Pattamkattiyar

Pattamkattiyar or pattangatti or Pattangkattiar is a small caste in the Tirunelveli tuticorin district and ramanathapuram of Tamil Nadu, India. They are called katesar pattamkattiyars of tirunelveli. They have seven sub-divisions known as keelai. People in the same kelai don't get married. In the Pattamkattiyar society, the maternal uncle's responsibility is more than the parents' responsibility.

Some of the Pattamkattiyars of Tirunelveli, Ramanad and Tuticorin were converted by St. Francis Xavier and other priests starting from 1536. As per the records.

They are often linked with kallar community as the last subcaste of thevar community based on some historical evidences, which some of the people do accept, rest believes to be the heir of pandiyan king who was sent to rule quilon and kurumandalam or coromandel.

Their mangalsutra/thali worn during marriage are similar to pillai. their marriage customs find similarity with Brahmins and pillais, which is a proof of them being heir of nanda muni.

with the passing of time, the Pattangatti, the last ruling heir of pandian kings lost their right to rule and with this the pandian dynasty lost its power.

karaiyars

Historical evidence shows that in third century BC, an Roman-Egyptian geographer named Pteomy mentions kareors as pearl and conch fishers. The only caste in pearl fishery coast to use conch are kadaiyars.

Chera, chola and pandiya born in korkai belong to this family. While moving to conquer lands, they took these people with them. We can see them as far as andhara Pradesh in India in eastern coast and also in western coast.

Some migrated to ceylon, where they are now called as karava just like karaiyar has become kadaiyar in India.

Katesar Pattamkattiyar

Katesar is a shortened form of the word 'Karaiyar Arasar', which means kings of coastal inhabitants. This term is mentioned by many Portuguese historians as 'kings of carears' in their letters. these people were considered the superior among the pattamkattiyars and they were also kings and noble men until 1790's. these people were kings and headsmen of the fishery coast of tuticorin and also tirunelveli. these people have seven subcaste among them.

Bold text==kadaiyar patamkattiyar==

These people were the common people who lived in their village and their main occupation was to make lime out of conch and shell. They also owned boats and ships. Their villages were kombuthurai, punnakayal and few other villages. These people do not have subcaste. Now these people have moved as far as ramanad and they are living 7 villages in rameswaram island, the villages are Akkalmadam,Thanneeruoordru & Puthur & verkadu,[thangachimadam], Ariyaankundru & thenkuda, Semmamadam, Oolaikuda, Nochchivadi & Aathikadu & kelakadu, Verkoodu, and also some of the villages in East coastal area from ramanathapuram to kadalur. now these people living ramanathapuram dist karankadu village in thiruvadanai taluk.

History

there have been stone carvings and copper plates that mention about pattamkattiyars. these are found in big temple, tanjavur and in other places as royals in court of kings such as cholas and pandiyans.

a stone bearing the name of a person called "perumal pattangatti" dating 900AD was found in kanyakumari

historical details of Portuguese, Dutch and British also mentions about pattangatti

God and Goddess

HINDU PATTANGATTI

• lord shiva, vishnu and murugan
• goddess sandana mariamman

CHRISTIAN PATTANGATTI

• St. Stephen, first martyr of church handed over as patron on their conversion in 1542 by st. Francis Xavier
• our lady of Sinthathurai, she miraculously saved a Portuguese ship from tempest and landed them in Pattangatti village in Tuticorin as an gratitude of which they built the church. For centuries the name sindathurai is found among Pattangatti alone.

References

• The Life of St. Francis Xavier
• The life and letters of St. Francis Xavier Francis Xavier, Saint, 1506-1552 Coleridge, Henry James, 1822-1893 London: Burns and Oates, (1872)