| Mukkuvar | |
|---|---|
| Religions | Hinduism,Christianity,Islam[1] |
| Languages | Malayalam,Tamil |
| Subdivisions | [2]
|
| Related groups | Sri Lankan Mukkuvar,Mogaveera |
Mukkuvar is a maritimeethnic group found in the Indian states ofKerala,Tamil Nadu and the Eastern and North Western coastal regions ofSri Lanka.[3][4] They are mostly found on the Malabar Coast, and Kanyakumari district, Tamil Nadu, who have traditionally been involved infishing and other maritime activities.[5][6][7][8]
The caste name proposes several etymology theories. The Peoples in the coastal region of Malabar in Chera dynasty is used to sunk the enemy ships and pirate ships of those days. Hence they got the name Mukkuvar. Mukku or mukkuka in Tamil and Malayalam means dip.Patitrupattu describes the attack on the enemy ship by Cheran Chenkuttuvan, which refers the skills used by mukkuvars to sunk and attack the enemy ships.[9] Other titles used by the community areKukankulam, Murkukan andMukkiyar.[10][11]
The Mukkuvars are divided intoexogamous clans known asllam meaning "house". The Mukkuvars of Northern Malabar are known asNalillakkar (meaning "of the four illams") consisted of the clans known asPonillam (frompon meaning "gold"),Chembillam (fromchembu meaning "copper"),Karillam andKachillam. The Mukkuvars of Southern Malabar have only three clans, with the absence of Ponillam, and are therefore known asMunillakar (meaning "of the three illams").[2][12]
The Mukkuvars historically were inhabitants of theNeithal (coastal) lands of Malabar coast in Chera kingdom. As suggested by their name they were involved in diving to sunk the enemy ships during the Chera dynasty.[13][12][14][15] They were maritime inhabitants of the Present dayMalabar Coast, who were involved in naval activities, boatbuilding, fishing, among other maritime activities.[16]
Mukkuvars were brought into Vizhinjam region by the Chera and Venad Kings to attack Raja Raja Cholan's navy ships during the 10th century when the Cholas conquered Vizhinjam and Kollam. Thus the Mukkuvars from present day Malappuram, Kozhikode and Kannur migrated to Venad region of present-day Thiruvananthapuram, Kollam, and Kanyakumari districts and few settled over there.[15][17] Mukkuvars were hired as mercenaries in Sri Lanka from 12th century and few settled there from then.[18] According to the legend of the Mukkuvar from Kerala, they emigrated to and from Sri Lanka. TheMattakallappu Manmiyam text and other localpalm-leaf manuscripts in Sri Lanka attribute the emigration of the Sri Lankan Mukkuvar fromSouth India under the rule ofKalinga Magha in 12th century AD, who delegates the power to local petty kings whose successors are identified as belonging toKukankulam.[19]
In the 8th century made mercantileArabs appearances in Kerala, where they among other married natives such as those from the Mukkuvar community, and formed social groups such as theMappilas.[20] The Mukkuvars were in addition to fishing and seafaring, involved inwarfare. Later rulers such as theZamorin of Calicut promoted Mukkuvars in conversion toIslam in order to man theirnavies.[21] Up to 1000 AD were the Mukkuvars recruited to the naval fleets of theChera dynasty.[22][23] South Indian communities were often invited toSri Lanka as mercenaries. TheSinhala text known asDambadeni Asna refers to Mukkuvar warriors serving in the army ofParakramabahu II of Dambadeniya. As mentioned inMattakallappu Manmiyam, they also served in the 13th century in the army of the invaderKalinga Magha, who seized control of northern and eastern parts ofSri Lanka.[24] The Kerala-derived Mukkuvars, whose descendants are theSri Lankan Mukkuvars, underKalinga Magha were made chieftains known asVanniar in theBatticaloa region, where they also formedmatrilinear landlords known asPodiyar and exhibited significant political domination. Mukkuvars in alliance with Arabs encamped at thePuttalam region where in an campaign initiated byParakramabahu VI of Kotte, battled and chased away byKaraiyar mercenaries, mentioned inMukkara Hatana (meaning Mukkuvar war).[25] Mukkuvar women intermarried with their allied Arabs, whose descendants reside in theSri Lankan Moor ethnicity.[26]
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