https://en.bharatpedia.org/w/index.php?action=history&feed=atom&title=Timeline_of_the_KurukulamTimeline of the Kurukulam - Revision history2026-10-27T23:08:48ZRevision history for this page on the wikiMediaWiki 1.43.6https://en.bharatpedia.org/w/index.php?title=Timeline_of_the_Kurukulam&diff=147713&oldid=previmported>Headbomb: /* Independent period */clean up, replaced: andJ → and J2021-07-02T00:31:06Z<p><span class="autocomment">Independent period: </span>clean up, replaced: andJ → and J</p>
<p><b>New page</b></p><div>The following is a chronological overview of the history of the [[Karava]]s and [[Karaiyar]]s caste of [[Sri Lanka]] and [[India]]. Both communities were historically also known as ''Kurukulam,'' meaning ''Kuru clan''.<ref>{{Cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=URtDAAAAYAAJ&q=Journal+of+the+Royal+Asiatic+Society+of+Sri+Lanka,+Volumer+36-37|title=Journal of the Royal Asiatic Society of Sri Lanka, Volume 36-37|publisher=Royal Asiatic Society of Sri Lanka|year=1993|location=University of Michigan|pages=137}}</ref><br />
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== Medieval period ==<br />
* Under the reign of [[Virarajendra Chola]](1063-1070 CE), the [[Chola rule in Sri Lanka|Chola rule]] ended through a rebellion led by [[Vijayabahu I of Polonnaruwa|Vijayabahu I]], under the chief ''Kurukulatta Raiyan'' (King of Kurukulam), mentioned in an inscription in [[Thirumukkulam]], [[Tamil Nadu]].<ref>{{Cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=TUduAAAAMAAJ|title=History of Ceylon|last=Ceylon|date=1960|publisher=Ceylon University Press|pages=425|language=en}}</ref><br />
* The Karaiyar captain ''Meekaman'' lead the [[Chola dynasty|Chola]] troops and defeated the [[Mukkuvar]] chief ''Vediarasan'' and [[Sri Lankan Moors|Moor]] chief ''Meera.<ref>{{Cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=3tG1AAAAIAAJ|title=Tamil Culture|date=1953|publisher=Academy of Tamil Culture|pages=307|language=en}}</ref><ref name=":4">{{Cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=Fb4LAAAAIAAJ|title=Tamil culture in Ceylon: a general introduction|last=Raghavan|first=M. D.|date=1971|publisher=Kalai Nilayam|pages=53, 138|language=en}}</ref>'' The<nowiki/> [[Delft Island fort]] is thought as his fort and is thill this day locally known as ''Meekaman Kottai'' or "fort of Meekaman".<ref>{{Cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=zH4aAQAAIAAJ&q=mikamam|title=Journal of the Sri Lanka Branch of the Royal Asiatic Society|last=Society|first=Sri Lanka Branch of the Royal Asiatic|date=1969|publisher=Royal Asiatic Society, Sri Lanka Branch.|pages=2|language=en}}</ref><br />
*The [[Mukkara Hatana]], an old [[palm leaf manuscript]] from [[Sri Lanka]], is an account of the defeat of the Mukkuvar by the Karaiyar<nowiki/>s in the [[Shalivahana era|Saka era]] 1159 and the taking of the fort of [[Puttalam]] after a three-month siege.<ref>{{Cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=MTh4pixlifYC|title=Crucible of Conflict: Tamil and Muslim Society on the East Coast of Sri Lanka|last=McGilvray|first=Dennis B.|date=2008-05-07|publisher=Duke University Press|isbn=978-0822341611|language=en}}</ref><br />
* Under the leadership of Karaiyar chiefs [[Migapulle Arachchi]] and [[Varunakulattan]], aligned with the [[Thanjavur Nayak kingdom|Thanjavur Nayak]], fought with the Jaffna king [[Cankili II]] against the [[Portuguese conquest of the Jaffna kingdom|Portuguese in the conquest of the Jaffna kingdom]].<ref>{{Cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=GD_6ka-aYuQC|title=Nayaks of Tanjore|last=Vriddhagirisan|first=V.|date=1995|publisher=Asian Educational Services|isbn=9788120609969|pages=91|language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=H0BuAAAAMAAJ|title=Von Jaffna nach Kilinocchi: Wandel des politischen Bewusstseins der Tamilen in Sri Lanka|last=Hellmann-Rajanayagam|first=Dagmar|date=2007|publisher=Ergon|isbn=9783899135442|pages=104, 134|language=de}}</ref><br />
