Kuravar

The Kuravar is an ethnic Tamil community native to the Kurinji mountain region of Kerala, India.

Kuravar
குறவர்
Regions with significant populations
Tamil Nadu, Kerala
Languages
Tamil language, Malayalam
Religion
Hinduism
Related ethnic groups
Tamil people

Etymology

The "Kuravan" is a Tamil word which means "uyarnthavan" or "Thalaivan" means "Leader"

History

During British rule in India they were placed under Criminal Tribes Act 1871, hence stigmatized for a long time, after Independence however they were denotified in 1952, though the stigma continues.[1]

Politics

The whole population of Tamil Nadu knows that kuravar best Community as Tribal Gypsies but the subsequent Governments denied that fact and helped the reservation mechanism which systematically oppressed this group of people who were already been oppressed for ages by their own Tamil people. This has led to protests and resentment from the community.[2] However, the Narikuravas are yet to be recognized as a scheduled tribe.

Notes
  1. Meena Radhakrishna (16 July 2006). "Dishonoured by history". folio: Special issue with the Sunday Magazine. The Hindu. Archived from the original on 6 July 2007. Retrieved 31 May 2007.
  2. "Narikuravas running from pillar to post for ST status". The Hindu: Friday Review. 14 January 2005. Retrieved 28 July 2008.

References

Further reading
  • Hatch, William John (1928). The Land Pirates of India. Seeley, Service & Co.
  • Vijayathilakan, J. P. (1977). Studies on Vaagrivala. Madras Christian College, Department of Statistics.
  • Sathyanandan, D. Theodore (2000). The Problems of Narikorava Community in Tamilnadu. Christian Literature Society.
  • Thurston, Edgar; K. Rangachari (1909). Castes and Tribes of Southern India Volume IV - K: Kuruvikkaran, Pg 181 to 187. Madras: Government Press.
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