Marakkar

For the Indian film, see Marakkar: Lion of the Arabian Sea.

The Marakkars^[a] are a South Asian Muslim community found in parts of the Indian states of Kerala, Tamil Nadu, and Sri Lanka. The Marakkars speak Malayalam in Kerala and Tamil in Tamil Nadu and Sri Lanka.^[3]

The community trace their ancestry to marriages between early Arab Muslim traders of the high seas and indigenous Paravar coastal women^[4] on the Gulf of Mannar coast and with Mukkuvar coastal women on the Travancore coast. Arab traders have also married other South Asian women in India and Sri Lanka, but their descendants are not necessarily members of the Marakkar community.^[5][6][2]

Origins

The Islamized Arabs who arrived on the Coromandel and Malabar Coast brought Islamic values and customs and inter-married with the indigenous women who followed the local Buddhist, Jain & Hindu customs. Naturally, their children will have imbibed Islamic and local values and transmitted them to their descendants. From the outset, the Arabs must, in all probability, have asserted the centrality of Islamic values in their relationship with the local women while making the necessary adjustments to local customs. This is the pattern that has survived to this day.^[5] Arab traders had a flourishing business in South India with the Pandian Kingdom (capital at Madurai), the rulers of Malabar (Kerala) and Ceylon (Sri Lanka).

With the advent of Islam, these Arab traders introduced a new faith in the region. They married among the local population, and their descendants are:

• The present-day population of many settlements along the Tamil Nadu coast.
• Many settlements on the Malabar / Kerala coast.
• The southern sea coast of Ceylon is like Galle and Batticaloa.

The main item of trade of the Arabs was natural pearls fished in the Gulf of Mannar, Palk Strait separating Ceylon (Sri Lanka) from South India and horses. These pearls were exchanged with horses brought from Arabia.

Deeper into roots

According to SV Muhammed, the Marakkar traders originated from Cochin, and their roots in his book Charithrathile Marakkar Sannidhyam, the Marakkar family (Kunhali) derived from the Konkan, and they were rice merchants. According to him, Marakkar was the family name, and Kunhali was the titular name the Zamorin gave.

Though Marakkars have Arab roots, they are differentiated from the Moplah of Malabar as the Moplas generally had forefathers from Arabia and mothers of local descent. They comprise both the Sunni and the Shiah groups and include converts. The Arabs are believed to come from many regions, notably the Red Sea coastal areas and the Hadhramaut region of present-day Yemen. Many present-day Mappilla Muslims are Shafi; however, it could have been so that they claimed a direct lineage to an Arab trading group without converts. Some scholars opine that the migration to Tuticorin occurred only in the 15th or 16th century after Portuguese persecution, though trade documentation indicates that many existed in those ports even earlier. Many present-day Tirunelveli Muslims claim to be descended from the Kerala Mappilas and follow Malabari religious teachers and social culture.

To summarize, the Marakkars are Moplas, though differing in exact origin and subsect. They were always conductors of trade and also migrated to Tuticorin, Ceylon, Indonesia, the Philippines and Malaysia.

So-called matrilineal "Kudi maraikkars" occur in some South Indian and Ceylon settlements. Here the term Maraikkar is for the head of the Muslim populace dealing with fishing. They are covered in detail in the book Crucible of Conflict by Dennis B. McGilvray. They are also Moplah migrants from Malabar. In addition to Kudi Marakkars, there are plenty of regular Marakkar trading families in Ceylon.

Religion

The Marakkars, the early Muslim inhabitants of Kerala, Coastal Tamil Nadu and Sri Lanka, are Sunnis of the Shafi‘i school of thought (Madhab).^[2][5][6]

Economic Status

Most Marakkars are, in some way or other, connected to foreign trade through which they became more advanced economically and socially than the different Muslim groups in the locality and even many Hindu sub-castes.^[5]

The Marakkars were known to be a robust maritime spice trading community in medieval South Asia.^[3] They traded in and with locations such as Myanmar, Thailand, Malaysia in East Asia and South Asia, Maldives and Sri Lanka.^[7] The Marakayars have dominated the educational and economic landscape in Tamil Nadu since the 17th century.^[8]

Etymology

There are two main hypotheses regarding the term "Marrakayar" etymology and its various forms.

