Sri Lankan Mukkuvar () is a

Tamil Tamil may refer to: * Tamils, an ethnic group native to India and some other parts of Asia **Sri Lankan Tamils, Tamil people native to Sri Lanka also called ilankai tamils **Tamil Malaysians, Tamil people native to Malaysia * Tamil language, nativ ...

speaking ethnic group found in the Western and Eastern coastal regions of

Sri Lanka Sri Lanka (, ; si, ශ්‍රී ලංකා, Śrī Laṅkā, translit-std=ISO (); ta, இலங்கை, Ilaṅkai, translit-std=ISO ()), formerly known as Ceylon and officially the Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka, is an ...

. They are primarily concentrated in the districts of Batticaloa, Ampara and Puttalam. They are also related to "

Sri Lankan Moors Sri Lankan Moors ( ta, இலங்கைச் சோனகர், translit=Ilaṅkaic Cōṉakar; si, ලංකා යෝනක, translit=Lanka Yonaka; formerly Ceylon Moors; colloquially referred to as Sri Lankan Muslims) are an ethnic minorit ...

". Sri Lankan Mukkuvars along with Eastern Muslims of Sri Lankan claim their origin from Kerala and matrilineal in practice. Recent studies show their habits and clan structure, as well as dialects, show affinity towards the Northern Kerala regions.https://www.colorado.edu/faculty/mcgilvray-dennis/sites/default/files/attached-files/mcgilvray_1982_mukkuvar_vannimai.pdf It is still unclear when did this group migrated from South Western India to Sri Lanka. Mukkuvars traditionally involved in

fishing Fishing is the activity of trying to catch fish. Fish are often caught as wildlife from the natural environment, but may also be caught from stocked bodies of water such as ponds, canals, park wetlands and reservoirs. Fishing techniques inclu ...

conch shell Conch () is a common name of a number of different medium-to-large-sized sea snail, sea snails. Conch shells typically have a high Spire (mollusc), spire and a noticeable siphonal canal (in other words, the shell comes to a noticeable point a ...

and

pearl A pearl is a hard, glistening object produced within the soft tissue (specifically the mantle) of a living shelled mollusk or another animal, such as fossil conulariids. Just like the shell of a mollusk, a pearl is composed of calcium carb ...

diving but are also rendered their service as Mercenaries and Naval Mariners to Kings of Sri Lanka, today most of them involved in

agriculture Agriculture or farming is the practice of cultivating plants and livestock. Agriculture was the key development in the rise of sedentary human civilization, whereby farming of domesticated species created food surpluses that enabled people to ...

. They also include the major

landlord A landlord is the owner of a house, apartment, condominium, land, or real estate which is rented or leased to an individual or business, who is called a tenant (also a ''lessee'' or ''renter''). When a juristic person is in this position, the ...

s in the Eastern Province of Sri Lanka who historically also served as

mercenaries A mercenary, sometimes also known as a soldier of fortune or hired gun, is a private individual, particularly a soldier, that joins a military conflict for personal profit, is otherwise an outsider to the conflict, and is not a member of any o ...

in medieval era.

Etymology

The name of the caste has several etymology theories. According to one is Mukkuvar derived from

word ''mukku'' (means tip or corner) and the suffix ''ar'' (people), thus the term denotes "those from tip of the landmass". Another theory states that the word ''Mukkuvan'' (singular form), means "diver" derived from the Dravidian word ''muluku'' (to immerse or to dive). Other titles used by the community are ''Kukankulam, Murkukan'' and ''Mukkiyar''. Their titles Kukankulam (Kukan clan) and Murkukan (foremost Kukan) are literary references to ''Kukan,'' the mariner who ferried Hindu god

Rama Rama (; ), Ram, Raman or Ramar, also known as Ramachandra (; , ), is a major deity in Hinduism. He is the seventh and one of the most popular '' avatars'' of Vishnu. In Rama-centric traditions of Hinduism, he is considered the Supreme Bein ...

across

Ganges The Ganges ( ) (in India: Ganga ( ); in Bangladesh: Padma ( )). "The Ganges Basin, known in India as the Ganga and in Bangladesh as the Padma, is an international river to which India, Bangladesh, Nepal and China are the riparian states." is ...

from

Ayodhya Ayodhya (; ) is a city situated on the banks of holy river Saryu in the States and union territories of India, Indian state of Uttar Pradesh. Ayodhya, also known as Sāketa, Saketa, is an ancient city of India, the birthplace of Rama and ...

whose descendant they claim.

History

The earliest mention of the Mukkuvar is in the

Sinhalese Sinhala may refer to: * Something of or related to the Sinhalese people of Sri Lanka * Sinhalese people * Sinhala language, one of the three official languages used in Sri Lanka * Sinhala script, a writing system for the Sinhala language ** Sinha ...

panegyric A panegyric ( or ) is a formal public speech or written verse, delivered in high praise of a person or thing. The original panegyrics were speeches delivered at public events in ancient Athens. Etymology The word originated as a compound of grc, ...

called ''Dambadeni asna'' (13th century AD'')'', mentioning them as soldiers under the army of

Parakramabahu II Parakramabahu II, also known as Panditha Parakramabāhu, was the King of Dambadeniya in 13th century, whose reign lasted from 1234 to 1269. As a pioneer in literature, he was bestowed with the honorary title "Kalikala Sahitya Sarvagna Pandita". Pa ...

