Dr. Editor at 05:31, 2 June 2026

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{{short description|Hindu pastoral caste}}
{{use Indian English|date=October 2018}}
{{use dmy dates|date=October 2018}}
{{Infobox caste|caste_name=Konar|classification=|languages=[[Tamil language|Tamil]]|religions=[[Hinduism]]|related=[[Tamil people]]|subdivisions=}}

'''Konar''' (Kōṉār) is Hindu caste found in the Indian state of [[Tamil Nadu]]. They are traditionally a [[pastoral]] community<ref>{{cite book|title= Ethonbotany of India|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=10MiEAAAQBAJ&dq=konars+pastoral&pg=PA15|page=15|year=2016|publisher=Apple academic press|isbn = 9781771883399}}</ref><ref>{{cite book|title= The Stone age in India|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=Y1Li2LLKvEQC&dq=konar+pastoral&pg=PA26|page=26|year=2016|publisher= Asian Educational Services|isbn = 9788120601482}}</ref> involved in cattle herding and cultivation.<ref>{{cite book|title=Journal of Indian History|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=DTVuAAAAMAAJ&q=konar+idaiyar|year=2003|publisher=Department of Modern Indian History}}</ref> They are a part of the [[Yadav]] community.<ref name="(India)1967">{{cite book |author=Andhra Pradesh (India) |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=_Ek_AAAAYAAJ&q=konar+yadav |title=The Andhra Pradesh Education Code, Containing A.P. Acts on Education (with Comments) A.P. Educational Rules, Teachers Subordinate Service (special) Rules, Educational Inspection Code, Teachers Provident Fund Rules Etc. Etc |publisher=Panchayat Publications |year=1967}}</ref><ref>{{cite book |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=g9MVAQAAMAAJ&q=konar+yadav |title=People of India: India's communities |publisher=Oxford University Press |year=1998 |isbn=978-0-19-563354-2}}</ref> They also known as ''Ayar'' and ''Idaiyar'',<ref>{{cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=PozZAAAAMAAJ|title=Religious Festivals in South India and Sri Lanka|last=Richard|first=Guy|publisher=Manohar|year=1982|page=128|isbn=9780836409000 }}</ref> and appear in the ancient [[Sangam literature]] as occupants of the ''[[Sangam landscape|Mullai]]'' (forest region).<ref>{{Cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=-qU5DwAAQBAJ&pg=PA258|title=Possessed by the Virgin: Hinduism, Roman Catholicism, and Marian Possession in South India|last=Bloomer|first=Kristin C.|year=2018|publisher=Oxford University Press|isbn=9780190615093|page=258|language=en}}</ref>{{efn|The five regions that comprised the [[Sangam landscape]]s are literary devices, not geographical areas.<ref name="allchin"/>}}

== Etymology ==
According to [[Alf Hiltebeitel]], Konar is a regional name for [[Yadava]], the caste to which [[Krishna]] belongs.<ref>{{cite book|title=The cult of Draupadī: Mythologies : from Gingee to Kurukserta, Volume 1|author=Alf Hiltebeitel|publisher=Motilal Banarsidass Publishe, 1991 - 487 pages|page=91}}</ref> Several Vaishnavite texts associate Krishna with the Aayar caste, or Konar, most notably the [[Thiruppavai]], composed by goddess [[Andal]] herself, most notably referring Krishna as the “Aayar kulathu mani vilakke”. The caste name is interchangeable with the names ''Konar'' and ''Kovalar'' being derived from Tamil word ''Kōn'', which can mean "king" and "herdsmen".<ref name="allchin">{{cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=YSM9AAAAIAAJ&pg=PA101|title=Neolithic Cattle-keepers of South India|last=Allchin|first=Frank Raymond|publisher=Cambridge University|year=1963|page=101}}</ref><ref>{{cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=ui5gju8MwDUC&pg=PA35|title=The Cult of Draupadi|last=Hiltebeitel|first=Alf|publisher=University of Chicago Press|year=1988|isbn=9780226340463|page=35|author-link=Alf Hiltebeitel}}</ref> The word might be derived from the from [[Tamil language|Tamil]] word ''kōl'', a herdsman's staff.<ref name="allchin"/> The [[Tamil language|Tamil]] word ''kōl'' also means a king's sceptre.<ref>{{cite book|title=Cultural heritage of ancient Tamils|author=Katir Makātēvan̲|publisher=Lakshmi Publications, 1981|page=65}}</ref><ref>{{cite book|title=Śaṅgam polity: the administration and social life of the Śaṅgam Tamils|author=N. Subrahmanian|publisher=Asia Pub. House, 1966|page=71}}</ref>

