Nadar climber
Encyclopedia
Nadar climbers constituted the major bulk of today’s Nadar community. They were considered as the largest sub sect of today's Nadar community. They were historically humble cultivators of palmyra trees
and jaggery
and a few also involved in toddy
trade. Majority of Nadar climbers have given up their traditionally occupation, toddy tapping, and today they are widely into education, business and other important fields.
south of Tamirabarani. Each climber, like their northern Tirunelveli counterparts, was bound to a tree traditionally. Unlike their Northern Tirunelveli counterparts, the Nadar climbers didn't suffer any social disabilities as they were the most predominant caste in the regions south of Tamirabarani. Under the Nawab and earlier British, the trees assessed separately from the land, and in these southern districts alone the palmryas were taxed.
. They were forced to reside in separate regions, though these regions were not so remote as the region of the untouchables, the Nadar climbers were denied even the use of public well and were refused even the service of the barbers and washerman used by the caste Hindus of the village. Landless and economically dependent on the owners of the trees ( the owners were mostly the Maravar
s and Vellalar
s of this region), the Nadar climbers did the vocation of toddy-tapping during the six month tapping season, from March to September, and worked as agricultural labourers during the rest of the year.
migrated to Travancore from Tirunelveli in the 16th century after the invasion of the Tirunelveli
by the Raja of Travancore. Like their Tirunelveli counterparts, the climbers of Travancore were mostly palmry climbers. However a significant number of Nadars in Travancore were subtenants to Nair landlords or Vellalar landlords. These Nadar tenants called themselves Nadans and a score of these Nadans also directly had control over the lands. These Nadans enjoyed special privileges under the Raja and claimed that they were superior to the climbers. The climbers of Travancore fared a little better than their Tirunelveli counterparts, but, however, suffered severe social disabilities ,unlike their Tirunelveli counterparts, under the rigid caste hierarchy of Travancore. As Swami Vivekanandha stated, Kerala was a mad asylum of castes. The Nadar climber women wear not allowed to cover their bosoms, as most of the non- Brahmin women, to punctuate their low status. However the aristocratic Nadan women, their counterparts, had the rights to cover their bosom. Uneasy with their social status, a large number of Nadar climbers embraced Christianity and became upwardly mobile. Though they improved their status with the aid of Christian missionaries, the outcome of the conversion was not according to the point of view of the missionaries. The Christian Nadar climber women, along with the Hindu Nadar climber women, wore the upper jacket in the manner of upper class women and also their Tamil counterparts, inorder to improve their social status. In turn they were discriminated and even abused by upper class men. One of the Nadan families of Agastheeswaram
, instead of supporting their depressed counterparts, supported the upper class men and claimed that only their women had the right to wear a uppercloth. However after a brutal struggle(Upper cloth revolt
) with the powerful authorities of Travancore and also with the aid of the British Christian Missionaries, the depressed Nadar women won themselves the right to wear their upper cloth, as their Nadan counterparts.
. Mercantilism
and education helped the Nadar climbers to become upwardly mobile. With the increase in wealth, the Nadar climbers increasingly began to adopt the title Nadar which was exclusively reserved for the aristocratic Nelamaikkarars. Nowadays there are very few Panayeri Nadars in Tamil-nadu who are into toddy tapping. The majority of the Nadar climbers have given up their traditionally occupation and today they are widely into education, business and other important fields.
Borassus
Borassus is a genus of six species of fan palms, native to tropical regions of Africa, Asia and New Guinea. They are tall palms, capable of growing up to 30 m high. The leaves are long, fan-shaped, 2 to 3 m in length...
and jaggery
Jaggery
Jaggery is a traditional unrefined non-centrifugal whole cane sugar consumed in Asia, Africa, Latin America, and the Caribbean. It is a concentrated product of cane juice without separation of the molasses and crystals, and can vary from golden brown to dark brown in color...
and a few also involved in toddy
Palm wine
Palm wine also called Palm Toddy also called "Kallu" written in Malayalam and கள்ளு in Tamil or simply Toddy is an alcoholic beverage created from the sap of various species of palm tree such as the palmyra, and coconut palms...
trade. Majority of Nadar climbers have given up their traditionally occupation, toddy tapping, and today they are widely into education, business and other important fields.
