maravar the warriors.........

Maravar (Tamil: மறவர்)(meaning "veerar",upper caste), are one of the oldest caste to be mentioned by the Sangam Tamil literature. This indicates an association with the Tamil land which is at least 2,000 years old. The writers of the Sangam Age place them in rural settlements withdrawn from cities. Maravar, in Tamil, means a warrior. Maravars are the courageous breed and were involved in the major wars that Tamilnadu witnessed.The Maravar are popularly given the title 'Thevar / Devar'.Other historians postulate that Maravar is derived from Tamil language term Marutham (called as Thinnai). They originally lived in (See Ancient Tamil country). The name of the city Madurai is also postulated to be derived from Maruthai and honorific title of local Pandya kings..They were the rulers of ancient tamilnadu.They ruled the vast land mass of tamilnadu along with Paravar,the coastal rulers.Both these tribes have same origin and they are famous throughout south India for their valour.They were bloodly related akins.The Maravar and Paravar constitute the Kshatriya varna of Tamil caste system.The southern styles of Kalarippayattu,silambam,varma kalai have been practiced primarily by nairs ezhavas,Kallars and Thevars of erstwhile Travancore areas.The Maravar have close relation with kalabhras but they were non-aryan,non-kalabhar group.They were ancint rulers of Pandya kingdom from the first sangam age. Another predominant caste called the Paravars and Maravars were collectively called as Meenavar and Villavar of the past.They both have same origin and they had control over pandya kingdom.Their leaders were given the title"Meenavan" or "Pandyan".Edgar Thurston (1855-1935) a British museologist and ethnographer identified the use of the boomerang by kallar and marawar.

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