The word ''Ayar'' might be derived from the Tamil word ''Aa'', meaning ''cow''.<ref name="allchin" /> The term ''idai'' (middle) might refer to the ''[[Forest|Mullai]]'' region, being an intermediate zone between two other Sangam landscapes called ''[[Mountain|Kurinji]]'' (hilly region) and ''[[Agriculture|Marutham]]'' (cultivation region), but probably reflected their intermediate socio-economic status.<ref>{{Cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=ALUvDwAAQBAJ&pg=PA153|title=Historical Dictionary of the Tamils|last=Ramaswamy|first=Vijaya|publisher=Rowman & Littlefield|year=2017|isbn=9781538106860|page=153|language=en}}</ref> ''Idaiyar'' remains the most commonly used word in Tamil for a cow-herder, and another name for Ayars was ''pothuvar'', meaning ''common''.<ref>{{cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=pzgaS1wRnl8C&pg=RA1-PA35|title=Temples of Kr̥ṣṇa in South India: history, art, and traditions in Tamilnāḍu|last=Padmaja|first=T.|publisher=Abhinav publications|year=2002|isbn=9788170173984|page=35}}</ref>

== History ==
According to medieval inscriptions the Konars are mentioned as [[Nanda Baba|Nandaputras]] of [[Yadava]] lineage.<ref name="Temples of Kr̥ṣṇa in South India: History, Art, and Traditions in Tamilnāḍu By T Padmaja "> Conclusion pages 103: "We also get several instances of the patronage extended to Krsna temples by the shepherd class (manradi or Konars ) In one inscription they are significantly called Nandaputras and Tiruvaypadi Nattar of Tondaimandalam"{{cite book |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=pzgaS1wRnl8C&q=Author+Padmaja+temples+of+krishna |title= Temples of Kr̥ṣṇa in South India: History, Art, and Traditions in Tamilnāḍu |isbn= 9788170173984 |access-date=2002-01-01 |last1= Padmaja |first1= T. |year= 2002 }}</ref> Historically some of them have held positions such as kings and chieftains.<ref>{{Cite book |last=Hiltebeitel |first=Alf |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=VncomfRVVhoC&dq=Konar+kings&pg=PA99 |title=The cult of Draupadī: Mythologies : from Gingee to Kurukserta, Volume 1 |publisher=Motilal |year=1988 |isbn=81-208-1000-7 |page=99 |language=en}}</ref>

[[File:Gingee Fort Hill view from road.jpg|thumb|Gingee Fort Hill view from road]]

The [[Gingee Fort]] was originally built by Ananta kon of the Konar Dynasty, around 1190 A.D. and was later fortified by Krishna Konar.<ref name="Hiltebeitel 1991 450">{{cite book|url= https://books.google.com/books?id=VncomfRVVhoC&q=Krishna+Kon&pg=PA90 |title= The cult of Draupadī: Mythologies : from Gingee to Kurukserta, Volume 1|last= Hiltebeitel |first=Alf|publisher= University of Chicago|year=1991|isbn= 81-208-1000-7|page=450}}</ref><ref>{{cite book|url= https://books.google.com/books?id=rHt8DwAAQBAJ&q=konar&pg=PT212 |title= The Nawab's Tears|last= Mani |first=Ajith|publisher= Partridge Publishing |year=2018|isbn= 978-1-5437-0429-7|page= chapter 24}}</ref> It was later modified in the 13th century to elevate it to the status of an unbreachable citadel to protect the small town of saenji. It was also the headquarters <ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.thehindu.com/arts/crafts/Ancient-Futures/article16894623.ece|title=Ancient Futures|first=Divya|last=Sridharan|newspaper=The Hindu|date=27 November 2009|via=www.thehindu.com}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.thehindu.com/features/kids/where-eagles-dare/article4619668.ece|title=Where eagles dare|first=Sanjay|last=Sivadas|newspaper=The Hindu|date=15 April 2013|via=www.thehindu.com}}</ref> domination in northern Tamil Nadu. The fort was built as a strategic place of fending off any invading armies.

The Gingee Fort complex is on three hillocks: Krishnagiri named after Krishna Kon to the north, Rajagiri or Anandagiri named after Ananda kon to the west<ref name="Hiltebeitel 1991 450"/> and Chandrayandurg to the southeast. The three hills together constitute a fort complex, each having a separate and self-contained citadel.

== Notable people ==
*[[Maveeran Alagumuthu Kone]]

== See also ==
*[[Velir]]
*[[Ay dynasty]]
*[[Maniyani (caste)]]
*[[Golla (caste)|Golla]]
*[[Gavli]]
*[[Krishna|Mayon]]

==References==
'''Notes'''
{{notelist}}
'''Citations'''
{{reflist}}
[[Category:Social groups of Tamil Nadu]]
[[Category:Indian castes]]
[[Category:Agricultural castes]]

Konar caste - Revision history

Dr. Editor at 05:31, 2 June 2026