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Topics in this digest:
1. History of Paravas: Caste that stradles both Tamil & Sinhal identity
in SL
From: "RVS" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
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Message: 1
Date: Thu, 18 Aug 2005 22:06:10 -0000
From: "RVS" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
Subject: History of Paravas: Caste that stradles both Tamil & Sinhal identity
in SL
History of Paravas:
As in other aristocratic tamil caste such as devars , Paravars are
also are very proud about their caste heritage. There are many
historic reasons for the closer relation with Pandiyan kingdom of
Madurai and the Tuticorin the port city of Pandiyan kingdom, which
was the stronghold of paravars.The Paravars were the chiefs of the
coastal region and they ruled their areas as subordinates of the
Pandyas of the Sangam age ([1] [1]. The Paravars head quarter was
KORKAI harbour during the regime of Pandiyan Kingdom and they all
spread into 22 fishing hamlets namely Rajackal Mangalam, Kovalam,
Kanyakumari, kumariMuttam, Kootapuli, Perumanal, Idinthakarai,
Kuthenkuly, Uvari, Periathalai, Pudukarai, Manapad, Alanthalai,
Thiruchendur, Virapandianpatnam, Thalambuli, Punnaikayal,
Palayakayal, Tuticorin, Vaippar, Chethupar, Vembar & Mookur in the
pearl fishery coast of Gulf of Mannar and adjacent Comerin coast. The
paravas once a very powerful people and no doubt derived much of
their ascendancy over other tribes from their knowledge of navigation
and pearl fishery. They had a succession of kings among them,
distinguished by the title ADIYARASEN. Some of these kings seem to
have resided at UTTARA KOSAMANGAY near Ramnad. The story of this city
itself is clear evidence to this fact. Later, the leaders were called
by names Thalaivan, Pattankattiyars, Adappannars etc.,
[edit]
History of Conversion of Paravas to Christianity:
The Paravas were a Tamil fisher caste who inhabited the fishery coast
extending from Cape Comorin Kanya Kumari to the isle of Mannar
(Rameswaram) along the gulf that bears the name.The Paravas plied the
trade of pearl fishing, diving for pearls to the bottom of the deep
where they could stay for many hours. The season for pearl-fishing
came round once in three years in the months of march and November
when, in the absence of the strong winds, they were able to carry on
their operations undisturbed- for pearls in March and for seed-pearls
in November. They undertook these expeditions after elaborate
preparations consisting of examination and sounding of the ocean. At
the spots where they selected for beginning their operations- which
generally in the vicinity of the Mannar and Tuticorin there they
would establish whole colonies of pearl-fishers which would be
abandoned at the end of the season. (Silva Rego Documatacao Vol.-II
pp359-60)
The Paravas paid a small tax to the state for permission to scour the
deep for pearls. In the first quarter of the 16th century, this
contribution which was paid to the Pandyas (Tamils) till then, came
to be shared by the two powers between whom the coast was divided
the king of Travancore, Chera Udaya Martanda, who annexed the
southern half of the coastal territory and the Vanga Tumbichi Nayak,
who possessed himself to the north. In 1516, however the state dues
were farmed out by a Muslim who on account of the profits he has
realized, became the virtual master of the coast Documentacao vol.-
II p361).
According to Barbosa, he was so rich and powerful that the people of
the land honored him as much as the king. He executed judgement and
justice on the Muslims without interference from the constituted
authority. The fishers (parathavars) toiled for him for a whole week
at the close of the season, and for themselves for the rest of the
time except on Fridays when they worked for the owners of the boats
(Dames, The book of Duarte Barbosa Vol.-II pp123-24).