. Their folk origin varies from region to region. According to the legend of the Mukkuvar from Kerala, they emigrated to and from Sri Lanka. The ''

Mattakallappu Manmiyam ''Mattakkalappu Maanmiyam'' (; ''The Glory of Batticaloa'') is a Tamil language historical book concerning the history of Batticaloa. It was compiled by F. X. Nadarajah from the collections of palm-leaf manuscripts, copper plate inscriptions and ...

'' text and other local

palm-leaf manuscript Palm-leaf manuscripts are manuscript A manuscript (abbreviated MS for singular and MSS for plural) was, traditionally, any document written by hand – or, once practical typewriters became available, typewritten – as opposed ...

s attribute the emigration of the Sri Lankan Mukkuvar from

South India South India, also known as Dakshina Bharata or Peninsular India, consists of the peninsular southern part of India. It encompasses the Indian states of Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka, Kerala, Tamil Nadu, and Telangana, as well as the union territo ...

under the rule of

Kalinga Magha Kalinga Magha or Gangaraja Kalinga Vijayabahu ( ta, கலிங்க மாகன் / கலிங்க மாகோன் / கங்கராஜ காலிங்க விஜயவாகு மகன் , si, කාලිංග මාඝ, ...

in 12th century AD, who delegates the power to local petty kings whose successors are identified as belonging to ''Kukankulam''. The conch shell trade flourished in the ancient and medieval era. The Mukkuvars of Jaffna region were traditionally involved in conch shell diving, however took to fishing with the decline of the conch shell trade. The Mukkuvar are found in Northern Western Province and Eastern Province of Sri Lanka. Mukkuvar tribes migrated from

Malabar Malabar may refer to the following: People * Malabars, people originating from the Malabar region of India * Malbars or Malabars, people of Tamil origin in Réunion Places * Malabar Coast, or Malabar, a region of the southwestern shoreline o ...

Coast in Kerala to cities in

Puttalam Puttalam ( si, පුත්තලම, translit=Puttalama; ta, புத்தளம், translit=Puttaḷam) is the largest town in Puttalam District, North Western Province, Sri Lanka. Puttalam is the administrative capital of the Puttalam ...

and

Jaffna Jaffna (, ) is the capital city of the Northern Province of Sri Lanka. It is the administrative headquarters of the Jaffna District located on a peninsula of the same name. With a population of 88,138 in 2012, Jaffna is Sri Lanka's 12th most ...

in the 12th century. They established a local polity in Puttalam, Mannar, and Jaffna. However, they and the Sonakar were defeated in a three-month siege by the

Karaiyar Karaiyar is a Sri Lankan Tamil caste found mainly on the northern and eastern coastal areas of Sri Lanka, and globally among the Tamil diaspora. They are traditionally a seafaring community that is engaged in fishing, shipment and seaborne t ...

chieftains, sponsored by the

Kingdom of Kotte The Kingdom of Kotte ( si, කෝට්ටේ රාජධානිය, Kottay Rajadhaniya), named after its capital, Sri Jayawardenepura Kotte, Kotte, was a Sinhala kingdom, Sinhalese kingdom that flourished in Sri Lanka during the 15th cent ...

in the 15th century. This event is celebrated in a

palm leaf manuscript called the

Mukkara Hatana The Mukkara Hatana ("''The'' ''Mukkuvar War"'') is a 17th-century palm-leaf manuscript from Sri Lanka. Written in Sinhalese, the work celebrates the victory of the Karaiyars, also known as Karavas, over the Mukkuvars, who battled for the dominanc ...

(''The Mukkuvar War''). Ancient temple or Vedi Arasan fort

The

chronicle, ''

Yalpana Vaipava Malai Yalpana Vaipava Malai ( ta, யாழ்ப்பாண வைபவமாலை) is a book written by a Tamil poet named Mayil Vaakaanar ( ta, மயில் வாகனார்) in 1736. This book contains historical facts of the early Tam ...

'', mentions the exile of Mukkuvars from Jaffna Kingdom to

Batticaloa Batticaloa ( ta, மட்டக்களப்பு, ''Maṭṭakkaḷappu''; si, මඩකලපුව, ''Maḍakalapuwa'') is a major city in the Eastern Province, Sri Lanka, and its former capital. It is the administrative capital of the B ...

during the 15th Century after the invasion of Jaffna by Sampumal Kumarayya. According to a popular folklore, is the Delft Island linked to the Mukkuvar king ''Vedi Arasan''. Vedi Arasan had forts at

Kayts Kayts ( ta, ஊர்காவற்துறை, translit=Ūrkāvaṟtuṟai'','' ), is one of the important villages in Velanai Island which is a small island off the coast of the Jaffna Peninsula in northern Sri Lanka. There are number of oth ...

