364:) and it was from this time that the Jayanthi shifted from being a fairly minor affair to one of considerable significance. The Dalit surge since the 1980s was countered by the growth of the Jayanthi, which gave the Mukkulathors an opportunity to react against the Dalits and assert their own perceived superiority, historic status as rulers, and caste pride. Damodraran Karthikeyan, a journalist-turned-academic, notes the historic animosity between the two groups and that "The institutionalised nature of Thevar Jayanthi, through consciously created myths surrounding Mathuramaliga Thevar, his iconisation, canonisation and the construction of a social identity provides a point of entry to study the process of how political power is ritually constructed through social ceremony."
341:- were becoming increasingly wealthy and aspirational. The improvement of Dalit circumstances, together with a general rise in Dalit activism, led to many clashes with the Mukkulathors in rural areas. These clashes often involved the collusion of the police, who aided detention of so-called Dalit activists, assaults on people (especially women), and forcible displacement from Dalit villages.
309:
205:
Thereafter, the evolution as a caste developed as a result of various influences, including increased interaction with other groups as a consequence of jungle clearances, state-building and ideological shifts. Anthropologist Diane P. Mines affirms that the contemporary characterisation of the Thevar community derives from its precolonial past but was reified under the
287:
Although the
Mukkulathor own significant amounts of land, the sociologist Hugo Gorringe noted in 2005 that "their educational and economic achievements have been negligible", with many being small farmers or agricultural labourers. The community has mostly been given the status of Backward Class (BC)
204:
until the late 18th century. She says that the claims of distinct caste status "were clearly not ancient facts of life in the Tamil Nadu region. Insofar as these people of the turbulent poligar country really did become castes, their bonds of affinity were shaped in the relatively recent past".
333:, including the chief minister herself, favoured the Mukkalathors during the 1990s, leading to them gaining influential positions in the police and in politics. The Mukkalathor community at that time was the most populous of the backward classes in the state but
220:, the Mukkulathor or the Thevars have grown into, what Mines calls, a "super-caste" that combines the three previously distinct communities, emphasises their similarities and shared historical roles, and forms a consolidated base of support for the
431:
have been significant practises among some communities in various areas of Tamil Nadu. The state government has sought to address these through legislated schemes as recently as 2011.
188:. The anthropologist Susan Bayly notes that both the Kallar and Maravar communities are relatively new caste entities. Both names were originally granted to people as titles by
213:", which Mines surmises arose from the community's precolonial role as village guardians or local chieftains but was precipitated by their resistance to British rule.
168:
While they share a common mythological ancestor, the three communities also claim ancestral differences. Each of the Thevar communities claim descent from an ancient
709:
713:
358:
in 1993, which enabled the event to obtain police protection, road closures and the like. The
Mukkulathors treat Muthuramalingam Thevar as a deity (
297:
157:
means "three clans united together". The three constituent communities of
Agamudayar, Kallar and Maravar believe themselves to share a common
856:
827:
748:
672:
623:
566:
539:
509:
894:
348:(also spelled Mathuramaliga Thevar; 1908–1963) annually in October. He was a noted politician from the community and the event, known as
909:
639:
904:
445:
596:
320:
468:
390:, although they are distinct from the ancient martial art of Kalaripayattu itself that was historically the style found in
165:
and a celestial woman. The three groups traditionally each believe themselves to be superior to their fellow
Mukkulathors.
