Meenakshi Temple, Madurai was built, is derived from the Tamil words meen (fish) and aatchi (rule). Thus, some researchers point to the fact that the Pandyans may have been from the Neithal lands of ancient Tamil country, which were then mostly occupied by the Bharathars. Also, in the ancient Tamil epic Cilappatikaram, the Pandyan king is referred to as Korkai Pandyan by Kannagi, which gives credence to the theory that the Pandyas were originally from Korkai, where the Bharathars lived. The Cilappatikaram praises Bharathavars as one who sails high seas, killed whales, one who did pearl and valampuri shell diving, one who runs world’s famous kingdom and city, and kings.
Pearls were major exports from the Pandya Kingdom by the first century AD, and was a major source of revenue for the kingdom. (The pearl diving season usually lasted 20 – 30 days, around March). The Paravas were skilled in diving and in the harvesting of pearls, which were done scientifically. Thus, the control of the Paravas and the Pearls trade led to many skirmishes in the region, right from the ancient Pandyas to the friction between the Muslims, the Portuguese and the Dutch, in later centuries.