Skip to main content

Manabharana Is Not Malay (Manabharana Bukan Melayu)

In recent times, an alarming narrative has emerged within the Malaysian blogosphere, suggesting a historical event that appears to be a misinterpretation or perhaps a deliberate misinformation campaign. The claim revolves around a so called Malay prince named Manabharana from Srivijaya, purportedly attacking and conquering the Chola kingdom. This misleading story has gained traction and is spreading like wildfire across various social media platforms. The need to address and rectify such inaccuracies is crucial not only for the sake of historical accuracy but also for fostering a responsible and informed online community. To delve into the matter, it is essential to clarify that historical records reveal the existence of multiple individuals named Manabharana throughout history. However, a nuanced understanding reveals that all these figures were Tamils (Damila) hailing from the Pandya kingdom, with references to their exploits documented in Tamil inscriptions and Sri Lankan chronicles

Dravidian Politics & Surnames

Since the 1950s, the Dravidian politicians have been promoting the eradication of surnames among Tamils. They claim that this will eradicate caste and eventually eradicate caste discrimination. 

However, after half a century, it seems like the whole idea backfired on the Tamil society.

According to the census conducted in 2011, 20% of Tamils are Dalits. Usually, people from the Dalit castes do not use surnames. 

However, the remaining 80% of Tamils have surnames. These surnames are mainly titular surnames used by everyone in a particular clan. Some surnames are paternal family names.

To understand this, we have to look at how castes are distributed in Tamil Nadu. Unknown to many people, castes are not based on occupation alone. It is actually regional. 

In one of my previous posts, I explained about the landscapes in the Tamil land and the different tribes that inhabit it. The modern day Tamil castes descended from those tribes that occupied different parts of the country centuries ago.


Although their surnames were removed from mainstream media, they hardly intermarry with someone outside their caste.

Of all the marriage that happened in Tamil Nadu in the year 2011, only 1.3% were inter-caste marriages. It makes one wonder why the eradication of surnames did not help promote inter-caste marriage.


What was the real motive to remove surnames more than 50 years ago?
E.V Ramasamy Naicker
One of the founding father of the Dravidian politics is Periyar. His actual name is Erode Venkata Ramasamy Naicker. Periyar was not even a Tamilan. He belonged to the Balija caste. His mother tongue was Kannadam.

Periyar was based in Tamil Nadu. He went on a crusade to eradicate surnames in Tamil Nadu.This practice was then continued by the other Dravidian politicians after Periyar's era.

 
But why? What do they gain?

Most of us know that surnames like Mudaliar, Thevar, Servai, Kavundar, Udayar are used by none other than Tamils themselves. 

We know that people like U.V Swaminathan Iyer, V.O Chidambaram Pillai, U.Muthuramalingam Thevar, G.K Moopanar , Ariyanatha Mudaliar, Marudu Servai are all Tamils.

But A.Vijayaraj Naidu is not a Tamilan. So if he wants to get into Tamil Nadu politics, he needs to remove the Naidu surname. Else it will be difficult for him to gain the Tamil support via the usual democratic means. 

A.Vijayaraj Naidu @ Captain Vijayakanth
By the way, A.Vijayaraj Naidu is none other than Captain Vijayakanth. He could some day become the Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu.

The Tamils of Tamil Nadu began to slowly realize this and have on several occasions questioned it.


'Tamil Naatai, Tamilar than aala vendum' 
(Tamil Nadu should be ruled by Tamils)

The idea of removing Tamil caste surnames did not eradicate the various castes, it only helped the none Tamils to gain political power in Tamil Nadu.

Ask yourself this question. Can someone from Tamil Nadu become a powerful politician in non-Tamil states like Andhra Pradesh or Karnataka?

NO.


It is not easy for a Tamilan to become a high profile politician among the natives of another state. But people from other state can do it in Tamil Nadu by hiding their surname.

Besides concealing non-Tamil origin, the other motive of eradicating surnames is to erase the history of certain Tamil castes. 

The same strategy of removing surnames is also used by many Tamil writers and editors in Malaysia. 

If you write something to the Malaysian Tamil newspaper, the editors will  most probably remove the surnames in the article before publishing it. But there won't be problems in publishing non-Tamil surnames like Rao or Nair.  

Have you wondered why?


Chinnaiahpillai Ganesan Mandrayar @ Sivaji Ganesan
Recently, someone from the Malaysian Tamil Writers Association picked up an argument with me. He turned it into a caste war. 

He was angry because I mentioned Sivaji Ganeson's full name as Chinnaiahpillai Ganesan Mandrayar. He did not like the word Mandrayar and wanted me to remove it.

