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Cheramar Christians is a Christian-Converted Caste people living mostly in Kerala State and also in Tamil Nadu and Karnataka of southern India; and they belong to the “Dalit” communities (not factually, for they have no reservations and privileges as of other Dalits) or “Dalit Christians” called in India and in its constitution referring to castes categories and sub-castes of India as one among the thousands of thousands castes of India, but with lower levels irrespective of their long back historical existence and contributions as of any castes in Kerala and India.

Etymology and Nomenclature

The names commonly used for Cheramars are Pulayan, Cheramar, Pulaya, Pulayar, Cherama, Cheraman, Cheruman, Cheran, Wayanad Pulayan, Wayanadan Pulayan, Matha, Matha Pulayan. They are the names generally used for the particular scheduled caste group of people whose lineage or existence could be found as powerful rulers of ancient BC and loyal land owners and working force.

Cheramar - Name

Fundamentally these caste people belong to the Aadi Dravida Community called “Pulaya” or “Pulayans” tribe who also were called Cheramans styled in the vernacular Cherumakkal. [2] The term 'Cheruman' from the word 'Cheru' which means 'small' in Malayalam and also the Cheruman denoted the short physical stature of these people. And ‘Cheru’ has another meaning “Cheli or Mannu” (Mud or Clay or Soil) and “Makkal” (Sons) which means the sons and daughters of soil or land. They belong to the agricultural community, as in ancient Kerala and south India; having own –caste-bound livelihood and works. They have dark complexion and strong physique.

And in the modern century, the name 'Cheramar' was officially given to the Pulayas as per their request to the Government because they claimed that they were the descendants of 'Chera Emperors' who ruled over Kerala in the AD 1st century. The name came into official use from the time of Sreemoolam Thirunal Maharaja. Now their official Government Records and certificates or wherever or in whichever refers to caste, it is written “Cheramar Christian”.

Cheramar or Dalit Christians – Name

There came conversions among this Dalit Cheramar and Pulaya clique to the Christian faith at a time when the aristocratic religious and caste regarded them as untouchables and denying their legitimate place in those days’ religious fold and they were not allowed even to enter the premises of temples. Since the year south India experienced the Christian faith as a new way with differing practices and faiths which attracted the Pulayans who even do not prefer to call by their caste name. But their conversion and embracement Christianity; according to history and their chronological socio- religious life evolving, shows that their ancestral extraction could be traced back even to that of major caste – denominational category Christians of Kerala or Southern India or India too. (Irrespective of the claim of the advent of Christianity in AD 52, which has many argues for historical evidences) There are many church denominations claim the origin of Cheramars’ conversion happened through them, the fact is that isolated conversions might had happened ancient years too. The Anglican Church (The Church Mission Society- CMS) claims the conversion of Cheramars was started firstly through them somewhere around 1879. But there are evidences that before the coming of Protestant missionaries in 1571 in Kerala, the Catholics baptized a few Pulayas at Mulanthuruthy, Cochin, history states. However, they were not permitted to partake the ] with others. The communion was served to them on Saturdays and they celebrated Christmas on December 26. When the Cheramar or Chera or Cheran or Cheruman or Cherumars or Pulaya caste people embraced or believed in Christianity, they were started to be called “Cheramar Christians” and “Dalit Christians”.

The History of Cheramars

The Cheramar claims that they are the actual descendants of the “Chera Emperors” who ruled in the first century. There are evidential sources of books written stating that the existence of Cherumars in the first century onwards, which also states that how the name “Kerala’ derived too. Refers to Chermar tribe from whom Kerala got its name. The Cheramars were a significant and dominant community, for the tradition refers to the Pulaya chieftain called Aikkara Yajamanan whose ancestors were Pulaya Kings. He was duly acknowledged as the chieftain and lord by the Cheramars of North Travancore. Again, the name 'Pulayanar Kotta' a place in Trivandrum city means 'the fort of the Pulaya Chief or King. A Pulaya princess named 'Kotha' is said to have ruled over Kokkothamangalam in Nedumangad Taluk near Trivandrum. As the Cochin State Manual says, the Cheramars or Pulayas were probably in possession of the country for a long period. And according to historians, the arrival of the Aryans by AD 700 was the force made the decline of the Pulaya supremacy.

