Tharakan is a Hindu

Hindu

Hindu refers to an identity associated with the philosophical, religious and cultural systems that are indigenous to the Indian subcontinent. As used in the Constitution of India, the word "Hindu" is also attributed to all persons professing any Indian religion...

 forward caste from Palakkad

Palakkad

Palakkad , formerly known as Palghat, is a municipality and a town in the state of Kerala in southern India, spread over an area of 26.60 km2.The city is situated about north of state capital Thiruvananthapuram. It is the administrative headquarters of Palakkad District...

 region 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....

 state. Tharakan community is mainly found at Chittur

Chittur

Chittur is a small town in Palakkad district of Kerala, South India.-Politics:Chittur assembly constituency is part of Alathur .It contains 16 panchayats.-Demographics:...

, Koduvayur

Koduvayur

Koduvayur is a small town in Palakkad district of Kerala state, south India. It is roughly around 10 km south of Palakkad town. It comes under Chittur Taluk of Palakkad district...

,Kollengode

Kollengode

Kollengode is a small town in Palakkad district of Kerala state, south India.Kollengode, 19 km from Palakkad town, has endless green paddy fields, an ancient Vishnu temple and the Kollengode Palace, built in the traditional Kerala architectural style....

,Mangode,Karippode and Thiruvazhiyode.

Etymology

Tharakan is a honorific title possessed by ancient traders. The word is rooted from Tamil word Tharaku/Tharavu-which means brokering or commission. The word is also linked with placing an order, tax or tariff and commodity trade. Sometimes the word also related to lending money. In Tamil to denote a broker, people use Tharakar or Tharagar. So it can be assumed that a tharakan is the one who intermediate between manufacturer and buyer.

Origin&Ethnicity

Tharakans belong to Vaishya

Vaishya

Vaishya is one of the four varnas of the Hindu social order. According to Vedic tradition, this caste primarily comprises merchants, farmers, cattle-herders and artisans.-Duties of Vaishyas:...

 group and are Saivites. Tharakan trace their origin from Chola mandalam and claims that they belong to Kannaki’s community (heroine of Tamil epic Chilappathikaram.)The tharavad name such as ‘Chilambath’ shows their relationship with Goddess Kannaki. Tharakans use Mannadiyar

Mannadiyar

Mannadiar is a Hindu caste primarily located in Palakkad district of Kerala, South India.- Gothram :Mannadiars belong to Kailasa gothram. Agriculture and business were their traditional ways of earning livelihood in olden days...

 title (a common title of Malayali Arya Vaishya group).


Guptan

Guptan

Guptan is a Hindu caste from the Palakkad district of Kerala, South India. The majority of the Guptans are in Valluvanad, with major agglomerations around Vayillyamkunnu, Katambazhippuram, Sreekrishnapuram, Chethallur and Mannarkkad...

,Moothan

Moothan

Moothans are a community in Palakkad district of Kerala state who primarily engage in trade. The majority of the community is spread in the Moothanthara region of Palakkad town. Moothans are known in Palakkad under caste names like Moothan and its sub-castes like Guptan and similar castes like...

,Mannadiar

Mannadiar

Mannadiar is one of the subclan of the Nair community among Keralites. The title "Mannadiar" was awarded by the Maharajah of Cochin to those Nairs who excelled in warrior skills. They are mostly found in the Central Kerala region...

 and Pathukudi

Pathukudi

Pathukudi is a Malayalam speaking Hindu community- mostly centered in Palakkad district of Kerala state, India...

 are the related ethnic groups.


A section of Tharakan community in Angadippuram became Nair

Nair

Nair , also known as Nayar , refers to "not a unitary group but a named category of castes", which historically embody several castes and many subdivisions, not all of whom bore the Nair title. These people historically live in the present-day Indian state of Kerala...

s as per the advice of king Samoothiri.

Lifestyle

Tharakans were traders in ancient days.However they turned to agriculture sector after they migrated in to Malabar land.
Tharakan houses are called Tharavads. Each tharavad has a unique name. Mostly tharavad names ends with ‘Ath’ or ‘Athu’- which means home in Tamil. The Marriages between the members from same Tharavad is prohibited in this caste.

Important personalities

In Malabar Manual (written by W.Logan), there is a reference about Suryanarayanan Ezhuthachan who is one of the beloved disciple of Thunjathu Ezhuthachan is from this community.