JNROnline Journal Journal of Natural Remedies ISSN: 2320-3358 (e) Vol. 21, No. 3, (2020), pp.145-150 ISSN: 0972-5547 (p)

EVOLUTION OF CASTE SYSTEM IN TAMILNADU Dr. R. RAJESHWARI Assistant Professor in History, Periyar E.V.R. Govt. Arts College, (Autonomous) Tiruchirapalli, Tamil Nadu

ABSTRACT The Caste system in Tamilnadu is a one of a kind social practice dependent on the lifestyle and shows on customary traditions of the individuals. The origin, evolution and growth of the caste system in Tamil Nadu is remarkable component as well as had influenced the typical working of the social system. The multifaceted and numerous natured individuals of are isolated because of its unmistakable divisions of the individuals not just by the local, strict and language varieties yet in addition the caste and network contrasts. Each individual is guided in life by the Caste guidelines, customs, conventions and financial interests. New castes are framed because of the appearance of new displaced people from one spot to the next for diverse social and monetary reasons. Caste, which is a gathering minimal in excess of a common class in the society, was a result of the blend and connection of the Indo Aryan Varna system and the neighborhood arrangement of occupations of the Dravidians of the local Tamil land. Along these lines the caste system is a one of a kind and uncommon social organization which assumes it’s dominating job in forming and embellishment a society with many number divisions and contrasts among its multifaceted populace. The caste has become a way to appraise the situation of the particular arrangement of individuals. The caste system is consistently valuable for directing the people of the considerable number of castes in all perspectives, for an incredible duration time on the grounds that their proclivity towards caste can't be either disregarded or surrendered. The castes, by controlling and streamlining the behaviors of all its members, offer social status, caste and security to its members. While offering a broadened scope for a created and advanced social request, the various stations teach social, economic and political dependability. Caste isn't at all an acknowledgeable and considerable factor in the society because of its demonstration of making, breaks councils and divisions in the society. In the developed society caste has nothing to execute and so they should be avoided.

KEY WORDS Caste system - Hindu society - social hierarchy – intermarriages – Kshatriyas - Sangam age - traditional occupations – Aryanism – – Vedas - Pallava period – inscription - individual branches – economic – Panchayats – matrimonial.

Introduction India is a place that is known for a few religions, races and disparities. Society in the Indian sub- continent has been fragmented into a few religions and caste councils. Majority of the people has a place with the in India. The Hindu society is a composite and involves a few caste and sub-caste. These castes are not even divisions of the society. Castes involve different levels in the stepping stool of Hindu social chain of importance.1 A man had no individual character previously. Just Caste rights and caste benefits were perceived and kept up through the ages. These castes were considered as prime piece of units of the society people delighted in fluctuating status and rights. The social imbalance was accepted as supernaturally appointed. Be that as it may, this system needed to confront a ton of difficulties occasionally. At whatever point the difficulties happened to show up, the Hindu society and the system followed so far experienced a few adjustments to suit the need of the society. Obviously, the various leveled arrangement of the society was never surrendered by the caste Hindus. Origin of Caste System:

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The caste system in the Indian sub-continent is a one of a kind social practice dependent on the lifestyle and shows on conventional traditions of the people. Like the religious system accessible among people, the caste system has its own disparities and variations based on interlining and intermarriages. Socially progressed and created Tamil society offered due significance and acknowledgment to fluctuated divisions among the people one such division is caste.2 The old Indian sacred texts, with no deviation, notice that the people of the four castes started and rose up out of the Supreme being's various parts of the body. Further as indicated by Manudharma it is proposed that the Brahmins must show the Vedic contents and offer ceremonial forfeits and acknowledge blessings of numerous nature. The Kshatriyas, the valiant, valorous and influential people ought to secure, learn, study and offer forfeits and endowments. The Vaisya as agriculturists ought to develop lands, direct exchange and begin and ought to receive a calling of usury. The Sudras, as down trodden people, embraced humble works and served different councils. This unmistakable caste division causes fractions, separatism and group among the people in the society.3 Tamil country, the southernmost piece of peninsular India, had its own confidence and conviction over the very much sewed social set up, which was really founded on certain exclusively situated. The way of life of the Tamil country, alongside its independence, has its particular and remarkable element called "Caste", which expanded in number continuously because of the appearance of varieties in occupations, spot and lifestyles. Meaning of Caste: The term ‘caste’ got from the Portuguese word "Casta", implies breed, race, group. French utilized this term to demonstrate as breed. It is clear and apparent that an individual group, made for specific and explicit reasons, because of their different personality or occupations or specific lifestyle which is commonly called a Caste in India. As indicated by caste starting point the word caste means an inherited connection with a cause. In India the word compares with ‘Jat’ or ‘Jati’ which means birth or plummet. In this manner all the people from specific 'Jati' guarantee their normal starting point and practice which is a customary occupation.4 As per E. A. Stride caste might be characterized as, "An endogamous group or assortment of such councils bearing a typical name having some customary occupation asserting plunge from a similar source and regularly viewed as framing a solitary homogeneous community". Another Historian Sir Herbet Risely characterizes casteis an "assortment of bearing a typical name asserting a typical better than average from a legendary human or awesome. Declaring to follow the equivalent innate is respected by the people who are able to offer an input as framing a solitary homogeneous community." According to Emile Senart, " Caste is a nearby company in principle at any rate thoroughly genetic outfitted with certain conventional and free association including a boss and group meeting now and again in congregations of pretty much entire Caste and participating in the festival of specific celebrations, bound together by a common occupation observing certain usages which relates more particularly to marriage and food to question the ceremonial pollution and ruling by its members to do the exercise of a jurisdiction. The degree of which differs however prevails by assent of specific punishments or more all by the intensity of last or revocable prohibition from the group in making the authority of the community adequately felt." Caste System in Tamil Nadu: The caste system, which caused divisions and councils in the contemporary society, was predominant in Tamil Nadu in any event, during the Sangam age. Much credible data on the social state of the Sangam Age can be accumulated from the Sangam Literatures. The people of the Sangam age drove quiet life as per their normal occupations. The people had various methods of living and occupations inferable from the geographical division of their territories called ‘Tinais’.5 They are called Kurinji, Mullai, Marudam, Neithal and Palai. Hunters lived in the Kurinji region, shepherds in the Mullai, peasants in the Marudam, and fishermen in the Neithal and robbers in the Palai area. Their propensities and customs; callings and obligations: convictions and contrasted starting with one area then onto the next: yet they were needy in one way or other. The

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Journal of Natural Remedies Vol. 21, No. 3, (2020) arrangement of caste depended on customary occupations. For example the people who were occupied with pounding drum (parai) were called paraiyar and in similar ways who sing tunes were called Paduvor and those executed kuthu were kuthar or kuthiyar.6 Tolkappiyar, the grammarian and the creator of Tolkappiyam too has separated the Tamil people based on their own individual occupations, obligations and benefits. Sudras were utilized by the rulers for dealing with weapons of fluctuated types. They were called by numerous names, for example, Maravar, Kuravar, Ayar, Ulavar and Paradavar based ashore tracts, for example, kurinji, mullai, marudam, neidhal and palai. They were recognized and delineated socially and occupations excessively dictated by the caste. The caste arrangement of that period was a word related conventional and innate one. Aryanism didn't permit the Tamils to follow the Caste conventions received by the outsider interlopers.7 The Tamils, because of their individual traditions and conventions were reluctant to acknowledge the Aryan type of caste divisions. The Tamil rulers belittled the Brahmins by offering and giving different things, for example, riches and terrains required for them. The emigrant Brahmins also were allocated a lifted up and desirous situation in the society. Be that as it may, the genetic caste system additionally kept on enduring and the incongruities among communal councils. Due to the caste in consistencies the deep rooted standard and unavoidable practices and nobody can skirt the current customs. Further as they carry on their life of innate nature because of the salary from their occupations, they never disregard it or strayed. The Brahmins broadly received the system of pollution and it turned into a profound established custom during the hour of the more noteworthy Pallava ruler Mahendravarman II (668 - 670 A.D). In spite of the fact that the castes contrasted from standard practices, different occupations additionally decided the caste system.8 The castes were not under any condition uniform and they likewise differed in nature. Local contrasts dependent on the kind of land, for example, kurinji, mullai, marudam, neidal and palai turned into people' occupations with changes, for the most part on account of the progressions which existed in the characteristics and characteristics of the people or councils of people. The characteristics and occupations are likewise recognized and separated by the people. The people who were occupied with comparative occupations shaped individual councils independently. Not with caste, the councils and divisions were normal.