140:
403:
345:
193:
355:
289:
440:
Dalits in Tamil Nadu have become less dependent on
Mukkulathors for employment due to the effects of India's
899:
217:
113:
communities that share a common myth of origin and claim to have once been members of various ancient
889:
441:
293:
210:
169:
793:
326:
281:
852:
844:
823:
815:
785:
744:
668:
619:
613:
592:
562:
535:
505:
738:
662:
499:
777:
197:
875:
Genetic structure of four socio-culturally diversified caste populations of southwest India
350:
97:, are a community or group of communities native to the central and southern districts of
192:(local chieftains) but the holders were not exposed to caste-defining influences such as
874:
647:
316:
273:
257:
185:
158:
106:
69:
588:
Fierce Gods: Inequality, Ritual, and the
Politics of Dignity in a South Indian Village
883:
797:
766:"K. A. Manikumar, Murder in Mudukulathur: Caste and Electoral Politics in Tamil Nadu"
387:
181:
177:
173:
688:
312:
277:
269:
558:
Caste, Society and
Politics in India from the Eighteenth Century to the Modern Age
531:
Caste, Society and
Politics in India from the Eighteenth Century to the Modern Age
586:
556:
529:
525:
444:
and the trend towards sending relatives abroad to earn a living, notably to the
330:
308:
206:
114:
820:
From the
Margins to the Mainstream: Institutionalising Minorities in South Asia
765:
394:. This and other displays of aggression are prominent during Thevar Jayanthi.
265:
253:
249:
233:
102:
98:
57:
789:
781:
386:. In recent years, since 1958, these have been referred to as Southern-style
428:
261:
17:
374:
344:
The
Mukkulathors celebrate the coincident birth and death anniversary of
245:
232:
The Mukkulathor communities live mostly in central and southern areas of
201:
81:
664:
Untouchable Citizens: Dalit Movements and Democratization in Tamil Nadu
372:
Thevars, traditionally practise a Tamil martial art variously known as
237:
189:
110:
27:
A triumvirate of the three caste groups Agamudayar, Kallar and Maravar
391:
338:
221:
334:
307:
241:
162:
818:. In Gorringe, Hugo; Jeffery, Roger; Waghmore, Suryakant (eds.).
329:
has documented allegations that the members of the government of
292:, although some subgroups are omitted. They are mostly listed as
743:. Human Rights Watch. Human Rights Watch. pp. 5–6, 82, 86.
151:"literally means celestial beings or divine-natured people" and
209:. For instance, in 1911 the British designated the Thevars a "
161:
formed through being the offspring of a relationship between
740:
Broken People: Caste Violence Against India's "untouchables"
689:"Tamil Nadu Public Services Commission: List of Communities"
176:: Agamudayar consider themselves to be descendants of the
640:"TN: Cradle Baby Scheme in Districts With Low Sex Ratio"
139:
are used synonymously. According to R. Muthulakshmi of
615:
Socio-cultural Dimensions of Reproductive Child Health
359:
152:
145:
133:
126:
75:
63:
50:
40:
849:Martial Arts of the World: An Encyclopedia. A – L
809:
807:
591:. Indiana University Press. pp. 111–118.
493:
491:
489:
822:. SAGE Publications India. pp. 187–189.
8:
501:Female Infanticide, Its Causes and Solutions
35:
93:people, who are also collectively known as
710:"Central List of OBCs - State: Tamil Nadu"
561:. Cambridge University Press. p. 39.
534:. Cambridge University Press. p. 61.
469:"Sasikala's bittersweet journey with Jaya"
34:
764:Manoharan, Karthick Ram (December 2019).
732:
730:
714:National Commission for Backward Classes
504:. Discovery Publishing. pp. 11–13.
298:National Commission for Backward Classes
280:. They have been recorded as practising
667:. SAGE Publications India. p. 59.
580:
578:
460:
420:
851:. Vol. 1. ABC-CLIO. p. 177.
7:
51:Regions with significant populations
25:
442:system of positive discrimination
814:Karthikeyan, Damodraran (2016).
770:Review of Development and Change
618:. APH Publishing. p. 123.
646:. 24 June 2011. Archived from
1:
847:. In Green, Thomas A. (ed.).
354:, gained the approval of the
612:Pati, Rabindra Nath (2003).
895:Social groups of Tamil Nadu
843:Zarilli, Philip B. (2001).
360:
337:communities - notably, the
153:
146:
134:
127:
101:, India. They comprise the
926:
284:as recently as the 1990s.
