Katesar

Katesar (also known as Pattamkatti or Nittarasan) is a Tamil caste found in Tamil Nadu of India. They are traditionally involved in basket weaving, fishing and lime burning. They are chiefly found in the districts of Ramanathapuram, Thirunelveli and Tiruchirappalli of Tamil Nadu.[1]

Etymology

The term Katesar, also spelled Kataisar, means "one who churns", derived from the Tamil term katai meaning "to mash" or "to grind".[2] The name is derived from a folk lore where their ancestors churned butter and offered it to the thirsty Devas (term for Hindu deity) who fought against the Asuras (term for Hindu demons) for a noble cause.[3]

They were formerly divided into endogamous subdivisions known as Pattamkatti and Nittarasan. Pattamkatti is a title conferred on maritime headmen, meaning "diadem crowned".[4] The term Nittarasan literally meaning "lime king", derives from the Tamil terms nittu meaning "to dissolve" as in dissolving limestone in water, and arasan meaning "king". From an order of the king of Rameswaram, several communities were engaged in the construction of a temple. While the other communities used oridnary conch shell in the construction, the Katesars used a special coch shell known as valumpuri. The construction made by the Katesars were the strongest, and they were therefore conferred the title Nittarasan by the king of Rameswaram.[5]

Katesar might be a shortened form of the word 'Karaiyar Arasar', which means kings of coastal inhabitants.

History

There have been stone carvings and copper plates that mention the Pattamkattiyars. These are found in big temple, tanjavur and in other places. A stone bearing the name of a person called "Perumal Patamkatti" dating 900 AD was found in Kanyakumari.

They have seven exogamous sub-divisions known as Keelai. In the war between the Idangai and Valangai, the Katesars sided with the Kammalar who belonged to the Idangais. The Katesans lost the battle with only seven men standing. Each men took wife from different castes and thereby forming a subdivision. The following subdivisions are Kuttini (from a Kusuvar woman), Nēttali (from a Paravar woman), Attukkutti (from a Idaiyar woman), Thomba Puluvan (from a Thomban woman), Nayinan Chakravarthi (from a Panar woman), Kavadi (from a Shanar woman), and Tachilai (from a Vannar woman).[6]

In the Katesar society, the maternal uncle's responsibility is more than the parents' responsibility.

Some of the Katesar of Tirunelveli, Ramanad and Tuticorin were converted by St. Francis Xavier and other priests starting from 1536.

Their mangalsutra/thali worn during marriage are similar to Pillai. Their marriage customs find similarity with Brahmins and Pillais. With the passing of time, the Pattamkattiyars separated themselves from rest of the Pandiyan community and they formed an individual caste with their own customs.

See also

References
  1. Singh, K.S.; Thirumalai, R.; Manoharan; S. (1997). Tamil Nadu. Affiliated East-West Press [for] Anthropological Survey of India. ISBN 978-81-85938-88-2.
  2. McGilvray, Dennis B. (2008-05-07). Crucible of Conflict: Tamil and Muslim Society on the East Coast of Sri Lanka. Duke University Press. p. 371. ISBN 978-0-8223-4161-1.
  3. Singh, Kumar Suresh (1998). India's Communities. Oxford University Press. p. 1605. ISBN 978-0-19-563354-2.
  4. Raghavan, M. D. (1961). The Karāva of Ceylon: Society and Culture. K. V. G. De Silva. p. 110.
  5. Singh, Ed By Nagendra Kr (2006). Global Encyclopaedia of the South Indian Dalit's (3 Vol. Set). Global Vision Publishing House. p. 337. ISBN 978-81-8220-167-5.
  6. Parte, H.R. (1917). Madras District Gazeeters: Tinnevelly. Government Press. p. 147.
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