Various types of People: The various types of people were called Mallan, Panan, Kuttan, Kadamban, Tudiyan, Parayan and Pulayan framed the sub caste which rose in the Tamil country based on occupations. It is likewise clear from Purananuru that the Tamils of the early Sangam period knew about the Aryan arrangement of caste conventions and chain of importance.9 The Brahmins, who were knowledgeable in Vedas, and educated researchers and standard people executed all their religious just as stately ceremonies and customs conscientiously. They were utilized by the Tamil rulers as detachments. Purananuru further uncovers that there were four divisions of people called Tudiyar, Panar, Paraiyar, and Kadambar. The Tamil sagas Silappatikaram of Elangovadigal and Manimegalai of Seethalai Sathanar additionally contain insights regarding councils of people called Kshatriyas, Vaisyas and Vellalar. There won distance and inconsistencies among them. Every one of them kept up their own individualism in the everyday exercises. The Aryans brought the Varnashrama Dharma into the Tamil country after their entrance into the Tamil land. Indeed, even Mahendravarman II (668-670), the Pallava ruler, focused on the significance, basic need and conservation of the Caste system. Caste is assumed its job in all the circles of the public activity of the Tamils. Further during the Pallava time frame there were explicit arrangement of people associated with various kinds of occupations. The people who built structures were called Tattali Kottuwar. Similarly the Uvaiccan was a drummer.10 The Devaradiyars or Devadasis, otherwise called Adigalmar were related and joined with the sanctuaries as artists. The Uttiramerur inscription of Parantaka I (907-953 A.D.) advises that, Agambadiyar people related with agribusiness and agrarian interests. The Idayar were cattle breeders. Along these lines unmistakably the caste system depended on occupations during the Sangam time frame just as in the ensuing Pallava periods.

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The Chetties were people of business and commercial communities. They were known as Nagarthar, Nattukottai Chetty, Berichetty, Kasukkara Chetties, Komuttichetty and Kudiraichetty. They uncover that each caste had its own individual branches and sub divisions. Caste system along these lines turned into an extended and extended one of every a thickened structure in the Tamil country and the Tamils with no revolution and resistance recognized and received them without knowing the results of the councils among them. They couldn't comprehend the caste system which was partitioned them into councils.11 The Kallars were the other amazing and harmful arrangement of people in the southern districts of Tamil Nadu i.e., in the Chola and Pandya areas. They were firmly connected with the advanced Maravar and Agamudayar. They were not ordinary troopers utilized in a sorted out armed force. Be that as it may, they were just crooks. At the point when the governments picked up unmistakable quality politically the situation of the Kallars likewise started to change. The Kallars framed a different group, who enjoyed burglary and theft. Tamil Society: The caste system involved a one of a kind spot in Tamil society and caused councils and divisions among the people dependent on financial contemplations and inconsistencies. The other community people had the option to get fiscal aides from them in every single imaginable ways and took in a great deal about the monetary and money related dealings from them. So they are monetarily the most prominent people in the community even today. Every single sub-division was separated into seven exogamous sets called Koils.12 They alongside their religious affinities had their own solid and amazing caste Panchayats. Support of caste equity is a typical component among all the communities. They embraced Individual and explicit types of dress and food propensities were unmistakable in nature when contrasted and different Castes and communities. They kept up their singularities individual characters by their own particular traditions and conventions throughout their life rehearse. They were surrendered their affinities over caste belief systems. For example, a similar way, the Nadars, a well known business and commercial community of Tamil Nadu have their own different divisions called Vahayara which means group. They have wedding relations among themselves and generally enjoy exchange and business for their income and occupation. They connect respect, worth and reverence to their close knit divinities because of the devout nature. The Nadars feel glad in calling themselves as people having a place with a specific Vahayara or group of a specific area. The Nadars have their own pettais as places for their exchange and business.13 They stock their merchandise in the pettais and execute mass business from that point. The Panchu Pettai (Cotton Pettai) of Aruppukkottai, Virudhunagar, Sivakasi and Sattur could be refered to as appropriate models. In certain towns like Madurai and Virudhunagar they have their own betal patta is called Verrilaippettai. In this manner the Pettais also filled in as available resources for contacts among their councils. The Chettiyar, Kammalar and Kaikkolar are other well known arrangements of people living everywhere throughout the parts of Tamil Nadu. They are for the most part engaged with smith works. The Pallis, Chakkiliyar, Parayar, Ambattan are other communal councils including in low level occupations and modest administrations with low social and monetary status. There are various sub-divisions inside those councils. Each arrangement of people have their own obvious and magnificent legends about their birthplace, development and development. They keep up their Caste conventions and economic progress with no deviation by their individual bore and exercises, standard practices and routine lifestyles. They are consistent and consistent in their traditions and customs with no deviation. They never intrude or blend with the other caste people.14 Be that as it may, they keep normal contacts with one another to fulfill their life situated monetary needs since they have their own occupations and employments which could be executed distinctly with the assistance and backing of others. Changes in Modern Period: Caste is a lasting and unavoidable element in the Tamil society it needs to adjust its exercises as indicated by the advances and changes which were presented occasionally in the society by

