06-15-2009, 11:58 PM
came via email-
<b>The story of Paraiyansâ</b>
<!--QuoteBegin-->QUOTE<!--QuoteEBegin--> happened to read description about Pariahs in the following book. After analyzing, I started getting suspicion that Paraiyans were an important caste group (even Brahmins) who were put down when British were grabbing power in South India.
Read the chapter while keeping in mind that this was written in 1909 after casteism was established. Key points to be noted are those mentioned as their earlier stories or histories and customs. Of course, filter out British spins during narration.
http://books.google.com/books?id=Erin3nkU3...&cad=1#PPA77,M1
Following are my data points to be considered:
- Page 81: Valluvans (part of Paraiyans) used to wear sacred thread
- Page 83, first para: They had separate burning grounds - Not burial ground as they happened to do later
- Page 83: describes about Parayans priestly privileges
- Page 83: "In 1799, however, the right to enter temple was stopped at Dhvajasthambham". This tells when lower castes were prevented from entering temples! This was the age when British were taking over India.
- Page 84: Says Parayans also used to pull temple carts
- Page 84: Brahmin women used to worship at Paraiyan shrines
- Page 84: They claim to be descendents from Brahman priest Sala Sambhavan. Beef theory may have a different angle. Their story says that Brahmins priests are their cousins
- Page 85: Their story says "Paraiyans were the first creation, who first wore sacred thread"
- Page 86: They were the experts of village boundaries
- Page 87: Sometimes, the separation between Brahmin gramam and Paraiyan cheri was just a road or lane
- Page 88: Mentions an instance when Paraiyan started occupying agraharam vacated by Brahmins, and still called Agraharam
- Page 89: Paraiya women used to put ceremonial Kolam (or sacred pattern) in front of their house
- Page 91: Adultery is considered as a serious crime
- Page 92: There were excommunicated Paraiyans!
- Page 94: There were Vaishnavaites and Shaivaites among Paraiyans
- Page 94: There were cross cousin marriages among them
- Page 99: Valluvan priest performs homam in corrupt (British spin) Sanskrit!!!!
- There are lot of descriptions about Paraiyan rituals, which are very similar to any other major caste group
There are some important data about Paraiyans of Kerala:
- Page 131: They claim to be Brahmins!
- Page 132: It mentions about a Brahmin who became Paraiyan
- Page 132: Adultery was considered as a serious crime, and practiced Smarthavicharam, one practiced by Nambuthiris
- Page 135: Girls had mini marriage (kettu kalyanam) as achild and regular marriage (sambandam) as adult.These were practiced by Nairs too.
- Page 137: Some Paraiyars had good ancestral properties - not poor
- Page 138: In AD 927, one Raja gave privileges to Praiyars
- Page 138: During war with Tipu prclamation was made that every Paraiyar must have a master!!! This is the beginning of subjugation to slave like condition!!!
- Page 138: It says that some resepectable Paraiyars contacted Nambuthiris to accept them as slaves for money.
- Page 139: They claim that they were Brahmins and entrapped by enemies by making them eat beef
- Page 139: It was made their custom to eat meat of dead animals. This, I think, was a forced degradation
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Some analysis:
- In Karnataka, their entry into temple was stopped in 1799! (after William Jones published his English Manusmriti)
- In Kerala, their status was made to that of slaves during the raid of Tippu. All I can guess here is that when Tippu invaded, the Travancore king needed British help. This proclamation must have been a British demand, because it doesn't help war against Tippu any way.
- Another thing I noticed is that Paraiyar had a lot of mystic capabilities (they are now labeled black magic). Only other caste that has similar capabilites are Brahmins. It is possible that Pariyars possessed some great sacred knowledge of Hinduism.
- I see every possibility that Paraiyars were subjugated to lowest level through systematic effort by British. Most likely they must have been the first defenders of Hinduism in South India. Subjugation of Paraiyans must have scared off other Brahmins, and that must be the reason why Brahmins fully cooperated with British in their agenda.
- The key missing piece in this jigsaw puzzle is the interaction between Paraiyars and British in 1600s and 1700s.
Could you please contact your contacts in Tamil Nadu, to investigate in this angle?