The Brahmins and Kshatriyas making use of the influence they gained through stories and superstitious practices, rituals and direct descendants of God- Brahma, the Brahmins built temples and persuaded the original inhabitants to offer their properties as gifts to the Gods and Goddesses who would protect them from all dangers and evils. Thus gradually the Pulayas or Cheramars were driven out the procession of their lands and belongings and became slaves in the hands of Arya-Brahmin feudalism. T. K. V. Pillai mentions in the Travancore State Manual, that the Pulayas had a glorious past till AD 700. Corresponding to the position held by the Pulayas in the past, the Pulaya women ('Pulachi') were also given a very high position in the traditional society. As Elamkulam Kunjan Pillai wrote in his book 'Annathe Keralam' (Malayalam), the word 'Pula' has also another meaning, viz., 'knowledge. Hence the word 'Pulachi' means one who has knowledge; it is also said to mean 'virgin.' All these probably indicate that the Pulaya women also were given a high place in the past not by others, but in their own kingdom and society. The culture and traditional performances are common with high class dynasties and ruling families or groups in anywhere in the world. As of the same, the Cheramars were also famous for their arts and Nadan Pattu (Folk songs) and Chimmanakali and Mangalamkali etc.

Due to land contribution, all the Pulayas became agrestic slaves to work in the fields. Thus by AD 1800, all the glory of the Cheramars had vanished and they were reduced to a state of slavery. Slavery was very strong in Kerala in the beginning of the 19th century. 24 There were even slave markets. When the practice of Chaturvarnya became very widespread, the Cheramars and their work in the soil began to be regarded unclean and they became untouchables and unapproachable.

Pulaya or Cheramar Language and Slavery

The ancient language of of Pulayas was Tamil and later it came to Malayalam; relating or featured to the low caste status, they were asked to a highly restricted manner of addressing constrained to use self-degrading language custom, for example, instead of "I" they use 'adiyan' (your slave); for "rice," 'karikadi' (dirty gruel), and for their homes they use maadam (hut) and they were known or called as “Pulakudikal”.

Pulayas and Parayas are the traditional agrarian slave castes of Kerala. Agrarian slavery is considered integral to caste society in pre-colonial and colonial times. In ancient and pre-colonial documents the castes that provided productive labour in the agrarian society were referred to as Adima, meaning slaves; and were held in bondage (adirna) or in a client relationship with their high caste landlords, for which the ‘privilege’ of being such a relationship was a right to claim bare maintenance from the landlord, and to a small share in the produce.

Over few areas The Pulaya or Cheramar slaves were paid 3/4 of an Edangazhy (an existed measurement of weight in those days) of paddy as wages for adults above 15 years of age and that was not equal for both men and women. In other areas 1/2 Edangazhy of paddy and a trifling present during “Onam" once in a year were the wages. Apart from this pittance, they did not receive anything that would help them to meet the emergencies of life. Similarly during old age and sickness" the masters never paid anything to them, because the slaves were no longer capable of rendering them any service. The masters did not give food to the slaves when they were sick, accidents during work and inability to work.

The procession of lands, during the Arya-Brahmin power, was strange that by some means a slave acquired some property, at the time of his death it used to be taken over by the master." But it is not known exactly whether they owned anything worth the name property. The census reports of the first half of the twentieth century categorize most of the low castes as landless agricultural labourers. And in above all, the low caste slaves themselves were considered the property of landlords. Normally the children born to slaves become the property of their mother's master. Their father or father's master did not have any right over them.

The Folk Arts and Songs – A Tradition and Protest

The Cheramars and Pulayas had their own evolved form of songs and dances too that of Pulluvan Pattu and Nadanpattu etc. The traditional mask dance form of these castes in Kerala, was used as a means to rebuke, ridicule and to some extent question the atrocities and injustices done to them. They also used to make known their hardships and sufferings too. Theyyam dances and the group songs sung during the cultivation and harvesting time were sort of inversions and defiance to the dominance of the high castes. Some of the Pulaya folk songs were loud expressions of indignation and retribution. And they also depict traditional culture, social status and heritages of a time and most of the songs were in sad rhythms.

Pulapedi and Few Strange Customs

From ancient times to the recent 20th Centry there were strange customs and High Class or Caste imposed stipulations among the Pulayas or Cheramars. Pilfering and migration were traditional methods of defiance as "weapons of the weak" and everyday forms of subordinate class’s resistance. Pilfering of paddy was very common in Travancore during the harvest season.

