An Ethnohistorical Study of Kongu Nadu
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International Journal of Applied Research 2016; 2(1): 935-939 ISSN Print: 2394-7500 ISSN Online: 2394-5869 Impact Factor: 5.2 Territory, caste and chieftain: An Ethnohistorical study of IJAR 2016; 2(1): 935-939 Kongu Nadu www.allresearchjournal.com Received: 04-11-2015 Accepted: 16-12-2015 Ponnarasu S and Thanuja M Ponnarasu S Research Scholar, Department Abstract of Social Sciences, French Ethnographical research the hall mark of social anthropology shares an important complementarity with Institute of Pondicherry; historical research. The coming together of the methods of history and ethnology is defined as Department of Anthropology, ethnohistory. However, research combing the two remained in nascent for long. Bernard Cohn (1987, Pondicherry University, 1996), deserves much credit for popularizing the significance of history in anthropological research. Pondicherry, India With reference to south India, the works of Nicholas Dirks (1987) and Pamela Price (1996) have been Thanuja M significant in bringing this to fruition. This paper is a preliminary attempt in that direction, in using Assistant Professor, Centre for ethnohistory for understanding the formation and recognition of territorial boundaries with reference to the study of Social Exclusion the Subregion, Kongu Nadu in present Tamil Nadu state, India. and Inclusive Policy, Pondicherry University, Keywords: Territory, chieftain, anthropology, Kongu Nadu Pondicherry, India Introduction Ethnographical research the hall mark of social anthropology shares an important complementarity with historical research. The coming together of the methods of history and ethnology is defined as ethnohistory. James Axtell defines ethnohistory as, “essentially the use of historical and ethnological methods and materials to gain knowledge of the nature and causes of change in a culture defined by ethnological concepts and categories” (1979:2). However, research combing the two remained in nascent for long. Bernard Cohn, deserves much credit for popularizing the significance of history in anthropological research. With [6] reference to south India, the works of Nicholas Dirks (1987) and Pamela Price (1996) have been significant in bringing this to fruition. Dirks following Cohn (1968) argues that ethnohistory has many meanings. He states, It can mean the reconstruction of the history of an area and people who have no written history. … Ethnohistory can also mean the use of anthropological theory and methods in historical practice; we sometimes call this historical anthropology. As such, ethnohistory unites a concern for the social and cultural forms studied by anthropologists with the multiple contexts and temporal dimensions invoked and identified by historians. Like all hybrid labels, whether in history or in anthropology, it is most useful when it points us to the possibility of a collaborative enterprise which is both open-ended and more than simply the sum of its parts (1987: 10-11). Bringing history and anthropology together creates possibilities for reflexive analysis, juxtaposing past with present in understanding conformity, continuities and change. This paper is a preliminary attempt in that direction, in using ethnohistory for understanding the formation of territorial boundaries in the recognition of a subregion, kongu nadu in present Tamil Nadu state, India. In the introduction to ‘Historical Anthropology’ (2007), the editor, Saurabh Dube considers the ‘entire body of Cohn’s work’ (Cohn, 1987, 1996) as offering ‘several signposts and Corresponding Author: emergent formations of historical anthropology’ (ibid, 2007:37). Besides offering recognition Ponnarasu S to Cohn’s work towards the formations of historical anthropology, Dube provides four Research Scholar, Department of Social Sciences, French important categories under which research in historical anthropology is represented. These Institute of Pondicherry; categories include genealogies, communities, empire and nation, and culture and power. Department of Anthropology, Under each of these categories a whole array of research questions has been pursued. I cite Pondicherry University, here just one example under each category that bears a correlation to this present research. Pondicherry, India ~ 935 ~ International Journal of Applied Research . With respect to ‘genealogies’, Ravindra Jain’s (2002) [8] From this literature, it is evident that different communities work on the royal genealogy or vamsavali of occupied these territories and their occupation was Bundelkhand is of relevance. Here, the author uses the determined by the ecology of the region, as the Vetar and vamsavali ‘to distinguish the political function of Kuravar (hunters and shifting cultivators) who