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Journal of Natural Remedies Vol. 21, No. 3, (2020) different available resources. The centralisation and reception of uniform and co-ordinated arrangement of organization in the Indian sub landmass during the strong outsider frontier time frame had its own effects over the local conventional caste system.15 The development of instruction, legal interests and financial foundations has really injured the caste system, caste strategies just as their boards. With the establishment of the British standard in the Madras administration, with the beginning of the nineteenth century numerous progressions step by step crawled into the social, political, economic and cultural phases of the then Tamil country. Since the westerners were for the selection of uniform and classified systems in all perspectives, the castes also offered criticalness to their own caste Panchayats or councils, which were generally self-sufficient institutions and had more prominent impact over the whole people of the station. Entirely tries were made to put aside caste system since it was a profoundly saturated social custom. During the British time frame, organizations and institutions, for example, The Depressed class Union; the Society for Social Service, Social Service League, Poor School Society alongside the maxims and services of the noticeable pioneers of India stirred the non-Brahmins.16 Schools and educational centres run by the caste organizations developed. Each caste was excited about its own advancement by embracing their individual socialization forms. Along these lines, the caste associations, for example, Mahajanasangams and Uravinmurais were built up by the castes for the welfare and prosperity of their caste. When the oppressed non- people group achieved a forward and conspicuous Caste and raised status caste revivalism expanded. Subsequently Caste system didn't wilt away. For the most part for advancing the status and Caste of the community no stones were left unturned. For the inspire and to accomplish a noticeable status by a person of a specific caste the absolute elevate of the community was felt very basic. Welfare Officers and Labor Commissioners were selected for advancing the states of the regressive and discouraged classes. Along these lines the community feeling demanded and empowered the appropriation of various ways for its turn of events. This was a typical element among people of the considerable number of communities.17 The social reformers in improving the general social condition of the poor played vital and a venerable role. In 1859 itself the Shanar women of the South of the peninsular India were permitted to wear Jackets to cover their bosom. In 1923, the Government of Madras reported that no awards will be given to schools or educational institutions which wouldn't concede offspring of in reverse and discouraged classes.