“Pulaya Scare” and “Frighten Women" Days

Pulapedi (Fear of Pulayas) was severe among the high caste in terms of untouchable. A Pulayan had to stay 60 feet away from a Brahmin and 30 feet away from a high Caste man. If came near he was beaten and later the touched or confronted man would clean himself with Punyaham. But same time there was a custom was called Pulapedi that is, terror from the Pulayas. On a few days of the year, Pulayas were granted the "right" to "frighten" and to pollute high caste women who were moving around alone without a male escort.

Once in a year the low castes are given permission of the paths and a kind of freedom in small temples. During January 14 - February 14 were the Pulaya Scare time. i.e., 28 days from the day moon enters Capricorn (1st to 28th of Lunar month of Makaram). The first three days of the month 'Uchharan Utsavam' was celebrated. The Utsav was to celebrate the Menstrual Period of Goddess Earth and during this “Pooram” festival and ‘Velakali’ season, they can bathe in the upper caste ponds, enter the temples and offer ‘archana’. They can touch any Nair woman they see. The women had to go with the ‘low’ man who touched her. She was not to return back. The rules applied only for those outside their homes. These days of freedom for the low were announced by drummers in advance to the populace.

The Socio-Historical-Political Evolvement and Existence of Cheramars

The Socio-Political disparity

The golden days of Cheramars or Pulayas came to a halt and the very tribulation started to till today during the post Chera period. And the decadence of the Namboodiris started until by about the 16th century, they put of their affairs in the hands of their Nair secretaries. A Namboodiri Nair alliance came into being. Another feature of this period was the widening gulf between the Namboodiri Nair upper class and the Thiyya Pulaya lower class. In order to accommodate the class differences properly, the fourfold caste system came to be subdivided with infinite gradations, based on real occupation, habitat and political influence. New dimensions were invented and added on to the scale of unapproachability and un-perceivability. A Cheraman (Not only Cheramans or Pulayas other backward castes too) was apprised and forewarned to maintain a distance of 30 to 64 feet from a man of the Superior caste. [19]

A Cheramar was not allowed to cross the prohibited distance and approach a village, temple, stream, beck, well etc. [20] was the Socio-Religious Reform Movement and if this rule was broken; 'punyaham' or purification rite would inevitably be performed. Punyaham is a concoction of cow dung mixed with water! The Cherumars had to howl to produce a sound (Ohoyi…ohoiyi with certain melodious gaps and length) when they passed through the village roads, as a warning so that the others could avoid polluting themselves by keeping away!! [21] What a humiliation and violation of Human Rights – cow dung is more pure than fellow-human beings and the same the harvest of these human beings’ hard-work can be eaten no “untouchables” in it – incongruous, and delusory practices!!!

The Economic, Educational and Occupational History

The Cheramars or Pulayas were not allowed to possess land. They were paid in kind instead in cash. Women were paid less than men. The women were not allowed to cover their upper body. They lived in miserable huts called 'madam.' They were scantily clothed. The disabilities affected even their purchase and sale. The Cheramars were restricted from choosing their occupation. Both male and female Pulayas were mainly agricultural labourers. They also performed most of the manual, unskilled, virtually unclean and least prestigious jobs. As they could not enter a town or village, no employment was available to them, except that of working in the paddy fields. They could neither work as porters nor as domestic servants, for, they defiled everything that they touched. [22] The Cheramar children were not permitted to attend schools. Till 1865, all Government schools were meant for the Savarnas (High Castes). But practically, till 1906, when Ayyankali the Pulaya, the Messiah of Pulayas, earned permission to start a school exclusively for the Pulaya children, but no Pulaya child could attend school peacefully. Teachers were unwilling to teach in Avarna (lower caste) schools. Even after 1906, there were struggles in many parts of the state on the issue of admission of the Pulaya children to the Government schools. The Pulaya children were threatened by school authorities and local leaders in some places. Ayyankali asked the Cheramars and Pulayas to not work in the field until they stop beating their children. And also he asked the Pulaya women to wear ‘Kallu Mala’ (Stone Chains) to cover their upper body. In 1914 the Pulaya women stopped wearing and when they started to wear bodices, it was also a matter of torture and communal violence.

