Nagarathar

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

1 Business community
2 Carriers of Hindu religion
3 Traditional settlements
4 Major accomplishments
5 Chettiars who have contributed to the development of the Community
6 See Also
7 References
8 External links

[edit] Business community

Business people are generally Hindus predominantly originating in the Chettinad region of Tamil Nadu. They had been 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 its influence amongst local cuisines of Burma, Thailand and Malaysia.

[edit] 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 Murugan. There are Thandayuthapani temples in 15 locations in Malaysia. Singapore has two temples and Sri Lanka has three plus the famous Selva Vinayagar Temple (Kandy). Myanmar has 50 temples, and in Saigon there are two which were built and managed by them. Even today, they maintain various temples across the globe including North America.

[edit] Traditional settlements

The Pandiya 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. Presently they live in 96 villages surrounding the Temple. The koil is used as a primary classification for the community. Members of each temple society treat themselves as brothers and sisters or "pangalis" and thus marriage is not allowed amongst members of the same temple. Bride and grooms of different temples marry, and the bride automatically becomes a member of the groom's temple.

The koils are:

Illaiyathangudi
Mathur
Vairavankoil
Nemamkoil
Illupaikudi
Surakuddi
Velangudi
Iranikoil
Pillaiyarpatti

Some of these temples have sub-divisions.

Vairavankoil - Periya Vaghupu and Pillayar Vaghupu

[edit] 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). Dr. Justice AR. Lakshmanan, Judge, Supreme Court of India.

[edit] Chettiars who have contributed to the development of the Community

Dr. RM. Alagappa Chettiar, the founder of the various educational institutions in Karaikudi and its surroundings. Alagappa University, ACCET and Alagappa Government Arts College are a few institutes named in his honor. A friend of Jawaharlal Nehru, he brought CECRI to Karaikudi, by donating large tracts of land.
Rajah Sir Annamalai Chettiar
M. A. Chidambaram Chettiar. The M.A. Chidambaram Stadium in Chennai is named after him.
Poet Kannadasan
Rajah Sir Muthiah Chettiar
Chockalingam S First employed Chettiar
AMM Murugappa Chettiar (Murugappa Group)
Karumuttu Thiagarajan Chettiar
AV.Meyyappa Chettiar (AVM)
M.Ct. Muthiah Chettiar
Politician, Professor, Lawyer P._Chidambaram
Yogi S.A.A. Ramaiah
M.V. Arunachalam (Industrialist)
Dr. A.C. Muthiah (Industrialist)
Dr. M.A.M. Ramasamy
Dr.Justice. AR. Lakshmanan
S.Muthiah, Editor, Madras Musings
Roja Muthiah, Finest Private Collector of Books
Meyappa Chettiar - co author of Nagarathar Kalai Kalangiyam
Dato Dr. Ganesha (Malaysia) - Philanthoropist & Industrialist
Muthupalaniappa Chettiar - the founder of Penang Nagara Viduthi

[edit] See Also

Forward Castes

[edit] 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.