Climbers South of Tamirabarani
To the south of the Tambraparni, the Nadar climbers constituted the vast majority of the population in the palmrya forests of the Tiruchendur teris. Majority of the Nadars today come from the south of Thamiraparani river. The Nadar climbers here secured a meager living from the palmrya forests of Teri. The trees and land were owned by the aristocratic nadarsNadan (Nadar subcaste)
Nadans are a small endogamanous group of aristocratic Nadars from the regions south of the Thamirabarani River. They were used to be invested as tax gatherers by the Nayaks and by the Pandyans before them. They also served as petty lords under the poligars...
south of Tamirabarani. Each climber, like their northern Tirunelveli counterparts, was bound to a tree traditionally. Unlike their Northern Tirunelveli counterparts, the Nadar climbers didn't suffer any social disabilities as they were the most predominant caste in the regions south of Tamirabarani. Under the Nawab and earlier British, the trees assessed separately from the land, and in these southern districts alone the palmryas were taxed.
Climbers North of Tirunelveli & Ramanad
In these areas, where the Nadar climbers usually numbered no more than a few families in a single village, they suffered social disabilities. These climbers were considered a half polluting caste in these regions where they constituted the minority population. However they were not considered a defiling caste and were allowed to enter the AgraharamAgraharam
An Agraharam or Agrahara is the name given to the Brahmin quarter of a heterogenous village or to any village inhabited by Brahmins...
. They were forced to reside in separate regions, though these regions were not so remote as the region of the untouchables, the Nadar climbers were denied even the use of public well and were refused even the service of the barbers and washerman used by the caste Hindus of the village. Landless and economically dependent on the owners of the trees ( the owners were mostly the Maravar
Maravar
Maravar are a Tamil community of the state of Tamil Nadu, southern India, and are one of the three branches of the Mukkulathor confederacy.Maravars are found predominantly in the Southern districts of Tamilnadu viz., Madurai, Theni, Sivagangai, Ramanathapuram, Dindigul, Virudhunagar, Thirunelveli,...
s and Vellalar
Vellalar
Vellalars were, originally, an elite caste of Tamil agricultural landlords in Tamil Nadu, Kerala states in India and in neighbouring Sri Lanka; they were the nobility, aristocracy of the ancient Tamil order and had close relations with the different royal dynasties...
s of this region), the Nadar climbers did the vocation of toddy-tapping during the six month tapping season, from March to September, and worked as agricultural labourers during the rest of the year.
Climbers of Travancore
Presumably the Nadars of Southern TravancoreSouthern Travancore
The Southern Travancore, Kerala, consists of a part of Kollam district, Thiruvananthapuram district, and Kanyakumari district that is now in the state of Tamil Nadu...
migrated to Travancore from Tirunelveli in the 16th century after the invasion of the Tirunelveli
Tirunelveli
Tirunelveli , also known as Nellai , and historically as Tinnevelly, is a city in the Indian state of Tamil Nadu. It is the headquarters of the Tirunelveli District and the sixth biggest city in Tamil Nadu...
by the Raja of Travancore. Like their Tirunelveli counterparts, the climbers of Travancore were mostly palmry climbers. However a significant number of Nadars in Travancore were subtenants to Nair landlords or Vellalar landlords. These Nadar tenants called themselves Nadans and a score of these Nadans also directly had control over the lands. These Nadans enjoyed special privileges under the Raja and claimed that they were superior to the climbers. The climbers of Travancore fared a little better than their Tirunelveli counterparts, but, however, suffered severe social disabilities ,unlike their Tirunelveli counterparts, under the rigid caste hierarchy of Travancore. As Swami Vivekanandha stated, Kerala was a mad asylum of castes. The Nadar climber women wear not allowed to cover their bosoms, as most of the non- Brahmin women, to punctuate their low status. However the aristocratic Nadan women, their counterparts, had the rights to cover their bosom. Uneasy with their social status, a large number of Nadar climbers embraced Christianity and became upwardly mobile. Though they improved their status with the aid of Christian missionaries, the outcome of the conversion was not according to the point of view of the missionaries. The Christian Nadar climber women, along with the Hindu Nadar climber women, wore the upper jacket in the manner of upper class women and also their Tamil counterparts, inorder to improve their social status. In turn they were discriminated and even abused by upper class men. One of the Nadan families of Agastheeswaram
Agastheeswaram
Agastheeswaram is a panchayat town in Kanniyakumari district in the Indian state of Tamil Nadu.-Demographics: India census, Agastheeswaram had a population of 8978. Males constitute 49% of the population and females 51%. Agastheeswaram has an average literacy rate of 84%, higher than the national...