The first is from the term 'Marakala+aayar', which may mean those who controlled or owned boats.^[5] In Tamil/Malayalam, "marakalam" signifies "wooden boat" and "aayar". That it is the association of these two words that give Marakkayar.^[5]

KVK Iyer says in his history of Kerala that Marakkar was a prized title given by the Zamorin of Calicut. Derived from Marakka Rayar, it signifies the captain of a ship Rayar (captain) of Marakkalam (ship).

Role in regional history

According to tradition, the Kunjali Marakkars were maritime merchants of Arab descent who supported the trade in the Indian Ocean and settled in the coastal regions of Kayalpattinam, Kilakarai, Thoothukudi, Nagore and Karaikal. But they shifted their trade to Kochi and then migrated to Ponnani in the Zamorin's dominion when the Portuguese fleets came to the Kingdom of Cochin. With the emergence of the Portuguese in India, some Marakkars were forced to take up arms and enlist themselves in the service of the Hindu king (the zamorin) of Calicut. The Marakkar naval chiefs of Calicut were known as Kunjali Marakkars.^[7] The seamen were famous for their naval guerrilla warfare and hand-to-hand fighting on board. The Marakkar vessels — small, lightly armed and highly mobile — were a significant threat to the Portuguese shipping all along the Indian west coast.

In 1598, the Portuguese convinced the Zamorin that Marakkar IV intended to take over his Kingdom to create a Muslim empire. In an act of betrayal, the Zamorin joined hands with the Portuguese, who brutally killed him. Malabari Marakkars is credited with organizing the first naval defence of the Indian coast.

Language

The Arabic language brought by the early merchants is no longer spoken, though many Arabic words and phrases are still commonly used. Until recently, the Mappila Muslims employed Arabi Malayalam, and the Tamil Muslims employed Arwi as their native language, though this is also extinct as a spoken language. Today, they use Malayalam and Tamil as their primary language, with influence from Arabic. Many Arabic and Arabized words exist in Malayalam and Tamil, spoken by Marakkars. Among many examples, greetings and blessings are exchanged in Arabic instead of Malayalam/Tamil, such as Assalamu Alaikum instead of Shaanthiyum Samadanavum, Jazakallah instead of Nanni/Nandri and Pinjhan/Finjan/Pinjaanam for Bowl/Cup.

There are also words which are unique to Marakkars and Sri Lankan Moors, such as Laatha for elder-sister, Kaka for elder-brother, Umma for mother and Vappa for father, suggesting a close relationship between Marakkars of India and Marrakkar and Moors of Sri Lanka.^[9] The Marakkars of Sri Lanka falls under the 'Sri Lankan Moors group, defined by the Sri Lankan government as a separate ethnic group.^[9] There are also words derived from Sinhala, such as Mattapa for the terrace. There are also words from the Purananuru era, such as Aanam for Kulambu and Puliaanam for rasam or soup.

English	Malayalam/Tamil	Marakkar Malayalam/Tamil
Father	Appan/Appa	Uppa/Vaapa
Mother	Amma	Umma
Brother	Chetan/Annan	Kaaka/Naana
Sister	Chechi/Akka	Thaatha/Laatha
Son	makan	mavan/mon
Daughter	makal	maval/mol

Marakkars and Marakkayars

Dr. J.B.P.More points, outspoken words, marriage customs, etc., strongly connect the Marakkayars of Tamil to the Malabar Marakkars. His book also pointed out that Malabar Marakkars had relations with the communities in the Kayalpatanam (Tuticorin) region. This group conducted trade with Burma, Malacca and Indonesia.

