Nadar caste
Nadar is one of the South Indian Tamil caste and the term also used to refer to the man belong to that caste.
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History
Nadars belong to Kshatriyas in the 4 classes of the original Hindu Caste system. That is just a broad classification as they were a sect of people who were landlords and merchants. They are extremly shrewd businessmen. Even though nadars were hardworking, successful, rich community, in past feudalist caste system considered them as lower cast. This was due to one of there main occupation was toddy (a kind of liquor) gathering on Palm Trees. The 19th century saw the nadars embracing Christianity in large numbers some out of will and most out of the easier acceptance into christian schools, and as a consequence broke free of the rigid caste system prevailing in India at that time. Today the distribution of nadars between the two major religions, Hindu and Christian, are 60% and 40% respectively, and marriages between the two groups continue in the southern districts of Tamil Nadu. Nadars traditioanally have been extremely clanish people. Although outwardly they are united as nadars,there is a clear cut distinction between the nadars of various regions of Southern India. For example the customs and practices of Nadars hailing from Tirunelveli will be completely different from that of Nadars hailing from Madurai or Nagercoil. It is only in the present generation that Nadars,like the current generation of most castes in India, are really opening up.
The premium placed on education by the Nadar community resulted in a drastic improvement in the socio-economic landscape of the Nadar community, a distinction reserved to upper classes of India. The nadars community are known for their work mostly on small scale business. Most cities in Tamil Nadu will have a provision store run by a person from this community. They are even referred to as Annachi Kadai or Nadar Kadai.
Genetic study
Recent genetic studies on the antigenic variations among south Indian populations suggest nadars to have several genotypic characters shared with East Asian populations consistent with the demographic history of South India and also several unique genetic markers. The study suggested a distinct evolutionary lineage with lesser admixture in the gene pool among groups of Tamilnadu. The gene pool of nadars show more similarity to the East Asian populations (Tissue Antigens. 2003 Dec; 62(6): 542–7), a trend not observed in the Brahmin communities of south Tamilnadu, who are more closely related to the branch of the Indo-European and Central Asian tree (Human Biology 1996, 68(4), 523–37).
Further reading
- D. Templeman. (1996) The Northern Nadars of Tamil Nadu: An Indian Caste in The Process of Change (February, 1996): New Delhi: Oxford University Press
- Robert L. Hardgrave, Jr.(1969) The Nadars of Tamilnad; the political culture of a community in change. From year 1800 british records to 1968. [1]
Famous people
- Kamaraj – Freedom fighter, Politician
- Shiv Nadar – Billionaire, CEO, HCL Group(Infotech)
External link
Categories: Caste