, instead of supporting their depressed counterparts, supported the upper class men and claimed that only their women had the right to wear a uppercloth. However after a brutal struggle(Upper cloth revolt
Upper cloth revolt
The upper cloth controversy or upper cloth revolt refers to incidents surrounding the rebellion by Nadar climber women asserting their rights to wear upper clothes against the caste restrictions sanctioned by the Travancore kingdom, a part of present day Kerala.In Travancore, Cochin and Malabar, no...
) with the powerful authorities of Travancore and also with the aid of the British Christian Missionaries, the depressed Nadar women won themselves the right to wear their upper cloth, as their Nadan counterparts.
Strenuous work of a Nadar climber
The occupation of a Nadar climber is very dangerous and strenuous. The Nadar climber would usually work consistently from morning to night. The climber would ascend at least 30 to 50 palmyra trees everyday and will climb each tree at least twice. Every year many climbers, despite their skill in climbing, fall from the trees and lose their lives or become crippled for life. A climber is capable of ascending a palmyra, which is usually straight as the mast of a ship, very swiftly. The body of a climber, due to his strenuous work, is twisted and his hands and feet seem like the enormous paws of some animal. Bishop Stephen Neil, a christian missionary who preached in South India, believed that the strenuous work of the Nadar climbers made them strong, hardy and aggressive.Mercantilism
The Nadar climbers south of Tamrabarni began to acquire little plots of lands in the mid 19th century. Nadar climbers began to accept ChristianityChristianity
Christianity is a monotheistic religion based on the life and teachings of Jesus as presented in canonical gospels and other New Testament writings...
. Mercantilism
Mercantilism
Mercantilism is the economic doctrine in which government control of foreign trade is of paramount importance for ensuring the prosperity and security of the state. In particular, it demands a positive balance of trade. Mercantilism dominated Western European economic policy and discourse from...
and education helped the Nadar climbers to become upwardly mobile. With the increase in wealth, the Nadar climbers increasingly began to adopt the title Nadar which was exclusively reserved for the aristocratic Nelamaikkarars. Nowadays there are very few Panayeri Nadars in Tamil-nadu who are into toddy tapping. The majority of the Nadar climbers have given up their traditionally occupation and today they are widely into education, business and other important fields.
The Northern Nadars & Caste fusion
After the erection of the renowned Nadar Mahajan Sagham in 1910, the Northern Nadar leaders sought to unite the community by encouraging intermarriages within the five major Nadar subcastes. This is known as caste fusion. In turn this sub sect, Nadar climber, was eliminated by the Northern Nadars. The Northern Nadars are today predominantly wealthy merchants. However this sub sect still exists among the Nadars of Southern Tirunelveli.See also
- Nadar(caste)
- NelamaikkararsNadan (Nadar subcaste)Nadans are a small endogamanous group of aristocratic Nadars from the regions south of the Thamirabarani River. They were used to be invested as tax gatherers by the Nayaks and by the Pandyans before them. They also served as petty lords under the poligars...
- Pandyan KingdomPandyan KingdomThe Pandyan dynasty was an ancient Tamil dynasty. The Pandyas were one of the four Tamil dynasties , which ruled South India until the 15th century CE. They initially ruled their country Pandya Nadu from Korkai, a seaport on the Southernmost tip of the Indian Peninsula, and in later times moved...
- Southern Kalaripayattu
- Upper cloth revoltUpper cloth revoltThe upper cloth controversy or upper cloth revolt refers to incidents surrounding the rebellion by Nadar climber women asserting their rights to wear upper clothes against the caste restrictions sanctioned by the Travancore kingdom, a part of present day Kerala.In Travancore, Cochin and Malabar, no...
- Pandya KingdomPandya KingdomThe Pandyas were fierce warriors who took part in the Kurukshetra War as per the epic Mahabharata. A Pandya king named Sarangadhwaja, is mentioned as participating in the Kurukshetra War, siding with the Pandavas. It is not clear if Pandyas were linked to the Pandavas of North India...
Further reading
- M. Immanuel (2002) The Dravidian Lineages: The Nadars Through the Ages. A Socio-Historical Study. From Indus Valley Civilization to present time. Published by: Historical Research & Publications Trust, 137/H-4 Bethel Nagar, Nagercoil-629004, Tamil Nadu, India.
- Robert L. Hardgrave, Jr.(1969) The Nadars of Tamilnad; the political culture of a community in change. From year 1800 British records to 1968.