The Religious History – Cheramars and Hinduism

On denial of entry and worship the “high-Caste Gods”, they worshipped at places called Kavu (groves). They believed in a non-empirical world of supernatural beings called ‘Pishachukkal ‘ – demons, which emphasizes propitiation from human beings in various forms. The principal Pishachukkal (Demon-gods) which the Pulayas worshipped were Kali, Chathan, Apasmaram, Parukutty, Karimkutty, Murudha, and Mallan. They were worshippers of serpents, ancestral spirits and performers of witchcrafts and called ‘Manthravadhikal”. And not only the ancient period, the Cheramars were discriminated and tortured even after the famous Travancore Temple Entry Proclamation was made in 1936 and even after eleven years, such a proclamation was made in Cochin too. Still now there are temples in which the Cheramars or Hindu Pulayas cannot perform rituals as of others.

The Religious History – Cheramars and Christianity

It is an undeniable fact that the scheduled castes and tribes suffered under the aristocratic caste-system and religious practices in Kerala. Hence people of lower social status Cheramars started to have conversion to Christianity. But their conversion and embracement Christianity; according to history and their chronological social and religious life evolving, shows that their ancestral extraction could be traced back even to that of major caste category Christians of Kerala or India; like Syrian catholic, Roman Catholic, Marthomites, Syro-Malabar, Malankara, Jacobite, Knanaya or any such etc. (Kerala). The real Caste System Among Christians, who say one in Christ Jesus and partakers of one cup. The main identical evidence for the same is that these people were not lived on their own self-competence and adroitness that they lived in the ancient and bygone days extremely loyal to their masters and worked as slaves in their fields. These masters and landlords forced the “Cheramakkal” or “Pulayans” who were agro-labourers and slaves (Adiyalans) to embrace Christianity of their own denomination so to make, paradoxically and congruously, always stayed with them having control over them to work in their fields.

The Cheramar Christians People are being followed in almost all Christian faith or denominations existing in Kerala. The Anglican Churches (CMS) which has its headquarters at Kuruchi, Kottayam has its believers almost 99.99% are from Cheramar Christians only. The conversion of Cheramars to Christianity, like the political status, they are not having religious freedom too in way of living as of other Christian castes other than Dalits. Since they are scattered and following different churches or denominations, which is exacerbated by the caste-political discriminations, the Cheramar Christians have no source to have a policy level articulation or demanding environment among themselves. Caste system among Indian Christians. The Condition of Cheramar Christians is pathetic that they have no their reservation legacy due to conversion to Christianity and in Christianity too they have no identity and recognition!! ]

The end of Slavery and Reformism

“The scares” (Paraya scare, Mannan Scare etc.) were ended in Malabar during British rule. But it was banned in Travancore in 1695 AD by Unny Kerala Varma. The anti-slavery campaigns along legal proclamations during the 1800s (mainly by Missionaries and foreign rulers) spread great fear among the high castes that felt that the missionaries had usurped the landlord’s position of authority over the Pulayas. Thus by 1850 and 1855 it was declared that owning slaves was illegal. The missionaries’ anti-slavery campaign and their continued pressure on the Travancore government finally ended in the emancipation of the slaves. On 24 June 1855 in a prominent case in Kottayam, a Syrian Christian landlord was fined and punished for kidnapping a Pulaya convert (Cheramar Christian) as a result of the united action of a group of Pulayas. The missionaries gave support to the Pulayas in their opposition to the landlord’s action with the permission of Travancore Dewan.

Following the emancipation of the slaves in Travancore in 1855, a significant number of Pulayas from different parts of Central Travancore approached missionaries (LMS, CMS and others) with requests for "Christian instruction" and "slave schools," clearly indicating their readiness to move to a new religion and further their alliance with the missionaries. Form 1800 and succeeding years the annual numbers of adult baptisms were from 100 to 500 in a year.