To determine the origins of the Marakkars, JB More used another yardstick, their family system. The Tamil Marakkayars and Malabar Marakkars practice marumakkathayam (matrilinear inheritance system) and settle in the bride's house. More thus believes that the Tamil Marakkayars came from Malabar.

Only towards the 17th century did the Tamil Labbais come to the fore as boatmen and fishermen. In another wave of migration, many Muslims left the Tamil country during the late 14th century in Marak Kalams (wooden boats) and landed on the coasts of Ceylon. Because they came in Marak Kalams, the Sinhala people called them Marakkala Minissu.

Summarizing, the elite Chuliah (Kling to Malays) Muslims constituted the Maraikkayar caste in the early 14th century. This Tamil group were Sunnis and maintained ships and had strong relations with their Arab brethren and the holy cities of Arabia (the Labbias were the lower Sunni strata comprising fishermen, pearl divers etc.). The Kayalpatanam Marakkars controlled the Indian Ocean pearl trade. Rowthers conducted inland trade.

Susan Bayly states in her book Saints Goddesses and Kings^[10] that Tamil Marakkayars have always looked down upon converted Muslims and had a higher social standing directly linked to Arabs. She states the Sunni Shafi Madhab connection to Arabia as proof of their identity. They (marakkars) strictly maintained the sect by intermarriage between the Marakkayars of Malabar and Tamil Nadu. She states that the Labbais sect follows the rules, like marrying the father's sister's daughter (Murapennu - a famous South Indian "Kalyana murai"). Nagore, Kulasekarapattinam, Kayalpattanam, Kilakkarai, and Adiramapattanam are the main centres with old mosques and remains of ancient Sahabi saints.

Bayly mentions Patattu marakkayar signifies a title or Pattam having been granted to one of these families. Could that be the Pattu Marakkar that we know from Cochin? The Kayal Patanam Quadiri Sufis had connections with the Calicut Sufi families. This confirms the relationship between the Calicut, Cochin and Kayal Marakkayar families and the Arabic links. The Marakkayar port of Porto Novo (Mahmud Bandar) was popular and busy in the later years. In Ramnad, however, the Marikkars mainly handled trade for the Setupati royal family.

The Rowther, Marakkayar, Lebbai and Kayalar are the four Muslim communities in Tamil Nadu. Rowthers follow the Hanafi madhab, while Kayalar, Lebbai and Marakkayar belong to the Shafi branch of Islam, which spread from the coasts of southern Yemen. Kayalar seems to be a subdivision of Marakkayar. Kayalars and Marakkayars are found primarily along the Coromandel coast. Rowthers predominate in the ASEAN.

Marakkars of Kottakal (Kerala)

In Kerala, Marakkar, known as Marikkars, are primarily concentrated in and around Malabar. They were traditionally boatmen.^[11]

According to tradition, Marakkars were originally marine merchants of Kochi who left for Ponnani in the Samoothiri Raja's dominion when the Portuguese came to Kochi. They offered their men, ships and wealth in defence of their motherland to the Samoothiri of Kozhikode-The Raja, who took them into his service and eventually became the Admirals of his fleet. They served as the naval chiefs in the Zamorin's army. Kunjali Marakkar, one of the first Keralites to rebel against the Portuguese, hailed from the Marikkar community.^[12]

Present circumstances

Traditionally, Maricars have been known for maritime trade throughout East Asia, but now, owing to better education, many of the community are professionals. The Kilakarai Maricars have played a significant role in setting up educational institutes all over Tamil Nadu for the betterment of Tamil Muslims and Muslims in general. Many Maricars have connections with the Persian Gulf, Malaysia and Singapore. Some Maricars have moved to the UK, France (called Marecar) and the US.

It is a very close-knit community, and they marry amongst themselves to maintain the lineage. Traditionally they follow the Shafi school of thought, as most of the Arabs who made a trade with these regions followed that madhab.

