https://indianpedia.org/index.php?action=history&feed=atom&title=KaarkaathaarKaarkaathaar - Revision history2026-07-31T10:12:59ZRevision history for this page on the wikiMediaWiki 1.45.4https://indianpedia.org/index.php?title=Kaarkaathaar&diff=507209&oldid=prevIrinaequalliat at 19:21, 22 September 20252025-09-22T19:21:24Z<p></p>
<p><b>New page</b></p><div>{{Short description|Hindu caste found in Indian state Tamil Nadu}}<br />
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{{Use dmy dates|date=September 2019}}<br />
{{Use Indian English|date=September 2019}}<br />
{{Infobox caste<br />
|caste_name= Kaarkaathaar<br />
|country= [[India]]<br />
|region= [[Pandya]] nadu<br />
|populated_states= [[Tamil Nadu]]<br />
|religions = [[Hinduism]]<br />
| languages = [[Tamil language|Tamil]]<br />
}}<br />
'''Kaarkaathaar''' is a subcaste of the [[Vellalar]] [[Hindus|Hindu]] [[caste]] in the [[Indian people|Indian]] [[States and union territories of India|state]] of [[Tamil Nadu]].<ref>{{Cite web |title=Karkathar |url=https://karkathar.com/aboutus.html#:~:text=To%20redeem%20people%20from%20hunger,as%20Pillais,%20sons%20of%20Parvati. |access-date=2023-06-25 |website=karkathar.com}}</ref><br />
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==Etymology==<br />
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Kaarkaathaar, ({{lang|ta|kar}} 'rain', and {{lang|ta|kathar}}, 'protector' in [[Tamil language|Tamil]]), signifying 'The one who protected rain'.<ref>{{Cite book|last=Rajannan|first=Busnagi|title=Salem Cyclopedia: A Cultural and Historical Dictionary of Salem District, Tamil Nadu|url= https://books.google.com/books?id=Ez9uAAAAMAAJ&q=%22Rulers+of+the+clouds%22|publisher=Institute of Kongu Studies (Salem, India). |year=1992|location=India|pages=340|isbn=978-8-19002-880-6|quote=Rulers of the clouds}}</ref><br />
The earliest occurrence of the term ''Velaalar'' (வேளாளர்) in [[Sangam literature]] is in [[Paripatal|Paripadal]] where it is used in the sense of a landowner.<ref name=nathan>{{cite book|title=From Tribe to Caste|author=Dev Nathan|publisher=Indian Institute of Advanced Study|year=1997|page=233}}</ref><br />
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The term Velaalar (வேளாளர்) can be derived from the word Vel (வேள்), Vel being a title that was borne by the [[Velir]] chieftains of Sangam age, among other things.<ref>{{cite book|title=Tamil Culture in Ceylon: A General Introduction|author=M. D. Raghavan|publisher=Kalai Nilayam|year=1971|page=136}}</ref><br />
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The word ''Vellalar'' (வெள்ளாளர் ) may come from the root ''Vellam'' for flood, which gave rise to various rights of land; and it is because of the acquisition of land rights that the Vellalar got their name.<ref name="tkv">{{cite book | url=https://books.google.com/books?id=SWeBAAAAMAAJ&pg=PA64| title= Societas to Civitas: evolution of political society in South India: pre-Pallavan Tamil̤akam | publisher= Kalinga Publications |year= 1993 |first= T. K. |last=Venkatasubramanian | page=64| isbn= 9788185163420 }}</ref><br />
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==History==<br />
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In the years immediately following the [[Sangam period|Sangam age]] (from third to sixth century CE), the Tamil lands were ruled by a dynasty called [[Kalabhra]]s.<ref>{{cite book|title=Madurai Through the Ages From the Earliest Times to 1801 A.D.|author=D. Devakunjari|year=1979|publisher=Publisher: Society for Archaeological, Historical, and Epigraphical Research|page=72}}</ref> Scholar and historian [[M. Raghava Iyengar]] identifies the Kalabhras with the Kalappalar section of the Vellalar and equates king Achyuta Vikranta with Achyuta Kalappala the father of [[Meykandar]] who hailed from the Kaarukaathar community.<ref name=ghose/><ref>{{cite book|title=Social and Cultural History of Tamilnad: To A.D. 1336|author=N. Subrahmanian|publisher=Ennes|year=1993|page=67}}</ref> [[Buddhadatta]], the Pali writer who stayed in the [[Chola]] kingdom and authored Buddhist manuals refers (in the ''Nigamanagātha'' of ''Vinayavinicchaya'', verse 3179) to his patron Achyuta Vikranta who was then (fifth century CE) ruling the Chola kingdom as ''Kalamba-kula nandane'' meaning ''the favourite of the Kalamba family''.<ref>{{cite book|title=The Colas, Second Edition|author=K. A. NILAKANTA SASTRI, M.A., Emeritus Professor of Indian History and Archaeology, University of Madras. Professor of Indology. University of Mysore.|publisher=G. S. Press, Madras|year=1955|page=108}}</ref> In [[Pali]] language as in [[Tamil language|Tamil]], the word Kalamba or Kalambam (in Tamil) means the [[Kadamba tree]], the sacred [[totem]]ic symbol that is associated with Tamil god [[Murugan]].<ref>{{cite book|title=Pāli, A Grammar of the Language of the Theravāda Tipiṭaka|author=Thomas Oberlies, Richard Pischel|publisher=Walter de Gruyter|year=2001|page=88}}</ref><ref>{{cite book|title=Temples of South India|author=K. R. Srinivasan|publisher=National Book Trust|year=1979|page=8}}</ref><br />
