Nagarathar

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The Nagarathars are a Chettiar Community that originated in Cauvery Poompatinam under the Chola kingdom of India.

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Business community

They are generally Hindus predominantly originating in the Chettinad region of Tamil Nadu. They had ben trading with Southeast Asia even during the heyday of Chola empire. But in the 19th Century they migrated to countries throughout Southeast Asia. (See Tamil diaspora)

Nagarathars also known as Nattukkottai Chettiars were an important trading class of the 19th and 20th century South East Asia and spread to Ceylon or Sri Lanka, Burma or Myanmar, Malayasia, Singapore, Java, Sumatra, and Saigon. Changing political and economic fortunes since then have caused many of these communities to disappear as their members returned to India or sought other, more hospitable homes.

Chettiars were traditionally involved in occupations such as money-lending and wholesale trading. Three banks established by Chettiars include the now defunct Bank of Chettinad and Bank of Madurai and the still thriving Indian Overseas Bank.

They are known for their philanthropy in the form of building temples, schools and maintaining them throughout Asia.

Chettinad cuisine is known for its spicy, delicious and aromatic cuisine and ts influence amongst local cuisines of Burma, Thailand and Malaysia.

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Carriers of Hindu religion

Apart from business nagarathars also spread Hinduism in these countries. Even today in all these countries we will find a temples dedicated Lord Murukan. There are Murugan temples in Penang, Singapore and Sri Lanka which were built by them.

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Traditioanl settlements

The Chola King had given the Nagarathar community nine villages around Pudukottai to settle. They built a Shiva temple in each of them and created the now famous "9 temple or "9 koil" division of the community. The Koil is used as a primary classification for the community. Members of each temple society treat themselves as brothers and sisters or "pangalis". Marriage is not encouraged among members of the same temple. Bride and Grooms of different temple tend to marry, and the bride becomes the member of the grooms temple. This is similar to clan divisions within a tribe.

The divisions are

  • Illaiyathangudi
  • Mathur
  • Vairavankoil
  • Nemamkoil
  • Illupaikudi
  • Surakuddi
  • Velangudi
  • Iranikoil
  • Pillaiyarpatti
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Major accomplishments

Some famous people of the community includes Alagappa Chettiar (who built the now famous university in Karaikudi), A.C. Muthiah (one of the main members of BCCI ,Board of control for cricket in India) , M.A. Chidambaram Chettiar (Chennai's Chepauk stadium is named after him) and P. Chidambaram (Current finance minister of India)

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Famous Chettiars

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External links

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Caste associations

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Nagarathar philanthropical foundations

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References

  • Rajeswary Brown (1993) Chettiar capital and Southeast Asian credit networks in the inter-war period. In G. Austin and K. Sugihara, eds. Local Suppliers of Credit in the Third World, 1750-1960. (New York: St. Martin's Press).
  • David Rudner (1989) Banker's Trust and the Culture of Banking among the Nattukottai Chettiars of Colonial South India. Modern Asian Studies 23 (3), 417-458.
  • Heiko Schrader (1996) Chettiar Finance in Colonial Asia. Zeitschrift fur Ethnologie 121, 101-126.
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