Nadars - Who Are they

By: Dr. M.Immanuel


Nadars are one of the earliest inhabitants of our land, Bharat, which was later called by the Arabs as "Al Hind". In Biblical times they were known as the "People of Five Rivers". But their origin is in the South, known to us as "Komari Land" which is the originator of the great Mediterranean Culture extending to African, Australian and Middle East countries.

The pre-historic Tamil stays witness to this fact.Their links with the Chaladeans, Syria, Ur, Cambodia, Java, Sumatra, China, etc., are well established by historians.

The first historian of the world, Herodotus writes about this. He tells that in 400 BC,the Palmyra-Tappers were Valiant Fighters and good Navigators and Noble Tradesmen, dealing with inter-Continental Trade, in Purple. They have made settlements in Syria, and taught the art of writing to the Greeks and the Ionians. They also have spread the Culture of 'Burial' to the world. They exported processed Palm-Juice (in the chemical form of Alcohol) to countries like Egypt, for purification and preservation of the dead-bodies (Mammys).

Unfortunately, the history of the early Tamils, the aboriginal Nadars, with their 250 branches, has been tarnished, modified and fabricated to bring fame to the Aryan invaders. Mostly these changes have been made after the Muslim invasions, with the support of the Aryan Brahmins and some of the rival groups of the ruling tribes and the Aryan Agents. These 'Agents' are still at work. Many records were kept in our glorious Hindu Tamples. But most of them were destroyed by the 'Agents'. All joined hands to destroy and denigrate the original ruling class of the land, the Nadars. Ofcourse, there was no Caste system in the early Sangam period . It was a later creation of the Brahmanical class to exploit the wealth of the country.

By the end of the 12th century AD, huge properties attached to our Hindu Temples were made over to the Brahmins as "Gifts". The fall of the Nadars began. There were multi-Lingual Revolutions all over the Bharat Bhoomi by which Tamil was corrupted and Sanskrit took strong hold. Thus Tanjore, one of the strong holds of the Tamil Nadars, was defamed. Valamkaimaalai, one of the Palm-Leaf records with the Nadars, speaks about their history. This book is equivalent to the Pali Text, "Mahavamsa" of the Buddhists. History prooves that the major groups of the Nadars were once Jains and Buddhists. "Mahavira, the originator of Jainism was a Nadar Saint". The Nadars were known as "Vrishnis (the gotra of Lord Krishna), Madhuwar, Tvashtri, and also as 'Jnatri' in Sanskrit", in the Northern provinces of India. Villavas, the Ayes - Idaya (Yadava) or the 'Hidas', referred to by the king 'Chanta-Ashoka' were Nadars. It was only to destroy the aboriginal Tamil or Dravidian Race of India, that in the 8th century AD, 8000 Jains were sent to the gallows in a single day, by the instigation of the Brahmin Priests, during the times of Thirugnanasmbandar.

And, by the 15th century AD,Nadars were weakened by the Nayaks because of the in-fights and dis-unity among the Nadar brothers. In the year 1664 the Nadars were kept away from their own temples and their Royal 'Western-Gate'. Leaders like Kali Kaatha Perumal Nadar, Navab Kumara Marthandan Nadar have fought to regain the power. They were cheated and killed . There were more than 108 types of taxes imposed on the Nadars barring them from assembling in a goup to re-construct their army for re-building their kingdom. There are Stone Inscriptions to prove this. The tortures on the Nadars were so inhuman that in the 17th and 19th centuries the Christian Missionaries found a great 'Fishing Field' in the Nadar dominant areas. But for the Missionaries, this race would have been totally exterminated as planned by the Aryan Agents. But the mis-interpretation of 'Nadar' as a 'Low-Caste' was the result of the Missionary sympathy Propaganda. It is very unfortunate. Sanskrit dictionary tells Nadar as a 'Royal Race'. Although the Missions have economically helped the Nadars to survive, they have not mentioned the high qualities and the valuable 'Sastras' possessed by the Nadars in places like Madurai and Kanniyakumari. These rare records of Varma sastra, Kalari, Vaidyam, Astronomy, Tharka sastra, ect., which are not found even in the Sanskrit language; especially the Varma sastra found among Kanniyakumari Nadars.

So, from the 16th to 19th century AD, the Nadars had to struggle under the new Caste system imposed by the Aryan Agents and had to fight hard to come up socially, economically and politically. It was during these periods that the great Fights like "The Temple Entry Movement, The Upper Cloth Revolution, The Human Rights Movements" by many leaders like Vellayyan Nadar,Mooka Nadan, WPA.Soundara Pandyan Nadar, Ayya Mudisoodum Perumal, Marshal A.Nesamony, etc., were fought and won over. The "Sack of Sivakasi" is another example of the struggle. There are still many more.

There are more than 45 books about the history of the Nadars. The most known one presently, in English is that of Robert Hardgrave, an American. He pictures Nadars only as a "Toddy Tappers" to pull down Kamaraj's political growth. Another Westerner, Dennis Templeman wrote to divide the Nadars as of South and North, to weaken them.This method of dividing Nadars is the "Aim" of the pro-Aryan groups. Many Nadars have fallen victims to this "Fatal Trick" of the groups behind the Curtain! to destroy the 'growth of the Nadars'. Unless the Nadars realise this fact, and unite together, they may again have to fight a ' War of freedom'.

Citing all these facts, one New Research Book is recently published:

THE DRAVIDAN LINEAGES - THE NADARS THROUGH THE AGES. It is a critque of Hardgrave's book. It gives the history of Nadars from 5000BC, many Inscriptions, Copper plates, Words, photos, Icons and documents are incliuded in it. Each Nadar must have a copy of it.

Sivakasi has developed as a "Kutty Japan" with many industrial enterprises in the last 50- 100 yrs. The Adithyanar families is a boon to the community's glory. Siva Nadar is a great genius in the modern world of computers. Muthukutty Swamigal is a revolutionary Sage of 18th century who revolted aginst the King, for Nadars. WPAS, and M.A.N. are of the heroes of the 20th century AD. But there is no political awareness among the Nadars. The Nadars are divided in many ways, especially on "Religion, trade and economic positions". We should have the mind to lift up the poor among us. We should chalk out such revival programmes for unity rather than falling victims to the tricky-nets of the destroyers who have designed evil ways even in those early days of distant eras. We need dedicated leaders to lead the community. Then only the real meaning of "Santors" as ' Noble and Valiant ' vouching for the equality of the whole population of the World can be meaningful and purposeful. EITHER ABOLISH THE PRESENT CASTE-SYSTEM WHICH REDICULES SOME SECTIONS AS ' LOW - BORN ' , BY LEGISLATION, OR UNITE TOGETHER TO STRENGTHEN THE COMMUNITY. THIS ALONE CAN WIPE OFF THE CBACK TAG TIED TO YOUR NAME , " CASTE" !