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According to tradition, the Karkathar migrated from the Gangetic plains and over time spread over the entire macro region of present-day [[Tamil Nadu]]. According to ''satakams'', the [[Pandya]] country was settled by these people after they had resided in the [[Chola]] country. According to historian [[Burton Stein]], this theory is purely mythical.{{sfnp|Stein|1980|p=320|ps=}}<br />
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Historian Usha R. Vijailakshmi observes that Verse 34 of the fake ''Karmandala Satakam'' written in the year 1936, connects the origin of the Gangas to the origin of the Karakatha Vellalas of southern [[Karnataka]], as follows:<ref name="Vijailakshmi">{{Cite book|last=Vijailakshmi|first=Usha R.|url=https://archive.org/details/karmandala-satakam/page/430/mode/2up|title=KARMANDALA SATAKAM: POLITICO-SOCIO-CULTURAL ANALYSIS OF MEDIEVAL TAMIL LITERATURE ON THE VELLALA COMMUNITY OF SOUTH KARNATAKA|publisher=Indian History Congress|year=2010|location=India|pages=430}}:"The work connects the origin of the Gangas to the origin of the Karkatha Vellalas of Karnataka.<br />
Gangeya Murthaka pala was born to Lord Shiva and he had two wives; the first wife had 54 sons & the second wife had 52 sons. Out of these Bhupalar, (one who practiced Agriculture) gave birth to 35 Vellala leaders, Dhanapalar, who was into trade, gave birth to 35 Vellala leaders Gopalar, (one who herded cattle) and one Agamurthi gave birth to 1 Vellala leader."</ref> <br />
{{blockquote|Gangeya Murthaka pala was born to Lord Shiva and he had two wives; the first wife had 54 sons & the second wife had 52 sons. Out of these Bhupalar, (one who practiced Agriculture) gave birth to 35 Vellala leaders, Dhanapalar, who was into trade, gave birth to 35 Vellala leaders Gopalar, (one who herded cattle) and one Agamurthi gave birth to 1 Vellala leader.}} <br />
The names Bhupālar, Dhanapālar, and Gopālar<ref name="Vijailakshmi"/> refer to the three subdivisions of [[Vaishyas]]. They derive from word-elements associated with each occupational sub-group. For the agriculturists, {{lang|und|bhu}} is used. This refers to the earth, as with the Hindu goddess who represents earth, [[Bhumi (goddess)|Bhūmi]], ({{langx|sa|भूमि|}}). For the merchants, {{lang|und|dhana}} signifies wealth or material goods (Sanskrit: {{lang|sa|धन्य|italic=no}}, {{lang|und|[[wikt:wealth|dhánya]]}}, 'riches') and for the cattle-herders, the element {{lang|und|go}}, signifying cow ({{langx|sa|गो|italic=no}}, 'cow, domestic bovine') is employed.<ref>{{Cite book|last=Rajannan|first=Busnagi|title=Salem Cyclopedia: A Cultural and Historical Dictionary of Salem District, Tamil Nadu|url= https://books.google.com/books?id=Ez9uAAAAMAAJ&q=Bupaalan%2C+Buvaisya|publisher=Institute of Kongu Studies (Salem, India). |year=1992|location=India|pages=340|isbn=978-8-19002-880-6|quote=VELLALAR, Kongu. They are variously referred to as Bupaalan, Buvaisya, Dhevar, Gangavamsam, Rayar and most commonly vivasayee and kudiyaanavar.}}</ref><br />
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According to anthropologist [[Nicholas Dirks|Nicholas B. Dirks]], the [[Pudukottai]] region was sparsely populated until the early Chola period. But with the beginning of the [[Chola]] era, there is strong evidence of increasing agrarian settlement, the growth of villages, institutions, the construction and expansion of temples.{{sfnp|Dirks|1993|p=139|ps=}} According to the Tekkattur manuscript, the Karkathar were initially divided into ''Kanāttars'' and ''Kōnāttars'', each of which had many exogamous sub-divisions. Kōnādu or the land of the king ([[Chola]] country) mostly consisted of the regions north of the river Vellar except for the western part of the state where it included certain regions south of the river as well. Kanādu, literally meaning the land of the forests was included in the [[Pandya]] country. The manuscript goes on to describe the decline in the position of the Karkathar after the initial golden age due to the fighting between the two branches over various issues such as land, rights to the water of the river Vellar, temples etc. and the subsequent settlement and dominance of the Maravars in the region who were initially imported from [[Ramnad]] by both branches. The copper plate inscriptions held by every Maravar community in the region indicates that the Kōnāttu vellalar were victorious in the end.{{sfnp|Dirks|1993|p=140|ps=}}<br />