141:Madurai Kamaraj University
46:94,33,646 (estimated 2016)
498:Muthulakshmi, R. (1997).
404:U. Muthuramalingam Thevar
346:U. Muthuramalingam Thevar
80:
68:
55:
45:
910:South Indian communities
782:10.1177/0972266119884362
585:Mines, Diane P. (2005).
356:Government of Tamil Nadu
321:Pasumpon Thevar Memorial
290:Government of Tamil Nadu
216:In the period following
661:Gorringe, Hugo (2005).
427:Female infanticide and
121:Origins and development
905:Other Backward Classes
737:Narula, Smita (1999).
323:
294:Other Backward Classes
200:and practices such as
555:Bayly, Susan (2001).
311:
184:and the Maravars the
56:Central and Southern
816:"Contentious Spaces"
36:Mukkulathor (Thevar)
218:Indian independence
37:
327:Human Rights Watch
324:
319:in Early 2000s at
282:female infanticide
194:Brahmanic Hinduism
180:, the Kallars the
858:978-1-57607-150-2
829:978-9-35150-624-9
750:978-1-56432-228-9
674:978-8-13210-199-4
625:978-8-17648-510-4
568:978-0-521-79842-6
541:978-0-521-79842-6
511:978-8-17141-383-6
224:political party.
196:, the concept of
87:
86:
16:(Redirected from
917:
863:
862:
840:
834:
833:
811:
802:
801:
761:
755:
754:
734:
725:
724:
722:
720:
706:
700:
699:
697:
695:
685:
679:
678:
658:
652:
651:
636:
630:
629:
609:
603:
602:
582:
573:
572:
552:
546:
545:
522:
516:
515:
495:
484:
483:
481:
479:
465:
449:
438:
432:
425:
363:
361:Theivathirumagan
156:
149:
137:
130:
41:Total population
38:
21:
925:
924:
920:
919:
918:
916:
915:
914:
880:
879:
871:
866:
859:
842:
841:
837:
830:
813:
812:
805:
763:
762:
758:
751:
736:
735:
728:
718:
716:
708:
707:
703:
693:
691:
687:
686:
682:
675:
660:
659:
655:
650:on 18 May 2013.
638:
637:
633:
626:
611:
610:
606:
599:
584:
583:
576:
569:
554:
553:
549:
542:
524:
523:
519:
512:
497:
496:
487:
477:
475:
467:
466:
462:
453:
452:
439:
435:
426:
422:
412:
400:
370:
351:Thevar Jayanthi
306:
230:
172:dynasty in the
123:
33:
28:
23:
22:
15:
12:
11:
5:
923:
921:
913:
912:
907:
902:
897:
892:
882:
881:
878:
877:
870:
869:External links
867:
865:
864:
857:
835:
828:
803:
776:(2): 287–289.
