Konar (caste) explained

Caste Name:Konar
Languages:Tamil
Religions:Hinduism
Related:Tamil people

Konar is a Hindu caste found in the Indian state of Tamil Nadu. They are traditionally a pastoral community[1] [2] involved in cattle herding and cultivation.[3] They are a part of the Yadav community,[4] and are also known as Ayar and Idaiyar,[5] and appear in the ancient Sangam literature as occupants of the Mullai (forest region).[6]

Etymology

According to Alf Hiltebeitel, Konar is a Tamil caste who can trace their origin to Yadava, the caste to which Krishna belongs.[7] Several Vaishnavite texts associate Krishna with the Aayar caste, or Konar, most notably the Thiruppavai, composed by goddess Andal herself, most notably referring Krishna as the “Aayar kulathu mani vilakke”. The caste name is interchangeable with the names Konar and Kovalar being derived from Tamil word Kōn, which can mean "king" and "herdsmen".[8] [9] The word might be derived from the Tamil word kōl, a herdsman's staff.[8] The Tamil word kōl also means a king's sceptre.[10] [11]

The word Ayar might be derived from the Tamil word Aa, meaning cow. The term idai (middle) might refer to the Mullai region, being an intermediate zone between two other Sangam landscapes called Kurinji (hilly region) and Marutham (cultivation region), but probably reflected their intermediate socio-economic status.[12] Idaiyar remains the most commonly used word in Tamil for a cow-herder, and another name for Ayars was pothuvar, meaning common.[13]

History

According to medieval inscriptions, the Konars are mentioned as Nandaputras of Yadava lineage.[14] Historically, some of them have held positions such as kings and chieftains.[15]

See also

References

NotesCitations

Notes and References

  1. Book: Pullaiah . T. . Ethonbotany of India . Krishnamurthy . K. V. . Bahadur . Bir . Apple academic press . 2016 . 9781771883399 . 15 . en . Animal domestication, particularly of cattle, was perfected predominantly by the pastoral people, generally called Yadavas (in ancient Tamil country these people were known as Idalyars or Konars), who were generally nomadic and pastoral initially but were settled subsequently..
  2. Book: Iyengar, P.T. Srinivas . The Stone age in India . Asian Educational Services . 2016 . 9788120601482 . 26.
  3. Book: Journal of Indian History. 2003. Department of Modern Indian History.
  4. Book: People of India: India's communities, Volume 5 . Oxford University Press . 1998 . 978-0-19-563354-2 . 1302 . en.
  5. Book: Richard, Guy. Religious Festivals in South India and Sri Lanka. Manohar. 1982. 128. 9780836409000 .
  6. Book: Bloomer, Kristin C.. Possessed by the Virgin: Hinduism, Roman Catholicism, and Marian Possession in South India. 2018. Oxford University Press. 9780190615093. 258. en.
  7. Book: Hiltebeitel . The cult of Draupadī: Mythologies : from Gingee to Kurukserta, Volume 1 . University of Chicago Press . 1988 . 9780226340463 . 91 . en . https://web.archive.org/web/20250112120244/https://books.google.com/books/about/The_Cult_of_Draupadi_Volume_1.html?id=ui5gju8MwDUC . 12 January 2025 . 12 January 2025 . bot: unknown .
  8. Book: Allchin, Frank Raymond. Neolithic Cattle-keepers of South India. Cambridge University. 1963. 101.
  9. Book: Hiltebeitel, Alf. The Cult of Draupadi. University of Chicago Press. 1988. 9780226340463. 35. Alf Hiltebeitel.
  10. Book: Cultural heritage of ancient Tamils. Katir Makātēvan̲. Lakshmi Publications, 1981. 65.
  11. Book: Śaṅgam polity: the administration and social life of the Śaṅgam Tamils. N. Subrahmanian. Asia Pub. House, 1966. 71.
  12. Book: Ramaswamy, Vijaya. Historical Dictionary of the Tamils. Rowman & Littlefield. 2017. 9781538106860. 153. en.
  13. Book: Padmaja, T.. Temples of Kr̥ṣṇa in South India: history, art, and traditions in Tamilnāḍu. Abhinav publications. 2002. 9788170173984. 35.
  14. Conclusion pages 103: "We also get several instances of the patronage extended to Krsna temples by the shepherd class (manradi or Konars) In one inscription they are significantly called Nandaputras and Tiruvaypadi Nattar of Tondaimandalam"Book: Temples of Kr̥ṣṇa in South India: History, Art, and Traditions in Tamilnāḍu . 9788170173984 . 2002-01-01 . Padmaja . T. . 2002 . Abhinav Publications .
  15. Book: Hiltebeitel, Alf . The cult of Draupadī: Mythologies : from Gingee to Kurukserta, Volume 1 . Motilal . 1988 . 81-208-1000-7 . 99 . en.

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