https://indianpedia.org/index.php?action=history&feed=atom&title=Cantar_casteCantar caste - Revision history2026-08-01T00:01:24ZRevision history for this page on the wikiMediaWiki 1.45.4https://indianpedia.org/index.php?title=Cantar_caste&diff=398807&oldid=prevAjay Kumar at 16:55, 23 July 20232023-07-23T16:55:12Z<p></p>
<p><b>New page</b></p><div>'''Cantar''' (also spelled ''Shandar'' or ''Sandar'', they are also known as ''Shanar'' and ''Shandrar'') is a [[Sri Lankan Tamils|Tamil]] [[Caste system in Sri Lanka|caste]] found in [[Sri Lanka]]. They are traditionally occupied in Oil-pressing and cultivation.<ref>{{Cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=lEBuAAAAMAAJ|title=Tamils and Moors: caste and matriclan structure in eastern Sri Lanka|last=McGilvray|first=Dennis B.|date=1974|publisher=University of Chicago|isbn=|location=|pages=176|language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=Vp_la9QMGIQC|title=The New Wind: Changing Identities in South Asia|last=David|first=Kenneth|date=2011-06-03|publisher=Walter de Gruyter|isbn=9783110807752|location=|pages=203|language=en}}</ref><br />
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== Etymology ==<br />
The Cantars are also known as ''Shanar.'' The term is proposed as an etymologically corruptive derivative of ''shandrar'', the older term for the community.<ref name=":1">{{Cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=m2puAAAAMAAJ|title=Ceylon and the Dutch, 1600-1800: External Influences and Internal Change in Early Modern Sri Lanka|last=Arasaratnam|first=Sinnappah|date=1996-01-01|publisher=n Variorum|isbn=9780860785798|location=|pages=380, 381|language=en}}</ref><br />
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== History ==<br />
They were originally tree-climbers and toddy tappers. They claim origin from the [[Nadar (caste)|Shanars]] of [[South India]], who settled in Sri Lanka, initially in the [[Puttalam District|Puttalam region]], due to social clashes and overpopulation in South India.<ref>{{Cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=Fb4LAAAAIAAJ|title=Tamil culture in Ceylon: a general introduction|last=Raghavan|first=M. D.|date=1971|publisher=Kalai Nilayam|isbn=|location=|pages=164|language=en}}</ref> <br />
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The [[Jaffna Kingdom]] were known for exporting elephants, which were caught in the [[Vanni region]] and maintained by the Cantars.<ref name=":0">{{Cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=yI4cAAAAMAAJ|title=Early Settlements in Jaffna: An Archaeological Survey|last=Ph.D. Ragupathy|first=Ponnampalam|date=1987|publisher=Thillimalar Ragupathy|isbn=|location=University of Jaffna|pages=210|language=en}}</ref> The Cantars had to pay taxes to the Jaffna kings for producing [[jaggery]] and ''pinattu'' (a sweet or pulp, made of dried [[palmyra fruit]]).<ref name=":1" /> <br />
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The Cantars have in recent centuries taken to [[oil mill]]ing, specializing in [[Sesame oil|gingelly oil]].<ref name=":0" /><br />
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== See also ==<br />
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* [[Nadar (caste)|Nadar]]<br />
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== References ==<br />
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[[Category:Sri Lankan Tamil castes]]<br />
[[Category:Brewing and distilling castes]]</div>Ajay Kumar