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==As founders of Saivite Mutts==<br />
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Gnanasambandhar, the founder of the Saivite mutt [[Dharmapuram Adheenam]] that historically managed temples like the [[Thyagaraja Temple, Tiruvarur|Thyagaraja temple]] at [[Thiruvarur]] hailed from this community.<ref>{{cite book|title=The Tyagaraja Cult in Tamilnadu: A Study in Conflict and Accommodation|author=Rajeshwari Ghose|publisher=Motilal Banarsidass Publishers Private Limited|year=1996|pages=255, 257, 258}}</ref><br />
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==Caste-based Reservation Status==<br />
{{See also|Forward caste#Reservation for economically backward among forward castes}}<br />
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The Kaarkaatha Vellalar do not avail any benefits under the reservation quota for [[Other_Backward_Class|Backward castes]].<br />
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==Distribution==<br />
Areas of Karkathar population have included:<br />
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* [[Thanjavur]]. [[Kumbakonam]], [[Ariyalur]], [[Thirupanandal]], [[Nagapattinam]], [[Thiruvarur]], [[Mayavaram]], [[Trichy]], [[Chidambaram]], [[Pudukottai]], [[Cuddalore]], [[Villupuram]] districts.{{sfnp|Mathur|1994|p=153|ps=}}<br />
* [[Attur]] and [[Omalur]] taluks of Salem district.{{sfnp|Baliga|1967|p=121|ps=}}<br />
* Southern districts such as [[Madurai]], [[Theni district|Theni]], [[Dindigul]], [[Ramanathapuram district|Ramanathapuram]], [[Sivaganga district|Sivagangai]], [[Virudhunagar]], [[Thoothukudi|Thootukudi]], [[Tirunelveli|Thirunelveli]] and [[Tenkasi]].{{Citation needed|date=September 2025}}<br />
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==Notable people==<br />
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*[[Meykandar|Meykanda Devar]], the son of Achyuta Kalappaalar and the author of the [[Saivite]] scripture Sivagnana bodham hailed from this community.<ref name=ghose>{{cite book|title=The Tyagaraja Cult in Tamilnadu: A Study in Conflict and Accommodation|author=Rajeshwari Ghose|publisher=Motilal Banarsidass Publishers Private Limited|year=1996|pages=258}}</ref><br />
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== See also ==<br />
{{Portal|Tamils|India|Hinduism}}<br />
*[[List of Vellalar sub castes]]<br />
*[[List of Vellalars]]<br />
*[[Velar (caste)]]<br />
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==References==<br />
'''Citations'''<br />
{{reflist}}<br />
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'''Bibliography'''<br />
{{refbegin}}<br />
* {{citation |title=Salem cyclopedia: a cultural and historical dictionary of Salem District, Tamil Nadu |first=Busnagi |last=Rajannan |publisher=Institute of Kongu Studies |year=1992 |isbn=9788190028806 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=Ez9uAAAAMAAJ}}<br />
* {{citation |title=Madras District Gazetteers: Salem, Madras |first=B. S. |last=Baliga |publisher=Superintendent, Government Press |year=1967 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=FWZDAAAAYAAJ}}<br />
* {{citation |title=The hollow crown: ethnohistory of an Indian kingdom |first=Nicholas B. |last=Dirks |author-link=Nicholas Dirks |edition=Reprinted |year=1993 |publisher=University of Michigan Press |isbn=9780472081875 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=cegr6zH9PFEC}}<br />
* {{citation |title=Peasant state and society in medieval South India |first=Burton |last=Stein |author-link=Burton Stein |publisher=Oxford University Press |year=1980 |isbn=978-0-19-561065-9 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=b-9HAAAAMAAJ}}<br />
* {{citation |title=Volume 10 of Karnataka State Gazetteer, Karnataka (India)}}<br />
* {{citation |title=Applied anthropology and challenges of development in India |first=P. R. G. |last=Mathur |publisher=Punthi-Pustak |year=1994 |isbn=9788185094793 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=PuuAAAAAMAAJ}}<br />
{{refend}}<br />
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==Further reading==<br />
* {{cite book |title=People of India: A - G. |volume=4}}<br />
* {{cite book |title=Social science and social concern: felicitation volume in honour of Professor B.K. Roy Burman}}<br />
* {{cite book |title=Tamil culture in Ceylon: a general introduction |first=M. D. |last=Raghavan}}<br />
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[[Category:Vellalar clans]]<br />
[[Category:Social groups of Tamil Nadu]]<br />
[[Category:Vegetarian communities]]<br />
[[Category:South Indian communities]]<br />
[[Category:Indian castes]]</div>Irinaequalliat