inhabited the clanship and ritual function of caste as idioms of kurunci; the Maravar (warriors) the palai; the Itayar hierarchical social distinctions’ (Dube, 2007: 126). (Idaiyar) (pastoralists) the mullai; the Ulavar (ploughmen) . In the case of ‘communities’, Cohen’s (1989) work subsisted on the marutam; and the Paratavar (fishermen) shows how the symbolic nature of the idea of settled along the neital. According to Sivathamby (1974) [11], community is expressed in formulations of its the names of the people of a particular region are coined to boundaries. Here, Dube points to the ‘many meanings of reflect their ecological region. Such names are referred as community construed by its members including their ‘Tinainillaipeyar’, names arising out of the thinais. Further, symbolization and elaboration of boundaries as Sivathamby argues that ‘one should not make the mistake of providing substance to their differences and identities’ viewing these (names) as grammatical prescriptions. (2007: 41). Grammatical recognition only implies the high literary . The category ‘empire and nation’ looks at incidence of the concept; and the high literary incidence only transformations in economic systems and social shows how deep-rooted these traditions were’ (1974: 34). structures both under the empire or through the process But with the expansion of monarchial power, the thinai of colonization and under the nation as a result of regions were pushed back and new territorial organizations changing patterns of governance and authority. appear in the form of nadus. However, this new concept of . Finally, ‘culture and power’ closely linked to empire and nadu coexisted along with the concept thinai. This is because nation, examines the ‘relationships between culture, the concept of nadu has been used in three senses, ‘one… in structure, action, and event’ (Dube, 2007: 47). the generic sense to denote any big inhabited or cultural area; … . Secondly, … a specific sense of the territory of a ruling In this paper the authors attempts to trace the historical lineage, … Chola-nadu, the nadu or territory of the Chola formation and transformation of the territory of kongu nadu. lineage. …third …a micro-level territorial unit’ In doing so the question of territorial identity is explored (Subbarayalu, 2012: 4). Further, with the evidence of Tamil with respect to the Kongu Vellalar caste. This is approached inscriptional data from the sixth to thirteenth century, using the categories of genealogy, community, empire and Subbarayalu (1973) [12] shows a list of 550 nadus covering nation, and culture and power provided by Dube. A full most part of Tamil Nadu and the adjoining parts in southern exploration under each of these categories is beyond the Karnataka and Andhra. scope of this paper. However, the author attempts to This Nadu concept as a micro-level territorial unit occurs highlight certain features under each of these categories. first time in the fifth century inscription (ibid, 2012). Later In the following section, the paper traces the historical on, nadu becomes gradually prominent in the Pallava evidence in the formation and transformation of Kongu nadu. inscriptions, where a village is usually associated with a The paper then focuses on the creation of power structures, nadu. Kongu Nadu is one such territorial unit in Tamil Nadu, the pattakkarar and the palaiyakkarar, the chieftains of this the others include Chera, Chola, Pandiya, Thondai, Malai, historical territory. Both these sections are based on archival and Naduvil nadu. Clear mention of Kongu as a territorial sources and are used in the creation of the ‘general history’, name can be traced from the Sangam literature. Starting with to borrow the term used by Susan Vishvanathan (1986) [10]. this ancient literature, Kongu is mentioned throughout Tamil In the third section of the paper, the author tries to construct literature such as Kurunthogai, Purananuru, Silappadikaram. a ‘people’s history’ by weaving the reflections or narratives Apart from these literatures, Kongu has been mentioned in of members of Kongu vellalar caste, with those of the local the stone inscriptions starting from 5th century CE in the chieftains. These reflections revolve around the Pulankuruichi Inscriptions (Pudukkottai District) and in the transformation and continuity with respect to territorial 7th century CE Velvikudi Copper Plates. identity as a consequence of changes in central power Mentions of Kongu Vellala clan name in epigraphical structures. sources are available from 8th and 9th century CE onwards. The 8th century inscription is found in Salem district, Atthur Tracing the territory of Kongu Nadu: Archival evidence Taluk which says “Kangaraisaru Sevakan Sakadan Looking back at territorial identity in Tamil Nadu, one often Nakkan”,