Dalit

The classes, which are included in Section 341 of the Indian Constitution, are known as Scheduled Castes or Dalits. In reality the Word “ Dalit” is not a word in meaning or synonyms or any such leveled one referring to low, The term ‘Dalit’ has roots in Sanskrit where the root ‘dal’ means ‘to split, crack, open’. (This Indo-European root appears in German and English in the form of ‘dal’ or ‘tal’, meaning ’cut’. In English, ‘dale’ is a valley, a cut in the ground; in German, ‘thal’: a tailor is one who cuts; ’to tell a tale’ is the same as ‘to cut a tally’, the cut-marks made by the shepherd on his staff when counting sheep. By the British, the Dalits were named ‘the Depressed Classes’ and ‘the Scheduled Castes’, in the Scheduled Caste Act of India, ‘Dalit’ has come to mean things or persons who are cut, split, broken or torn asunder, scattered or crushed and destroyed. By coincidence, there is in Hebrew a root ‘dal’ meaning low, weak, poor. In the Bible, different forms of this term have been used to describe people who have been reduced to nothingness or helplessness. The present usage of the term Dalit goes back to the nineteenth century, when a Marathi social reformer and revolutionary, Mahatma Jyotirao Phule (1826-1890), used it to describe the Outcastes and Untouchables as the oppressed and the broken victims of our caste-ridden society. Under the charismatic leadership of Dr. B.R. Ambedkar (1891-1956), this term gained greater importance and popularity. This term for them is not a mere name or title: for them it has become an expression of hope, the hope of recovering their past self-identity. The term has gained a new connotation with a more positive meaning. It must be remembered that Dalit does not mean Caste or low-Caste or poor; it refers to the deplorable state or condition to which a large group of people has been reduced by social convention and in which they are now living. See Also Dalit and Dalit Christian

Also Read

• History of South India
• Pulayar

References

1. Sreedhara Menon, Kerala Charithram, Vol. 1, 1964, p. 78.
2. Logan, Op. Cit.
3. http://shodhganga.inflibnet.ac.in:8080/jspui/bitstream/10603/399/8/08_chapter%201.pdf
4. A BRIEF HISTORY OF THE PULAYAS OF KERALA 08_chapter1. pdf
5. A memorandum signed by one of the Pulaya leaders—John Joseph08_chapter1. pdf
6. Indian Church History
7. http://www.thehindu.com/todays-paper/tp-features/tp-metroplus/the-forgotten-king-of-pulayanarkotta/article6384456.ece
8. Gopala Krishnan, P. K., Cultural Heritaqe of Kerala, Trivandrum, 1974, p. 261.
9. Sreedhara Menon, A., Cultural Heritage of Kerala, Cochin, 1978, p. 205.
10. Walter Hamilton, East India Gazetteer, Vol. 11, p. 181.
11. Jose, N. K., Pulaya Lahala (Malayalam), Prakasham Publications, Kottayam, 1982, p. 37.
12. Walter Hamilton, East India Gazetteer, Vol. 11, p. 181
13. Saradamoni, K., Emerqence of a Slave Caste, The Pulayas of Kerala (Hereafter, Emergence), People's Publishing House, 1980, p. 46.
14. Indian Law Commissioner, Report on Slavery, 1841, p. 129. Mateer, Op. Cit., P. 4
15. K. Saradarnoni, Emergence of a slave caste: Pulayas of Kerala (Delhi: Peoples Publishing House, 1980) pp. 48-50:
16. for missionary account of slavery see Samuel Mateer, Native Life in Travancore (New Delhi: Asian Educational Services. 1991), pp. 297-317.
17. Scott / AGRARIAN STUDIES - Universities PGRI ... James C. Scott
18. Ayyankali and Dr Chelanattu Achutha Menon wrote
19. The Post Chera Period
20. About Kerala History
21. Social Disabilities
22. Mateer, Op. Cit., P. 4.
23. Chendarasserry, T.H. P., Ayyankali Smaraka Grandham (Malayalam), Prabhath Book House, Trivandrum, 1974, p. 20.
24. Journal of Kerala Studies - Volume 10 - Page 57
25. Alexander, K. C., “Changing Religious Beliefs and Practices of the Pulayas of Kerala,” m a 1 Action, No. 5, September–October 1968.
26. Velayudhan, P. S., SNDP Yoqa Charithram (Malayalam), 1918, p. 201.
27. Alexander, K. C., Social Mobility in Kerala, Deccan Colleq- e of Post Graduate Research Institute, Poona, 1968, pp. 228-230.
28. Rāmacandra Kshīrasāgara (1 January 1994). Dalit Movement in India and Its Leaders, 1857-1956. M.D. Publications Pvt. Ltd. pp. 287–. ISBN 978-81-85880-43-3.
29. Hawksworth Missionary and “Life as a Dalit”
30. 1935.http://www.dalitchristians.com/Html/dalitmeaning.htm
31. Castes and Class http://countrystudies.us/india/89.htm

External links

• People of Kerala-Cheramans-Parayas
• Cheramars get inconvertible status or certification
• Mandal COmmission Report
• Pulayanar Kotta and Pulaya Kings
• The Cheras and Post Chera Period

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