I was puzzled that Sivaji's surname became an issue for this man.  
It does not matter to me who Sivaji was but truth should be told as it is. 

It is not right to remove his surname just because some writer in Malaysia don't want real facts to be published. I find it insulting to Sivaji himself.

There are so many other things he could have spoken about. Sivaji's acting skills, the movies, his charity work etc but he chose to highlight the surname and turn it into an issue.

So what if Sivaji's actual name is Chinnaiahpillai Ganesan Mandrayar? Will that stop the millions of Sivaji fans from watching his movies? 

Ilayaraja and his son Yuvan Shankar Raja are Dalits but that did not stop the non-Dalits like me from listening to their songs. Millions of people love their songs and most of the fans are not Dalits.

We all know that the Tamil speaking Chettiars were among the earliest people to trade in Southeast Asia. Their descendants are still around in Malaysia especially in the state of Malacca. We call them the Malacca Chetties. 

Imagine what will happen if we erase the word Chetty or Chettiar from being published. The history of one community will be gone. Some day someone might even claim that the Malacca Chetties were not even Tamils.


Raja Mariamman temple of Johor. Founded by the late Koothaperumal Vandayar.

There was another incident few years ago. It was concerning the Raja Mariamman temple in Johor. That temple was founded by the late Koothaperumal Vandayar with the help of the then Sultan of Johor in 1911, H.R.H Almarhum  Sultan Sir Ibrahim Ibni Sultan Abu Bakar. 

This is why the temple which was initially known as Mariamman Temple was renamed as Raja Mariamman (Royal Mariamman) Temple. It was renamed to express his gratitude to the sultan.

When someone wrote about it few years ago, the editor who published the article purposely removed the word Vandayar because he did not want people to know that a Vandayar built the temple.

Similarly, there were attempts to remove the word Kavundar from the name of freedom fighter Dheeran Chinnamalai Kavundar. These people didn't want others to know the full name because of the word Kavundar.


So what if the clan identity is revealed? Are we going to ignore their sacrifice? Does that make Dheeran less Tamil than the Tamil news editors themselves?

If we can accept non Tamils like Periyar or Vijayakanth and dance to their tune, why can't we accept our own Tamilans for who they really are? It is not right for any editors to alter their name simply because of a surname.

There are some out there who claim that surnames are erased for the sake of Tamil unity.

Let's be practical. 

The Chinese do not prevent their surnames from being published in the media. In fact, there are more Chinese clan associations in Malaysia than Tamil clan associations. Their clan members share a very close bond with each other. They form self help groups and provide assistance to their clan members. They even have clan temples and only members of the clan are allowed to manage it.

But when a Tamil clan does the same, it becomes an issue for everyone. The media paints a negative image and turns it into a caste war. 

For me, the real Tamil unity happens only when we respect and accept the various castes, tribes and clans within the Tamil society.


Eradicating surnames will only cause the Tamil people to some day loose their own identity. Tamil Nadu is already an example of how non-Tamils are taking over the affairs of the state.

Comments

  1. Arumayana tagaval...I always thought caste identification is unnecessary.
    now i know importance of it since that is our identity ans a whole history of
    our ancestors are behind it.

    Murukesan Gounder

    ReplyDelete
  2. Anne,

    If i want to research about Vanniyar, where should i start?
    i want to know my ancestors as well

    ReplyDelete
  3. Friend read Na.Mu.Venkattasamy Naattaar's Kallar Sarithiram to get the clarity. Kallar community has more number of family names than anyother communities of the world Mazhavarayar,Naattaar,Vanniyan(not to be confused with the vanniyar caste), Vaandayaar,Vaanavaraayar,Chozhagar, Kandiyar (Title of Rajaraja chozhan refer to the inscriptions of thiruvaalangaattu cheppaedu), Thondaimaan(the present day existing kallar dynasty of pudhukottai's family name). Our family name can give you the proof that we are the chozhas.
    And more importantly what made you so angry and abusive to this blog as he hidnt abuse you or your community, dude we are going to follow the old mysterious caste system again. This is just our identity and family name to know our history.