<!--QuoteEnd--><!--QuoteEEnd-->
<b>The story of Paraiyansâ</b>
<!--QuoteBegin-->QUOTE<!--QuoteEBegin--> happened to read description about Pariahs in the following book. After analyzing, I started getting suspicion that Paraiyans were an important caste group (even Brahmins) who were put down when British were grabbing power in South India.
Read the chapter while keeping in mind that this was written in 1909 after casteism was established. Key points to be noted are those mentioned as their earlier stories or histories and customs. Of course, filter out British spins during narration.
http://books.google.com/books?id=Erin3nkU3...&cad=1#PPA77,M1
Following are my data points to be considered:
- Page 81: Valluvans (part of Paraiyans) used to wear sacred thread
- Page 83, first para: They had separate burning grounds - Not burial ground as they happened to do later
- Page 83: describes about Parayans priestly privileges
- Page 83: "In 1799, however, the right to enter temple was stopped at Dhvajasthambham". This tells when lower castes were prevented from entering temples! This was the age when British were taking over India.
- Page 84: Says Parayans also used to pull temple carts
- Page 84: Brahmin women used to worship at Paraiyan shrines
- Page 84: They claim to be descendents from Brahman priest Sala Sambhavan. Beef theory may have a different angle. Their story says that Brahmins priests are their cousins
- Page 85: Their story says "Paraiyans were the first creation, who first wore sacred thread"
- Page 86: They were the experts of village boundaries
- Page 87: Sometimes, the separation between Brahmin gramam and Paraiyan cheri was just a road or lane
- Page 88: Mentions an instance when Paraiyan started occupying agraharam vacated by Brahmins, and still called Agraharam
- Page 89: Paraiya women used to put ceremonial Kolam (or sacred pattern) in front of their house
- Page 91: Adultery is considered as a serious crime
- Page 92: There were excommunicated Paraiyans!
- Page 94: There were Vaishnavaites and Shaivaites among Paraiyans
- Page 94: There were cross cousin marriages among them
- Page 99: Valluvan priest performs homam in corrupt (British spin) Sanskrit!!!!
- There are lot of descriptions about Paraiyan rituals, which are very similar to any other major caste group
There are some important data about Paraiyans of Kerala:
- Page 131: They claim to be Brahmins!
- Page 132: It mentions about a Brahmin who became Paraiyan
- Page 132: Adultery was considered as a serious crime, and practiced Smarthavicharam, one practiced by Nambuthiris
- Page 135: Girls had mini marriage (kettu kalyanam) as achild and regular marriage (sambandam) as adult.These were practiced by Nairs too.
- Page 137: Some Paraiyars had good ancestral properties - not poor
- Page 138: In AD 927, one Raja gave privileges to Praiyars
- Page 138: During war with Tipu prclamation was made that every Paraiyar must have a master!!! This is the beginning of subjugation to slave like condition!!!
- Page 138: It says that some resepectable Paraiyars contacted Nambuthiris to accept them as slaves for money.
- Page 139: They claim that they were Brahmins and entrapped by enemies by making them eat beef
- Page 139: It was made their custom to eat meat of dead animals. This, I think, was a forced degradation
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Some analysis:
- In Karnataka, their entry into temple was stopped in 1799! (after William Jones published his English Manusmriti)
- In Kerala, their status was made to that of slaves during the raid of Tippu. All I can guess here is that when Tippu invaded, the Travancore king needed British help. This proclamation must have been a British demand, because it doesn't help war against Tippu any way.
- Another thing I noticed is that Paraiyar had a lot of mystic capabilities (they are now labeled black magic). Only other caste that has similar capabilites are Brahmins. It is possible that Pariyars possessed some great sacred knowledge of Hinduism.
- I see every possibility that Paraiyars were subjugated to lowest level through systematic effort by British. Most likely they must have been the first defenders of Hinduism in South India. Subjugation of Paraiyans must have scared off other Brahmins, and that must be the reason why Brahmins fully cooperated with British in their agenda.
- The key missing piece in this jigsaw puzzle is the interaction between Paraiyars and British in 1600s and 1700s.
Could you please contact your contacts in Tamil Nadu, to investigate in this angle?
<!--QuoteEnd--><!--QuoteEEnd-->