Kuravar

The Kuravar is an ethnic Tamil community native to the Kurinji mountain region of TamilNadu and Kerala, India.

Etymology
The "Kuravan" is a Tamil word which "guru avar" means "Leader"

Ethnonym
The "Kuravan" is a Tamil word which means "uyarnthavan" or "Thalaivan" means "Leader"

People of this community are called with different names in different parts of South India. They are called as Yerukula in Andhra Pradesh (derived from the tradition of fortune telling by the women), Korama, Korachas in Karnataka, Kaikadi in Maharashtra, and Sidanar in Kerala.The gothras among all these communities is the same, i.e. Kavadiyar, Sathupadi, Maanipadi and Meluthar. They are also known as Malai Kuruvans, Kuravan, Thalaiyaris, Kavalkara koravars, uppu koravars, Dabi kuravar(simbu kuravar), Gandarvakottai kuravar, Inji kuravar, Koravas, Kalinji Dabikoravas, Kala kuravar.

History
The word "Kuravan" means "uyarnthavan" or "Thalaivan" means "Leader" and from Tamil Sangam period (Dated 300 BCE – c. 300 CE Sangam period) this community mentioned in many Tamil epics. Examples: Tolkāppiyam, Silapathigaram, Purananuru, Kutrala Kuravanji and more. They were ruling the Mountain (Kurunji) lands, Kannapa Nayanar(கண்ணப்ப நாயனார் குறவர்) one of the Nayanars (or Nayanmars; Tamil:நாயன்மார், romanized: Nāyaṉmār, lit. 'hounds of Siva', and later 'teachers of Siva') were a group of 63 saints living in Tamil Nadu during the 6th to 8th centuries CE who were devoted to the Hindu god Shiva.), and there are so many poet and warriors who lived in this community.

According to Hindu mythology, Murugan, Tamil god, is a Kuravan, he is the God of the (Kurinji) mountains, and his wife Valli also a Kurathi.

Kuravar is an ancient clan mentioned in the Sangam literature, along with Kallar and Maravar. Kuravar were amongst the inhabitants of Kurinji land as "the hunters and the gatherers, the people of foothills" along with Poruppan (the soldiers), Verpan (the leaders of the tribe / weaponists), Silamban (masters of martial arts / the art of fighting), and Kaanavar (the people of the mountainous forests).

The kula theivam was a clan god in Kurava and was Murugan. it was assumed[by whom?] to be one of the gods of ancient Tamil country. the clan inhabited the mountainous regions of Tamil Nadu and used bamboo grass in large quantities. During their hunting and gathering stage, they used bamboos against animals. In a later Civilized settlement stage, Kuravas also used bamboos as a self-defence weapon which, later was transformed into silambattam of Tamil country. The self-defence art with a silambattam is still considered to be a known and appreciated fighting art of Maravars, Kallars who are the other native people of Tamil country.

During the first quarter of the 12th century AD, areas of Kanyakumari district were brought under the fold of several kings: Konanki Kuravar, Bommayya Kuravar and Nanchil Kuravar. A classic period of the Kingdom of NanjilNadu (modern day Nagercoil Region of Tamil Nadu) started with the accession of a Konanki Kuravar, who was an alchemist establishing his way over Kottar, Suchindram and other places. There are literary evidences that the Kingdom of NanjilNadu was Ruled by "Kurunji Nattan NambiRajan", also called as Naga Raja, a Kurava king. Historical evidences can be traced back from the spots of Idukki District in Kerala. Places like Ramakkalmedu, kuravanmala, Kurinjimala, Idukki arch dam (it is the largest arch dam in Asia) are the places showing the Early ages of Kuravas of South India. They were once travelers on the high roads of freedom, crafting their own destinies as hunters, gatherers, traders, transporters and craftsmen, but exist today in the no-mans-land of the settled world. Nevertheless, they persist. People of this community are called with different names in different parts of South India. They are called as Sidhanar in Kerala. In essence, all these communities form a big community from south India. The gothras among all these communities is the same.

The main occupation of the people, who originally belong to the indigenous tribes, is hunting, and making bamboo baskets, brooms and mats. But as they were prohibited entry into the forests to pursue this livelihood, they were forced to take up other alternatives.

Colonial era
During British rule in India they were placed under Criminal Tribes Act 1871, hence stigmatized for a long time, after Independence however they were denotified in 1952, though the stigma continues.

The 1906 publication the Travancore State Manual, of the princely state of Travancore, contains an entry describing the Kuravar: The Kuravars, a race bearing resemblance to the Vedars or hill-men, form a pretty large community in Travancore, numbering 53,584 according to the last Census. The names of some places and tradition show that they must have been holding sway over some small territories on this coast. They are divided into several groups some of which are the Kunta Kurava, the Pandi Kurava, and the Kakka Kurava. Like the Pulayas they form the chief field labourers in the taluqs in which they live. They are found in the greatest number in Kunnattur, Chirayinkil, and Kottarakara. The Kunta Kurava, the most important sect among the class, resemble the Nayars in several respects. They are divided into Illam, Swarupam, &c, and follow the Marumakkathayam system of inheritance. They also celebrate the Kettu Kalyanam and Sambandham and observe sixteen days' death-pollution like the Nayars.

Today there are an estimated 1.2 million(12 lakh) Kuravar in Tamil Nadu and Kerala.

Politics
The Kuravar community is tribal, but subsequent governments denied that fact and manipulated the reservation mechanism, which systematically oppressed this group of people. This has led to protests and resentment from the community.

However, the Nari-kuravas are not Kuravars, also known as Kurivikar/AKI-PIKI/Narikarar. Narikarar came to South India from Maharastra; they are not a Tamil community and their languages is "Vagiri" there is no similarity or connection between Kuravar and (kurivikarar)Nari- Kuravar community.

Kuravar community people are living in Kerala and all parts of the Tamil Nadu mostly the districts of Salem, Coimbatore, Dharmapuri, Madurai, Thiruvanamalai, Thanjavur, and Kanyakumari. Most movies and TV programs have manipulated the identity of the Kuravar community, but these biases are slowly being addressed by the Kuravar community through education and public action.