    Some notes from 'Kallar Sarithiram'

    இனி, கள்ளர் குலத்தவர் முற்கூறிப் போந்த மக்களுள் எவ்வினத்தைச் சேர்ந்தவர் என்றும், இன்னவர் நிலைமை எத்தன்மைய தென்றும் பார்ப்போம், சங்கநாளிலே திருவேங்கடத்தை ஆண்ட புல்லி என்னும் அரசன் கள்வர் கோமான் என்று கூறப் படுகின்றான். அவன் வீரத்தினூம், வள்ளன்மையினும் மிக மேம் பட்டவனென்று தெரிகிறது. பொய்யடிமையில்லாத புலவராகிய சங்கத்துச் சான்றேருள், கபில பரண நக்கிர ரோ ஒப்பப் பெருமை வாய்ந்த கல்லாடனாரும் , மாமூலனாரும் பல பாட்டுக்களால் அவனைப் பாடியிருப்ப தொன்றே அவனது பெருமையை நன்கு புலப்படுத்தா நிற்கும்.

    அகநானூற்றில்,
    கழல்புனை திருந்தடிக் கள்வர் கோமான்’
    மழபுலம் வணக்கிய மாவண் புல்லி
    விழவுடை வழுச்சீர வேங்கடம்’
    ‘புடையலங் கழற்காற் புல்லி குன்றத்து’
    ‘புல்லி நன்னாட் டும்பர்’
    ‘பொய்யா நல்லிசை மாவண் புல்லி’
    ‘நெடுமொழிப் புல்லி’
    என மாமூலருமம்,
    ‘புல்லி-வியன்றலை நன்னாட்டு வேங்கடம்’
    ‘மாஅல்யானை மறப்போர்ப் புல்லி
    காம்புடை நெடுவரை வேங்கடம்’
    எனக் கல்லாடனாரும் பாடியிருக்கின்றனர்.
    நற்றிணையில்,
    ‘கடூமான் புல்லிய காடிறந்தோரே’
    என்றார் மாமூலனார் . அதனுரை,
    ‘கடிய குதிரையையுடைய கள்வர் கோமான் புல்லியென்பவனுடைய வேங்கட மலையிலுள்ள காட்டின் கண்ணே சென்ற நமது காதலர்’ — என்பது.
    புறநானூற்றிலே, கல்லாடனார், அம்பர்கிழான் அருவந்தையை வாழ்த்துமிடத்தும்,
    ‘காவிரி கனையுந் தாழ்நீர்ப் படப்பை
    நெல்விழளை கழனி யம்பர் கிழவோன்
    நல்லருவந்தை வாழியர் புல்லிய
    வேங்கட விறல்வரைப் பட்ட
    ஓங்கல் வானத் துறையினும் பலவே’
    எனப் புல்லியது வேங்கடத்தைச் சிறப்பித்தலினாலே அவர் தம் உள்ளத்தை அத்தோன்றலுக்கே ஒப்பித்துவிட்டடனரென விளங்குகிறது.
    அகநானூற்றிலே,
    ‘கள்வர் பெருமகன் — தென்னன்’
    என, மதுரைக் கணக்காயனார் ஒரு பாண்டியனைக் குறித்துள்ளார்.
    இவ்வாற்றால், சங்கநாளிலே அதாவது ஏறக்குறைய ஆயிரத்தெண்ணூறு ஆண்டுகளின் முன்பு ‘கள்வர்’ என்ற பெயர் வழக்கு இருந்ததென்பதும், கள்வர் குலத்தவர் அரசராயிருந்தனரென்பதும் வெளியாகின்றன.
    அகநானூற்றில்’
    ‘வினைநவில் யானை விறற்போர்த் தொண்டையர்
    இனமழை தவழு மேற்றரு நெடுங்கோட்
    டோங்கு வெள்ளருவி வேங்கடத் தும்பர்’
    நாக பல்லவ சோழரும், கள்ளரும்
    என்று வெங்கட மலையானது தொண்டையருடையதாகக் கூறப் படுதலின், தொண்டையர், கள்வர் என்ற பெயர்கள் ஒரு வகுப்பினர்க்கு உரியன என்பதும். பண்டை நாளிலே வேங்கடமும், அதைச் சார்ந்த நாடும் அன்னவரது ஆட்சியிலிருந்தன வென்பதும் போதரும். இப்பொழுதும் தொண்டைமான் என்ற பெயர் கள்ளர்க்கே வழங்குவதும், தொண்டைமான் என்னும் பட்ட முடைய மாட்சிமிக்க புதுக்கோட்டை அரசர் கள்ளர் வகுப்பினராயிருப்பதும் இங்கு அறியற்பாலன. வேங்கடமலையிலிருந்து ஆதனுங்கன் என்ற வள்ளலும் இவ் வகுப்பினனேயாவன். இவனைக் கள்ளில் ஆத்திரையனார் என்னும் புலவர் பாடிய பாட்டுக்கள் புறநானூற்றில் உள்ளன. அவர் பாடிய,
    ‘எந்தை வாழி யாதனுங்க
    என்னெஞ்சந் திறப்போர் நிற்காணகுவரே
    நின்னியான் மறப்பின் மறக்குங் காலை
    என்னுயிர் யாக்கையிற்பிரியும் பொழுதும்
    எனியான் மறப்பின் மறக்கவென்’
    என்னும் அருமைப்பாட்டை நோக்குங்கால் யாவர் நெஞ்சுதான் உருகாதிருக்கும்? சங்கநாளில் விளங்கிய அரசருள்ளும் வள்ளியோருளும் பலர் இவ் வகுப்பினரர்கல் வேண்டும் எனினும் இவர்கட்குச் சிறப்பானுரிய பெயரானும் இடத்தானம் வெளிப்படத் தோன்றினோரையே இங்கே குறிப்பிடலாயிற்று. புல்லியைப்பற்றி எடுத்துக்காட்டிய ஒன்பது மேற்கோள்களில் ஒன்றிலெ தான் ‘கள்வர் கோமான்’ என்ற பெயர்வந்துளது. அஃது இல்லையேல் அவனை இவ்வகுப்பினன் என அறிந்துகொள்வது எங்ஙனம்? இவ்வாற்றால் அறிந்துகொள்ளலாகாத பலர் இருந்திலர் என்று எங்ஙனம் கூறமுடியும்?