Education and Caste System: The wide spread of education empowered the people of the considerable number of castes in India to commit and think profoundly to upgrade their own insight and astuteness. Advancement through instruction was used as a way to maintain a strategic distance from obliviousness. For advancing the state of discouraged class in 1923 itself the Village Magistrates were enabled to rebuff the people who contradicted the elevation of the oppressed. In 1925 the Government of Madras empowered all the people of the considerable number of communities to use all the open offices endowed by the Government with no deviation. In 1930-31 the Madras government kept up open boulevards, markets and tanks by the Corporation Fund for the welfare and advantage of the people all things considered and communities.18 The consistently improving upward patterns made councils among the high and low caste people. The bosom fabric development of 1858, the temple entry movement of 1899 in the Tirunelvelly region created extreme and rough mutual mobs and episodes. Such things were answerable for the mass change of the Tinnevelly Shanars to . Accordingly the Caste developments of the nineteenth and twentieth centuries were specific on accomplishing or on the conservation of economic progress of the caste. In spite of the fact that caste system is censured intensely these days it is an indivisible part of Hinduism.19 As the frontier time frame was committed to social and monetary advancement, much consideration was depended to the specialization of expressions, division of work, decision of occupation. The various communities were marked as agents of explicit exercises. The idea of caste specialization

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Journal of Natural Remedies Vol. 21, No. 3, (2020) rose and which encouraged the advancement of an indigenous culture. The society contained makers, experts, makers, workers, buyers and brokers. Caste system helped the presentation of a solidarity, solidarity and organizations among people.20 The caste organizations and councils, which rose at that point worked for the support and upkeep of the status and welfare of the people of the society. Conclusion The caste system even past that filled in as a venturing stone for inspire of the economic progress of the caste and community in the society. The caste system caused uncommon changes in various fields of the society. The services of the caste system are generally destructive to the society since it blocks harmony and peacefulness and causes factions and divisions. The caste system changed or altered the religious mentalities, observances and customs. The perspectives and standpoints of the people fixed the caste rules and exercises. For accomplishing social acknowledgment and Caste the people were set up to surrender their deep rooted traditions and recognized the progressions based on innovation. So these individual, national, political and social perspectives were adjusted and altered. They began moving with the running current for the advancement of the society. So caste system turned into a stabilizer of the social, financial, political and religious circles.

END NOTES 1. Dutt, N.K., Origin and Growth of Caste in India, Vol-I, Calcutta, 1931, Pp 10-11. 2. Oxford English Dictionary, Second Edition, 1989, p.15. 3.Pillai, K.K., Origin and Development of Caste, New Delhi, 1959, Pp- 3106-108. 4. Pillai, K.K., The Caste system in Tamil Nadu, Chennai, 2007, Pp.1-2. 5. Srinivasa Aiyangar, M., Tamil Studies, Madras, 1914, p.25. 6. Majumdar, R.C., Races and Cultures of India, New Delhi, 1975, P.284. 7. Leach, E.R.(Ed), Aspects of Caste in South India, Cambridge, 1962, P.40. 8. Srinivas, M.S., Caste in Modern India and other Essays, New Delhi, 1984, p.64. 9. Balambal, V., Studies in the History of Sangam Age, New Delhi, 1998, Pp.19-25. 10. Nilakanta Sastri. K.A., History of South India, Madras, 1976, p.13. 11. Swaminathan, A., History of Tamil Nadu, Madras, 1993,Pp.65-66. 12. Pillai, K.K., Tamilaha Varalaru- Makkalum Panpadum, Madras,1973, Pp23-35. 13. Robert Hardgrave. L., The Nadars of Tamil Nadu, Bombay, 1969, p.204. 14. Pillay, K.K., Op.cit, pp.41-43. 15. Jeyapalan, N., Social and Cultural History of Tamil Nadu, Madras, 1983,P.33. 16. Edgar Thurston, Caste and Tribes of Southern India, Vol- III, 1909, P.113. 17. Devanesan, A., History of Tamil Nadu, Marthandam, 2004, p.369. 18. Raju Kalidas, History and Culture of the Tamils, Dindigul, 1976, p.43. 19. Saraswathi, S., Minorities in Madras State, Group interests in Modern Politics,New Delhi, 1974, p.9. 20. Chandra Babu, B.S., Social Protest in Tamil Nadu, Madras,1993, p.25.

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