There are 2 messages in this issue.
Topics in this digest:
1. Original research on Koviar caste of Jaffna
From: Raveen S <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
2. Request for an article rewrite on Wikipedia
From: Raveen S <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
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Message: 1
Date: Mon, 24 Apr 2006 05:44:38 -0700 (PDT)
From: Raveen S <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
Subject: Original research on Koviar caste of Jaffna
Hello everyone,
I have been using all my creative writing energies on
Wikipedia of late. See my user page for complete
contribution so far at
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/User:RaveenS
of all these contributions, I consider the entry under
Koviar a prominant caste of people from Jaffna require
further reading by others. It is at
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Koviar
The primary reason is, so far the commonly held view
by many anthropologists is that they are probably
derived from Govigama but Tamils of all literray sorts
have write to come up with etymology for the word from
Koviam etc. But the common man on the street has
always held that they were Kovilar at one point and
became Koviar late. Looks like they are correct and
all the pundits including the creative pundits. I have
located a British era census document that documents
Koviar, Kovilar and Kovilon in either Tamil Nadu or
Kerala. Thus if this document is authenticated then
Koviar are an extension of this caste from India in
Sri lanka just like everyone else. Thanks.
======================================================
'''Koviar''' also '''Koviyar''' or '''Covia''' is a
[[Sri Lanka Tamils (native)|Sri Lankan Tamil]]
[[caste]] of traditional agriculturalists, temple and
domestic workers. But today they are found in all
aspects of the society. Ritually they are just behind
so called upper castes known as [[Vellalar]] in
[[Jaffna]].
==Origins==
Historically it was considered to be a unique caste as
one of the Sri Lankan Tamil castes that is not found
in [[Tamil Nadu]](see [[Nalavar]]). Some have assumed
this to be due to indigenous development where as
others have speculated that it is a Tamil social group
that assumed independent identity in Sri Lanka. Those
who assume an indigenous origin say that Koviar is
derived from a [[Sinhalese]] [[social group]]
speculated to be [[Govigama]] that was left behind
during the ascendancy of the [[Jaffna Kingdom]] where
as a competing theory suggests that Koviar are similar
in composition to Kovilar or temple workers and are of
Tamil origins.
But recent discovery of [[British]] [[colonial]] era
census documents indicate that '''Koviar''' also
'''Koviliar''' or '''Kovilon''' were found in [[Tamil
nadu]] circa 1881{{ref|1}}. No Koviar caste is found
anymore, but it is not uncommon for caste groups to
switch names or go extinct due to many reasons in
[[India]]. If the referenced document is authenticated
then they are simply an extension of another [[South
Indian]] caste in Sri Lanka negating all arguments
about their apparent [[Sinhalese]] origins.
==Historic condition==
As a historically depressed social group, they were
restricted to Jaffna peninsula and certain areas of
[[Putalam]] and eastern [[Batticaloa]] region. They
provided the bulk of the manual manpower required for
cultivation, temple services and domestic labor.
There is no evidence that they were held in bonded
servitude like other [[Dalit]] like castes in Jaffna.
Their ritual position was just below that of the
Vellalar and was allowed into the temple as workers
and as devotees. They lived close to Vellala
settlements but not in any segregated areas such as
the other depressed castes of Jaffna.
==Current condition==
After Sri Lankas independence from [[Britain]] in
[[1948]], Sri Lankan Tamil politics was geared towards
a nationalistic cause that did not take into account
the emancipation and progress of its [[Dalit]] like
castes. But Koviar due to their ritual and physical
proximity to Vellalar were able to use the educational
services to upgrade themselves unlike the other Dalit
castes. The [[quota]] system imposed by the
successive Sri Lankan governments to restrict the
number of Tamil students entering state
[[Universities]] since [[1973]] affected Koviar
students as much as the dominant class. Hence Koviar
were also involved in many of the Tamil nationalistic
agitations that eventually resulted in the formation
of many Tamil militant groups. They were prominent in
one of them namely [[TELO]] that was eventually
eclipsed by more strident [[LTTE]] that was also seen
as to be associated with the another minority but
upwardly mobile [[Karaiyar]] caste in [[Jaffna]].
The advent of the [[civil war]] since the [[Black
July]] pogrom has retarded most of these gains and has
made the community improvised again. Many have sort to
escape the depravations my seeking refugees status in
[[Europe]] and [[North America]] and are merging with
the host population or the [[Tamil diaspora]].
Although lingering castist discrimination especially
in marriages is still observed, in general they have
been integrated as part of the migrant Tamil
communities of all castes.
==Reference ==
{{note|1}}*[http://131.172.16.7/dcd/1881v3/00007.pdf
British Colonial census document 1881 Volume 3 page
number 7 mentions Koviar in India]
==External links==
*[http://www.lankanewspapers.com/news/2006/2/5775_21.html
Discussion about Koviar caste]
*[http://www.tamilcanadian.com/pageview.php?ID=756&SID=133
Another theory on the origin of the word Koviar]
*[http://www.rootsweb.com/~lkawgw/nobtosom.html
Estimates of Koviar caste population in Jaffna]
[[Category:Tamils of Sri Lanka]]
[[Category:Tamil society]]
[[Category:Tamil diaspora]]
[[Category:Sri Lankan society]]
[[Category:Caste]]
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Message: 2
Date: Mon, 24 Apr 2006 05:57:43 -0700 (PDT)
From: Raveen S <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
Subject: Request for an article rewrite on Wikipedia
Please see
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Katirkamam_(Hindu_temple)
The article is about the former Hindu charateretics of
a temple that has been taken over by the Sinhalese
govt. The Hawaii adeenam wants the article rewritten
so that it does not depend 100% on their article. This
is the message from them
"What needs to be there is an article that explains
this sacred place from the Hindu point of view, what
it means to Sri Lankan Tamils, the annual pilgrimage,
Yogaswami's attachment to the place and so on."
"Sannyasin Arumugaswami <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>"
I also want it to reflect on the takover of the
temple. Can anyone help me out on this ?
Raveen
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