Tharakan (Hindu caste)

Tharakan is a Hindu community from the Palakkad district of Kerala, South India. The majority of the Tharakans are located in Valluvanad, with major agglomerations around Vellinezhi, Vayillyamkunnu, Adoor,Katambazhippuram, Kuttanassery, Sreekrishnapuram, Mangode, Thiruvazhiyad, Chethallur, and Mannarkkad.they were decendance from Kaveripoompatinam, kangeyam, karur and Keyangam migrated to Palakkad for various reasons.

Etymology
The word Tharakan literally means the holder of document of Raja (Tharakan: Common letter or document of Raja, Gundert's dictionary). They are so called because they were the recipients of 'Tharaku' or writ of social privilege issued to them by the ruling head of the Zamorins of Calicut.

Tharakans are a Hindu group.

Legend
They built four 'nagarams' called Puthanangadi, Thiruvazhiyode, Vayillyamkunnu and Mangode (current names Chethallur, Thiruvazhiyode / sreekrishnapuram, Katampazhippuram and Mangode respectively) for cultivation and trade. After construction of temples, they met samoothiri along with their acharya. Impressed by the acharya's sivapooja and devotion, Samoothiri gave more land and arranged adiyantharakkar for them (the temple constructed for those adiyanthirakkar - "kammalasserykkaavu" is still there near Thiruvazhiyode) There are some details available about the origin of this community – in 'KOTTICHEZHUNNALLATH' (The first programme used to be conducted by Samoothiri (Zamorin) kings after swearing on ceremony of each Eralppad- second in command − to establish their control over the region. The last KOTTICHEZHUNNALLATH was believed to be held in 1909 ). It points to the era way back to 13th–14th century which says about the asylum of a minister and his men from a local kingdom in the bank of river Kaveri of then Cholamandalam – to the king of Calicut (Kozhikkode) – The dispute arose from the decision of local king to marry the clever daughter of the minister who had found out a solution for a challenging problem which was haunting the king for days together. The legend – The challenge was to make a necklace within 41 days, using a bowl of peculiar pearls which was gifted by some foreign traders to the king. As the holes were curved inside, many famous brilliant pandits had tried and failed to make a pearl necklace. However, the intelligent teenage daughter of the minister succeeded in finding a solution for the challenge and made the necklace with the help of some ants by using a thread soaked in ghee. Impressed upon the extraordinary intelligence of the girl who made the pearl necklace, the ruling king wanted to marry her. But as the king was inferior in caste, the minister and his related families disagreed. The angry king gave an ultimatum for accepting the marriage or all Vaishyas were asked to leave the kingdom. Due to this the entire Vaishya population in the desam, consisting of around 7200 families from many sections had to travel away from chola-desam and were segregated in groups. Some of the groups traveled towards west to Cheranaadu (presently Keralam).

Historical background
It is believed that the groups consisting of Tharakan along with members of Guptans community reached valluvanad were of Eralpuram, Adithyapuram, Paschimapuram & Ramapuram nagarams under the leadership of the minister SANKARA NAYANAR ( belonging to Eralpuram nagaram) and they took their kuladevatha (Goddess) Bhagavathy and acharya Gyanasivacharya along with them.. Thiruvazhiyode nagaram was considered the "Melnagaram" among the four nagarams and the tradition of giving "Nagarappanam" to Thiruvazhiyode group during marriage (if any one of bride-groom is from Thiruvazhiyode) was followed in earlier days. This ritual was to mark respect for the "Aadi Nayanar".

Resources

 * Aaryavaisyanmaar (1987)
 * EP Bhaskara Guptan, Desayanam, Samabhavini Books (2004)
 * Prof. KP Narayana Pisharody, Punnassery Neelakanta Sharma
 * Puliyath Krishnan. Kutty Guptan
 * Kesari Magazine – Nila edition (1971)
 * Adiyath Ramaguptan, Vayillyamkunnu Devaswom Sthalapuranam.