Marakkar
Encyclopedia
Marakkar or Maraikayar or Maraicayar or Maricar or Marican (Moor
) is a distinctive Tamil
- and Malayalam-speaking Muslim
people of the states of Kerala
and Tamil Nadu
in India
.
Traditionally, the Maricars engaged in mercantile commerce. They generally dealt with gems, precious stones, jewels, timber and the textile trade.
, Adirampattinam
, Muthupet, Nagore, Nagapattinam, Karaikal
, Kadayanallur
and various other coastal towns.
Probably one of the most famous Maricars is Dr. Abdul Kalam
Maraikkayar, the 11th president of India and a noted scientist and aerospace engineer.
Maricars have played a big role in setting up educational institutes all over Tamil Nadu for the betterment of Tamil Muslims and Muslims in general. A lot of Maricars have connections with the Persian Gulf, Malaysia and Singapore. But lately some Maricars have been moving to the UK, France and the US.
It is a very close-knit community and they marry amongst themselves to maintain the lineage. Traditionally they follow the Shafi school of thought, as most of the Arabs who did trade with these regions followed that madhab. A few of Maricars speak Malayalam too.
The Maricars have a distinct Arab-Tamil composite culture and are traditionally very conservative. There was a time when the language had a strong Arabic flavour as most of their vocabulary was derived from pure Arab and classical Tamil.
Some examples of this mix of Arab and Tamil vocabulary are illustrated below:
Maraikayar Pattinam is a small place in the Ramanathapuram district. The people living there are called Maraikayars. Even before two generations they were operating Marakalam 'wooden ships' to the entire world, especially to the Persian Gulf, Malaysia, Singapore, Sri Lanka and some European countries.
The current generation has diversified into many areas apart from their seafaring traditions, but there are still some older people in Maraikayar Pattinam who traveled to many countries by the Marakalam.
Moors
The description Moors has referred to several historic and modern populations of the Maghreb region who are predominately of Berber and Arab descent. They came to conquer and rule the Iberian Peninsula for nearly 800 years. At that time they were Muslim, although earlier the people had followed...
) is a distinctive Tamil
Tamil language
Tamil is a Dravidian language spoken predominantly by Tamil people of the Indian subcontinent. It has official status in the Indian state of Tamil Nadu and in the Indian union territory of Pondicherry. Tamil is also an official language of Sri Lanka and Singapore...
- and Malayalam-speaking Muslim
Muslim
A Muslim, also spelled Moslem, is an adherent of Islam, a monotheistic, Abrahamic religion based on the Quran, which Muslims consider the verbatim word of God as revealed to prophet Muhammad. "Muslim" is the Arabic term for "submitter" .Muslims believe that God is one and incomparable...
people of the states of Kerala
Kerala
or Keralam is an Indian state located on the Malabar coast of south-west India. It was created on 1 November 1956 by the States Reorganisation Act by combining various Malayalam speaking regions....
and Tamil Nadu
Tamil Nadu
Tamil Nadu is one of the 28 states of India. Its capital and largest city is Chennai. Tamil Nadu lies in the southernmost part of the Indian Peninsula and is bordered by the union territory of Pondicherry, and the states of Kerala, Karnataka, and Andhra Pradesh...
in India
India
India , officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country with over 1.2 billion people, and the most populous democracy in the world...
.
Traditionally, the Maricars engaged in mercantile commerce. They generally dealt with gems, precious stones, jewels, timber and the textile trade.
History and origin
Around 12th century AD in Arab countries there was a war between two kings who belonged to the same royal family. The defeated members of the royal family were packed into ships and banished, and with their captains and servants they sailed to coastal regions around the world and settled there. Those who settled in coastal regions of India [Tamil Nadu and Kerala] are called marakala rayars, from MARAKALAM which means wooden boat and RAYAR which means king in the Tamil language. The captains of the ships are called malimars (malumiyar comes from MALUMI and YAR, malumi meaning captain in Tamil) and the ships' crew members are called sherangs. Even today malimars [malumiyars], sherangs and Maricars [Marakalrayars] are to be found living only in coastal areas of Tamil Nadu. Maricars can be found in abundance in Maraikayar Pattinam (which is thought to be the ancestral hometown of the early Maricars), Parangipettai (Portonovo), KilakaraiKilakarai
-About:Kilakarai, Kilakkarai or Keelakarai is a municipality in Ramanathapuram district in the Indian state of Tamil Nadu.Kilakarai is an ancient coastal town and a port, located in the southern Tamil Nadu. It was a flourishing sea port and a gateway to places as far as Madurai till the early 20th...
, Adirampattinam
Adirampattinam
Adirampattinam ', also known by the shorter Adirai is a panchayat town in Thanjavur district in the Indian state of Tamil Nadu.- Demographics :...
, Muthupet, Nagore, Nagapattinam, Karaikal
Karaikal
Karaikal is a major port city of east coast of India and a municipality in Karaikal district in the Union Territory of Pondicherry, India. Several explanations are offered for the word 'Karaikal'. The imperial Gazetteer gives it the meaning 'fish pass'. According to Julien vinson the town is said...
, Kadayanallur
Kadayanallur
Kadayanallur is a second largest city and a Ist Grade Municipal town municipality in Tirunelveli District in the Indian state of Tamil Nadu of India....
and various other coastal towns.
Probably one of the most famous Maricars is Dr. Abdul Kalam
Abdul Kalam
Avul Pakir Jainulabdeen Abdul Kalam usually referred to as A. P. J. Abdul Kalam, is a renowned aerospace engineer, professor , and first Chancellor of the Indian Institute of Space Science and Technology Thiruvananthapuram , who served as the 11th President of India from 2002 to 2007...
Maraikkayar, the 11th president of India and a noted scientist and aerospace engineer.
Present circumstances
Traditionally, Maricars have been known for maritime trade throughout east Asia, but now, owing to better education, many of the community are professionals. The KilakaraiKilakarai
-About:Kilakarai, Kilakkarai or Keelakarai is a municipality in Ramanathapuram district in the Indian state of Tamil Nadu.Kilakarai is an ancient coastal town and a port, located in the southern Tamil Nadu. It was a flourishing sea port and a gateway to places as far as Madurai till the early 20th...
Maricars have played a big role in setting up educational institutes all over Tamil Nadu for the betterment of Tamil Muslims and Muslims in general. A lot of Maricars have connections with the Persian Gulf, Malaysia and Singapore. But lately some Maricars have been moving to the UK, France and the US.
It is a very close-knit community and they marry amongst themselves to maintain the lineage. Traditionally they follow the Shafi school of thought, as most of the Arabs who did trade with these regions followed that madhab. A few of Maricars speak Malayalam too.
The Maricars have a distinct Arab-Tamil composite culture and are traditionally very conservative. There was a time when the language had a strong Arabic flavour as most of their vocabulary was derived from pure Arab and classical Tamil.
Some examples of this mix of Arab and Tamil vocabulary are illustrated below:
- Khair, Allah podhumanavan. ("Whatever! God is sufficient for me!")
- Inge konjam Raahatha irukkum. ("It will be comfortable here.")
- Balaah Museebath Subuhu thozhuthal neengidum. ("All misfortune and misery will be removed by the dawn prayer.")
Maraikayar Pattinam is a small place in the Ramanathapuram district. The people living there are called Maraikayars. Even before two generations they were operating Marakalam 'wooden ships' to the entire world, especially to the Persian Gulf, Malaysia, Singapore, Sri Lanka and some European countries.
The current generation has diversified into many areas apart from their seafaring traditions, but there are still some older people in Maraikayar Pattinam who traveled to many countries by the Marakalam.