Sembadavar

Sembadavar or Parvatha Rajakulam is a traditional fisherman community found mainly on the Coromandel coast of the Indian states of Tamil Nadu and Pondicherry. They also take the title Nattar. Sembadavar are a maritime community who are occupied primarily as inland and river fishermen and primarily fish with fishing nets.[1] A similar caste also known as Sambuni Reddi is found in Andhra Pradesh and Telangana.[2] There are many theories as to their origins but they have since ancient times been recorded in the area of Tamil Nadu, Pondicherry and Sri Lanka.

Sembadavar
ReligionsHinduism, Roman Catholicism
LanguagesTamil
Related groupsTamil people

Etymology

The name Sembadavar is mythologically connected to the principal Hindu god Shiva. The name is derived from the Tamil words Sambu, a name of Shiva and Padavar meaning boatmen thus literally meaning "Shiva's boatmen".[3]

History

Mythological origin

According to one legend, Shiva was fond of one of their chief deity Ankalamman. Out of the union was Parvatha Rajan (king of the Parvata Kingdom) born who disguised himself as a boatman.[4] His boat was made of copper, the Vedas assumed the form of his fishing net and the Rakshasas took the form of the pisces.[3] Accidentally was a rishi caught in his net, who angered called Parvatha Rajan a "Sembu Padavar" meaning "copper boatmen" and cursed his descendants to become fishermen. From this myth do they call themselves as Sembadavar or also Parvatha Rajakulam (meaning descendant of Parvatha Raja).

Post-independence

In 1947, the fisheries became a monopoly of the new independent Indian government.

As of 2011, Parvatharajakulam is classified as a Most backward caste by the Governments of Tamil Nadu and Pondicherry.[5]

References
  1. Nārāyaṇaṉ, Ka Ilakkumi; Gangadharan, T.; Chandrasekar, N. (1999). Salem City: An Ethnohistory (1792-1992). Vysya college. p. 47.
  2. People of India: A - G. Oxford Univ. Press. 1998. p. 2791. ISBN 9780195633542.
  3. State), Madras (India (1962). Madras District Gazetteers. Superintendent, Government Press. p. 154.
  4. Masilamani-Meyer, Eveline (1986). Aṅkāḷaparamēcuvari, a Goddess of Tamilnadu: Her Myths and Cult. Steiner Verlag Wiesbaden. pp. 98–101. ISBN 9783515047029.
  5. "List of Backward Classes approved by the Government of Tamil Nadu". Government of Tamil Nadu. Retrieved 1 April 2011.

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