The Portuguese, who were the masters of the seas, coveted this
business and soon wrested it from the Muslims. In 1523, Joao Froles,
whom the Portuguese king appointed as Captain and Factor of the
fishery coast, succeeded in farming out the dues of 1,500 cruzados a
year (Corea oriente Portuguese vol.-II PP 778-79,786-87). The Muslims
wouldn't yield to their rivals without a struggle. But the brunt of
their attacks was visited upon the Paravas. For in their attempt to
baulk the Portuguese of their gains, they constantly harassed the
poor fishers. In consequence, the Portuguese had to maintain a flying
squadron to beat off the attacks of the Muslim Corsairs-as they
termed their enemies. Just at this juncture, Vijayanagar, which had
earlier connived at the occupation of the coast by the King of
Travancore and Tumbichi Nayak, vigorously intervened in support of
the Pandya king. The Vijayanagar forces inflicted severe defeat on
the Travancore army, and with the appearance of Vijayanagar on the
fishery coast there was cessation of hostilities between the
Portuguese and the Muslims (Silva Rego Oriente Portuguese Vol.-II
pp362-65). About the year 1536 an incident occurred which threatened
to throw the coastal people into the throes of a violent internecine
warfare. In a scuffle between a Muslim and a Parava at Tuticorin, the
Parava had his ear torn out by his adversary, who out of sheer greed
for the ring it bore, carried with him. Now there was in the
estimation of the Paravas no greater affront than to have one's ears
boxed and much worse, to have the rings torn off. The incident
sparked off a civil war between the Paravas and the Muslims, and it
was soon apparent that the Paravas would be beaten in the struggle. A
Muslim flotilla guarded the coast making it impossible for the
Paravas to ply their trade, and offering five fanams (panam, the then
currency, even today in Tamilnadu its common for the tamil to term
money as panam) for a Parava head (Luceana , Historia da Vida do
padre S.Francisco Xavier , vol.-I liv II , cap .VII).
Happily for the Paravas, there happened to arrive at Cape Comorin
(present day Kanya Kumari) at this time Joao da Cruz, a horse dealer
who was high in Portuguese favour. He was a page of the Zamorin who
had sent him to Portugal towards the end of 1512, when he was
negotiating a treaty with Albuquerque. He was converted to
Christianity while he was there and was admitted to the order of the
Christ. He was now no longer in the service of the Zamorin, having
incurred his displeasure for changing his religion. Joao da Cruz, who
was waiting payment for his deal at the cape (Kanya Kumari) , was
approached by the Paravas for advice. Da Cruz could see no way of
saving them from their predicament other than conversion to
Christianity. For then they would be entitled to the protection of
the Portuguese and could, as a matter of right, invoke the aid of the
Padroado Portuguese. The Paravas had no alternative but to agree and
Da Cruz led a deputation of twenty pattankattis (leaders) of the
Paravas to cochin to wait on Pero Vaz, the Vedor da Fazenda, and
Miguel Vaz, the Vicar-General. These pleaded the case of the Paravas
before Nuno da Cunha, the Governor, and it was decided that they be
helped against their Muslim opponents. Accordingly a Portuguese
squadron appeared before Cape Comorin (Kanya kumari).
The Muslim flotilla sought safety in flight and the Paravas freed
from bondage could from now on ply their trade independently of the
farmers, both Muslim and Portuguese. In the meanwhile, Da Cruz
persuaded the King of Travancore not to object to the conversion of
the Paravas in a body to the Christian religion, assuring him that if
he was friendly with the Portuguese he could depend on his supply of
war steeds, the mainstay of the army in those days.
The Paravas apart from getting converted also had to shell out 60,000
fanams to Portuguese as protection money. This was further used to
induce more conversions. I Miguel Vaz thereupon visited the Paravas
accompanied by four priests and administered baptism to about twenty
thousand people. In a few years, the number rose to eighty thousand
men, women, and children and the Christianity spread among these
people, settled both on the Malabar and Coromandel coasts
(Documentacao Vol.-II PP 257-59; Schurhammer ,art cit. pp304-07). The
Paravas now had the protection of the Portuguese fleet and could
follow their profession undisturbed.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Paravas
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