Just some information and question about the maRa caste groups.
List of British sources or references for Thevar, Maravanadu etc from 19th century. Since the sources are British they have to be taken with the usual pinch of 'fairness'. I know there are some hardcore British supporters here so please do not pounce on me.
I have some question regarding the whole maRa-Devar-Chali
Devar means mapillai(groom) side people Sali means ponu(Chali bride) side people. I remember reading somewhere that Devar has similar meaning somewhere outside India also. Is there some historical basis for this. Is it because some important kalyanam(marriage) took place between the Thevar and Chalukyas in the past. Even in one of the reference listed above, the Madurai Nayak refers to Ramnad Setupathis as some kind of brothers after some fight where Setupathi is captured. Has a scholary survey, review, analysis done on the Devar-Sali relationship in North India.
The word 'maRa' seem to have wide usage in India and outside historically. Is there a comprehensive work out there for this and more specifically ethonographic material on this.
There are five caste groups which can be easily seen to be related. I am not proposing a racial unity or some sort of superiority here.
1) MaRavar from Maravanadu. Approximately stretches from Rameshwaram-Ramnad to the surrounding area around Madurai, Thanjai and down south. 2) Nayaks from the area of former Vijaynagar. Are the Nayaks related to Chalukayas ? Which caste group relates to Nayaks in that area like Naicker of TN. Is there any relationship to the Kapus? 3) MaRatta from Marathawada. Shivaji, Raja of Tanjore belong to this group. 4) Solanki etc from the region of Gujarat. Are they related to Chalukyas or Sola-Chola ? 5) MaRvar region in Rajasthan - Thakurs. Is Thakur related to Tagadur? Does Tak related to modern Takht. Has a historical survey done for this - Takht? In the Gujarat-Rajasthan region, is Gujjar-Parihar group related to Kosar,Pari group? How are meenas related to the above if at all related?
The other important question who were the five sangama brothers of Vijaynagara. Is it possible that it was the coming together of five caste-groups like the above?
It is obvious that the above five groups are related. Are there more groups like this in the eastern and North region. A major push can be made on the historical side of things if they can come together on a common platform at the National level and form something like Bharatiya maRa Sangam and start coordinating on things commonly affecting them. A critical mass of scholars from among them have to come together.
Caste leaders from among the southern maRa, western maRa, north Eastern maRa etc like actor Karthick can do something in this direction or atleast an interaction can be started.
It is common knowledge that the Thevar claim links with Indra Kadavul and Sri Rama.