*The Prince of [[Uva Province|Uva]], ''[[Kuruvita Rala]],'' who was a Karava revolted with his troops against the Portuguese and also raided the [[Kingdom of Kandy]], driving the king [[Senarat of Kandy|Senarat]] out of his capital.<ref>{{Cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=DUEKAQAAIAAJ|title=The Portuguese in Ceylon, 1617-1638|last=DeSilva|first=Chandra Richard|date=1972|publisher=School of Oriental and African Studies|location=University of London|pages=59–66, 83–84|language=en}}</ref><br />
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==Independent period==<br />
* The British establishment of [[Myanmar|Burma]] as a separate unit from its Indian empire in the 1930s, harmed the flourishing trade that was accomplished by the Karaiyars. The Karaiyars traditionally traded and shipped [[pearl]]s, [[chank]]s, rice and other goods to [[India]], [[Myanmar]] and [[Indonesia]] which was heavily restricted and controlled under the British government.<ref name=":2">{{Cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=W3aAB9IFVdkC|title=Sri Lankan Tamil Nationalism: Its Origins and Development in the Nineteenth and Twentieth Centuries|last=Wilson|first=A. Jeyaratnam|date=2000|publisher=UBC Press|isbn=9780774807593|pages=18–24|language=en}}</ref><br />
*[[Karava]]s formed the elites under colonial era. Several Karavas, such as [[James Peiris]], fought for the [[Sri Lankan independence movement]]<br />
* The [[Janatha Vimukthi Peramuna]], was founded by [[Rohana Wijeweera]]. Wijeweera and many other [[Karava]]s, formed the leadership of this organization.<ref>{{Cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=-sIRxpjfd-EC&q=jvp+karava&pg=PA342|title=Paradise Poisoned: Learning about Conflict, Terrorism, and Development from Sri Lanka's Civil Wars|last=Richardson|first=John Martin|date=2005|publisher=International Center for Ethnic Studies|isbn=9789555800945|pages=342|language=en}}</ref><br />
*Chief Karava families such as the ''de Mels'', the ''Peiris'' and the ''Soysas'' were heavily involved in [[Industrial park|estate-owning]] sector, mainly in coconut and rubber. Entrepreneuring Karavas controlled important commercial groups such as Mackwoods Ltd, Brown's Group Ltd, [[Richard Pieris & Company|Richard Pieris Ltd]] and J. L. M. Fernando's group.<ref name=":42">{{Cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=Q8ip5NofD98C|title=Caste and Family Politics Sinhalese 1947-1976|last=Jiggins|first=Janice|date=1979-06-07|publisher=Cambridge University Press|isbn=9780521220699|pages=27|language=en}}</ref><br />
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== Sources ==<br />
{{Reflist}}<br />
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== References ==<br />
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* BITC, ''The Bulletin of the Institute of Traditional Culture I'', Madras University 1961<br />
* Habib Irfan, ''The Agrarian system of Mughal India'', 1999 Oxford<br />
* S. Paranavitana, ''Inscriptions of Ceylon,'' Volume I<br />
* Perniola Fr. S. J., ''The History of the Catholic Church – Portuguese period''<br />
* Queyroz Fr. S. J., ''1688 The Temporal and Spiritual Conquest of Ceylaö''<br />
* Sastri Nilakanta K. A., ''Pandyan Kingdom''<br />
* Sastri Nilakanta K. A. ''The Cholas''<br />
*Raghavan, M. D., The Karava of Ceylon: Society and Culture, K. V. G. de Silva, 1961<br />
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==External links==<br />
*[http://karava.org/ Karava website—Kshatriya Maha Sabha Sri Lanka]<br />
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{{DEFAULTSORT:Timeline Of The Karavas and Karaiyars}}<br />
[[Category:Sinhalese castes]]<br />
[[Category:Sri Lankan Tamil castes]]</div>imported>Headbomb