Kankesanthurai Kankesanthurai (, , lit. ''Port Kankesan''), colloquially known as KKS, is a port suburb, fishing division and resort hub of the Jaffna District, Northern Province, Sri Lanka. Formerly an electoral district, Kankesanthurai is home to the Kankesan ...

and

Keerimalai Keerimalai ( ta, கீரிமலை kīrimalai) is a town in Jaffna District, Sri Lanka. Naguleswaram temple is located in this suburb also a mineral water spring called Keerimalai Springs reputed for its curative properties. In Tamil Keeri ...

, and was in possession of a ''Naga''

gemstone A gemstone (also called a fine gem, jewel, precious stone, or semiprecious stone) is a piece of mineral crystal which, in cut and polished form, is used to make jewelry or other adornments. However, certain rocks (such as lapis lazuli, opal, ...

. The Karaiyar king ''Meekaman'' with his

Chola The Chola dynasty was a Tamils, Tamil thalassocratic Tamil Dynasties, empire of southern India and one of the longest-ruling dynasties in the history of the world. The earliest datable references to the Chola are from inscriptions dated ...

army defeated Vedi Arasan and the

Moor Moor or Moors may refer to: Nature and ecology * Moorland, a habitat characterized by low-growing vegetation and acidic soils. Ethnic and religious groups * Moors, Muslim inhabitants of the Maghreb, Iberian Peninsula, Sicily, and Malta during ...

chief ''Meera'' and earned his Naga gemstone for the Chola princess ''Kannika.'' Ruins in Delft island such as ''Meekaman kottai'' and ''Vedi Arasan'' ''kottai'' are local names identified with this event. The ''Mattakallappu Manmiyam'' refers to the defeat of the

Thimilar Thimilar (Tamil: திமிலர்) is a Sri Lankan Tamil caste found in the northern and eastern coastal areas of Sri Lanka, and globally among the Tamil diaspora. They are traditional artisanal fishers primarily engaged in shallow-water fish ...

by the Mukkuvar and the Sonakar in eastern parts of the island. Several places in Eastern Province bear names related to this event. The theme of the Mukkuvar seeking the aid of Muslim Sonakars was always present and at that time alliances and intermarriage between the communities took place. The Batticaloa region was under the leadership of Mukkuvar ''Vannimai'' chiefs.

Religion

One of the earliest tribes to get converted to

Catholicism The Catholic Church, also known as the Roman Catholic Church, is the largest Christian church, with 1.3 billion baptized Catholics worldwide . It is among the world's oldest and largest international institutions, and has played a ...

by the

Portuguese Portuguese may refer to: * anything of, from, or related to the country and nation of Portugal ** Portuguese cuisine, traditional foods ** Portuguese language, a Romance language *** Portuguese dialects, variants of the Portuguese language ** Portu ...

were the Mukkuvars from

Thiruvananthapuram Thiruvananthapuram (; ), also known by its former name Trivandrum (), is the capital of the Indian state of Kerala. It is the most populous city in Kerala with a population of 957,730 as of 2011. The encompassing urban agglomeration populati ...

in Kerala. The Mukkuvar practising

Islam Islam (; ar, ۘالِإسلَام, , ) is an Abrahamic religions, Abrahamic Monotheism#Islam, monotheistic religion centred primarily around the Quran, a religious text considered by Muslims to be the direct word of God in Islam, God (or ...

are known as '' Pusalan'', ''Pulasar'', ''Puislam'' or "''New muslims''", derived from the

word ''putiya'' (new) and ''Islam''. The Mukkuvars of Sri Lanka from North Western Province are mostly Roman Catholic with a strong minority of Muslim Mukkuvars who are known as Sonakars, however they are mostly

Hindu Hindus (; ) are people who religiously adhere to Hinduism.Jeffery D. Long (2007), A Vision for Hinduism, IB Tauris, , pages 35–37 Historically, the term has also been used as a geographical, cultural, and later religious identifier for ...

s in the Northern and Eastern provinces.

Customs

The Mukkuvars of eastern parts of Sri Lanka follow the

Mukkuva laws Mukkuva laws is the traditional law of Tamil inhabitants of Batticaloa district, of Sri Lanka codified by the Dutch during their colonial rule in 1707. The Law in its present form applies to most Tamils in eastern Sri Lanka. The law is personal ...

, also known as ''Mukkuva Ēṟppāṭu'', which applies to marriage and property. The Mukkuvars in Eastern Sri Lanka are, like other castes, also divided into ''kudi's'' (

matrilineal Matrilineality is the tracing of kinship through the female line. It may also correlate with a social system in which each person is identified with their matriline – their mother's Lineage (anthropology), lineage – and which can in ...

clans). According the study conducted by McGilvray, Kudi system of Mukkuvars and Eastern Muslims has greater resemblances to Northern Kerala Nayars, Tiyyars, and Mappillas.

References

17. Could Marthanda Varma have won the Colachel War without the fishermen english.manoramaonline.com

External links

Mukkuvas in IndiaThe effect of 2004 Tsunami
{{Sri Lankan Tamil people Social groups of Kerala Indian castes Fishing communities in India Social groups of Tamil Nadu Sri Lankan Tamil castes