    ReplyDelete
  4. romba thanks nanba... I'm a Christian I belong to saiva pillai community ithu varaikum naa jadhi peru veika thevai illainu tha ninaichen but inimale naa Yenoda adutha generation ku veipen.....

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Bro, you wanna convert to hinduism. You will follow your ancestor's religion, forget about christainity. In hinduism, you will have freedom to choose your own philosophy. Consider reverting back as a Hindu ! Good luck

      Delete
  5. Great effort @sharmalan keep rocking �������� this article is really useful..

    ReplyDelete
  6. Very Nice Article. We missed our roots and hard to bring it back since our surnames all lost over half century

    ReplyDelete

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

The Indian confusion - Race, Caste, Clan & Surnames

Before you read, keep in mind that this was not written with the intention to divide the people. It was written with the intention to explain the meaning of each group. The write up on my journey in Bali is still in progress. I have to transfer some image files in order to upload them. So I thought of writing about the biggest confusion in the Indian Malaysian community. It is a sensitive one too. But clarification should be given. Else, when are we going to understand it? To my friends of other races who happened to read my blog, this will probably be enlightening as many may not be aware of our demographics. First of all, there are two main classification for us in Malaysia. Indian & Ceylonese. Many assume it to be a homogenous race like Chinese, but it isn't. The Chinese have many languages but they have a common language called Mandarin. They also have one writing script. This is what makes the over 1 billion Chinese worldwide as a homogenous race. Ancient Chinese

Dogs of Tamil Nadu

Pictures taken from Google. Credit goes to the various people who uploaded them. I apologise for not being able to identify the original owner of the pics. Whenever we speak of dogs, we tend to focus on the European breeds.  This is due to their popularity and demand. Unknown to many, India has about 88 native dog breeds. Six of these breeds are from the southern state of Tamil Nadu. Most of these dogs from Tamil Nadu evolved naturally. That makes them more suitable to the hot climate in the south. Furthermore, these dogs require less medical attention as their immune system is stronger, making them less prone to disease which are common among the European breeds. In Tamil Nadu, we can find breeds like the famous Rajapalayam, Kombai, Alangu Mastiff, Chippiparai, Kanni and Malayeri. Both the Alangu Mastiff and Malayeri are now extinct. Malayeri The Malayeri (hill climber) was a shepherd dog used by the tribals to herd sheeps. It was commonly found in the hills of Tamil Nadu-K

How To Find Your Kula Deivam?

*DISCLAIMER-Article written from a believer's perspective.  One of the most common questions I get from my readers is  "How do I find my Kula Deivam?" Kula Deivam is the patron deity of your lineage. Some families have more than 1 deity.  The easiest way to know your Kula Deivam is of course by knowing the ancestral village of your patrilineal lineage (father's side).  Usually the Kula Deivam shrines will be in the ancestral village. If the family has migrated to several villages, then the shrine will usually be in the main village where the family originated from. Knowing your caste or clan background is also helpful in finding out more about your Kula Deivam. For females, they have an advantage. They also inherit the Kula Deivam from their matrilineal lineage (mother's side). So if you are a woman, your mother's Kula Deivam (from her mother) will continue to be present throughout your life. If you are married, your husband's Kula Deivam (from