The Maricars have a distinct Arab-Tamil composite culture and are traditionally very conservative. There was a time when the language had a strong Arabic flavour, as most of their vocabulary was derived from pure Arab and classical Tamil.

Maraikayar Pattinam is a small place in the Ramanathapuram district. The people living there are called Maraikayars. Even before two generations, they operated Marakalam "wooden ships" to the entire world, especially the Persian Gulf, Malaysia, Singapore, Sri Lanka and some European countries. The current generation has diversified into many areas apart from their maritime traditions. However, some older people in Maraikayar Pattinam still travel to many countries by the Marakalam.

See also

• A. P. J. Abdul Kalam
• Tamil Muslims
• Mappila Muslims
• Sri Lankan Moors

Notes

1. Marakkar is the Malayalam spelling. Other spellings include Maricar, Marecar, Marikkar, Markiyar, Marican, Marecan, Tamil Marrakayar and Sinhalese Marakkala.^[1][2]

References

1. TSCHACHER, TORSTEN (2006). "THE IMPACT OF BEING TAMIL ON RELIGIOUS LIFE AMONG TAMIL MUSLIMS IN SINGAPORE" (PDF). Degree of Doctor of Philosophy PhD: 79 – via NATIONAL UNIVERSITY OF SINGAPORE.
2. Hoogervorst, Tom G. (2015). "Tracing the linguistic crossroads between Malay and Tamil". Wacana. 16 (2): 249–283. doi:10.17510/wacana.v16i2.378 – via Brill.com05/28/2020 DOI: 10.17510/wjhi.v16i2.378.
3. Kunhali, V. "Muslim Communities in Kerala to 1798" PhD Dissertation Aligarh Muslim University (1986) [1]
4. The History of the Pearl Fishery of the Tamil coast by S. Arunachalam (1952), Page 89
5. Prashant More, Jean-Baptiste (1991). "The Marakkayar Muslims of Karikal, South India". Journal of Islamic Studies. 2: 25–44. doi:10.1093/jis/2.1.25. PMC 355923. PMID 15455059 – via JSTOR/ Oxford Academic Journals.
6. Cf. Bayly 1989: 73-103; Bjerrum 1920: 172-3; Fanselow 1989: 274-81; Kamāl 1990: 37-55; More 2004: 3-27
7. Kunhali, V. "Muslim Communities in Kerala to 1798" Ph.D. Dissertation Aligarh Muslim University (1986) [2]
8. Arunachalam, S. (1952). The History of Pearl Fishery of Tamil Coast, Annamalai Nagar. Tamil Nadu, India: Ananamalai University. p. 11.
9. MAHROOF, M. M. M. (1995). "Spoken Tamil Dialects of the Muslims of Sri Lanka: Language as Identity-Classifier". Islamic Studies. 34 (4): 407–426. ISSN 0578-8072. JSTOR 20836916.
10. page 80
11. Ray, Niharranjan; Chattopadhyaya, Brajadulal (2000). A Sourcebook of Indian Civilization. ISBN 9788125018711.
12. The Hindu. "The Hindu". thehindu.com.

Further reading

• Medieval Seafarers of India – Lakshmi Subramaniam
• The Career and Legend of Vasco da Gama – Sanjay Subrahmanyam
• The Portuguese Empire in Asia, 1500–1700: A Political and Economic History – Sanjay Subrahmanyam
• Portuguese Cochin and the Maritime Trade of India – Pius Malekandathil
• India and the Indian Ocean World – Ashin Das Gupta
• Kerala Muslim History – P. A. Syed Mohammed
• Muslim Identity, Print Culture, and the Dravidian Factor in Tamil Nadu - J. B. Prashant More
• Saints Goddesses and Kings – Susan Bayly
• Political Evolution of Muslims in Tamil Nadu and Madras - J. B. Prashant More
• Charithrathile Marakkar Sannidhyam – S. V. Mohammed
• Kunjali Marakkar – Kerala Calling Malabar & the Portuguese – K. M. Panikkar