756:
749:
726:
701:
680:
673:
653:
631:
624:
604:
597:
574:
567:
547:
540:
517:
510:
485:
459:
451:
450:
433:
419:
418:
411:
408:
407:
406:
399:
398:Notable people
396:
369:
366:
305:
302:
274:Tiruchirapalli
258:Ramanathapuram
229:
226:
211:criminal caste
159:myth of origin
122:
119:
85:
84:
78:
77:
73:
72:
66:
65:
61:
60:
53:
52:
48:
47:
43:
42:
31:
26:
24:
14:
13:
10:
9:
6:
4:
3:
2:
922:
911:
908:
906:
903:
901:
900:Indian castes
898:
896:
893:
891:
888:
887:
885:
876:
873:
872:
868:
860:
854:
850:
846:
839:
836:
831:
825:
821:
817:
810:
808:
804:
799:
795:
791:
787:
783:
779:
775:
771:
767:
760:
757:
752:
746:
742:
741:
733:
731:
727:
715:
711:
705:
702:
690:
684:
681:
676:
670:
666:
665:
657:
654:
649:
645:
641:
635:
632:
627:
621:
617:
616:
608:
605:
600:
594:
590:
589:
581:
579:
575:
570:
564:
560:
559:
551:
548:
543:
537:
533:
532:
527:
521:
518:
513:
507:
503:
502:
494:
492:
490:
486:
474:
470:
464:
461:
458:
457:
447:
443:
437:
434:
430:
424:
421:
417:
416:
409:
405:
402:
401:
397:
395:
393:
389:
388:Kalaripayattu
385:
381:
377:
376:
367:
365:
362:
357:
353:
352:
347:
342:
340:
336:
332:
328:
322:
318:
314:
310:
303:
301:
299:
296:(OBC) by the
295:
291:
285:
283:
279:
275:
271:
267:
263:
259:
255:
251:
247:
243:
239:
235:
227:
225:
223:
219:
214:
212:
208:
203:
199:
195:
191:
187:
183:
179:
178:Chera dynasty
175:
171:
166:
164:
160:
155:
150:
148:
142:
138:
136:
129:
120:
118:
116:
112:
108:
104:
100:
96:
92:
83:
79:
74:
71:
67:
62:
59:
54:
49:
44:
39:
30:
19:
848:
838:
819:
773:
769:
759:
739:
717:. Retrieved
704:
692:. Retrieved
683:
663:
656:
648:the original
643:
634:
614:
607:
587:
557:
550:
530:
526:Bayly, Susan
520:
500:
476:. Retrieved
472:
463:
455:
454:
436:
423:
414:
413:
383:
379:
373:
371:
368:Martial arts
349:
343:
325:
313:Jayalalithaa
286:
278:Thirunelveli
270:Nagapattinam
231:
228:Demographics
215:
167:
144:
132:
124:
115:South Indian
94:
90:
88:
32:Ethnic group
29:
18:Mukkulathors
890:Mukkulathor
446:Gulf States
331:Jayalalitha
207:British Raj
154:Mukkulathor
128:Mukkulathor
117:dynasties.
91:Mukkulathor
884:Categories
598:0253217652
410:References
380:chinna adi
266:Thiruvarur
254:Pudukottai
250:Sivagangai
236:, such as
234:Tamil Nadu
174:Sangam era
125:The terms
103:Agamudayar
99:Tamil Nadu
58:Tamil Nadu
798:213908939
790:0972-2661
719:17 August
694:17 August
478:1 January
456:Citations
429:foeticide
384:varna ati
262:Thanjavur
170:Moovendar
64:Languages
528:(2001).
375:Adimurai
317:Sasikala
304:Politics
246:Dindigul
202:endogamy
190:poligars
82:Hinduism
76:Religion
845:"India"
644:Outlook
339:Pallars
288:by the
238:Madurai
186:Pandyas
111:Maravar
855:
826:
796:
788:
747:
671:
622:
595:
565:
538:
508:
473:rediff
392:Kerala
222:AIADMK
182:Cholas
147:Thevar
135:Thevar
107:Kallar
95:Thevar
794:S2CID
415:Notes
335:Dalit
315:with
242:Theni
198:varna
163:Indra
70:Tamil
853:ISBN
824:ISBN
786:ISSN
745:ISBN
721:2016
696:2016
669:ISBN
620:ISBN
593:ISBN
563:ISBN
536:ISBN
506:ISBN
480:2019
382:and
276:and
131:and
109:and
89:The
778:doi
886::
806:^
792:.
784:.
774:24
772:.
768:.
729:^
712:.
642:.
577:^
488:^
471:.
378:,
300:.
272:,
268:,
264:,
260:,
256:,
252:,
248:,
244:,
240:,
143:,
105:,
861:.
832:.
800:.
780::
753:.
723:.
698:.
677:.
628:.
601:.
571:.
544:.
514:.
482:.
448:.
20:)
Text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License. Additional terms may apply.