In general, social life of any country is measured based on their geographical features, culture, religious practices, festivals which followed by the people and also their social organizations. As we know that, documented social values of Cheras are very limited. Here I revealed some gleaned information which will give broad idea about Ancient Cheras.
The land of Cheras was full of fertile field and hilly areas like Eelil and the Kolli.The country abounded in forest wealth like sandalwood, akil and also the spices.The hilly areas were abounded with bamboos. The incessant rainfall helped to produce more agriculture produces. There were some references about gold and diamond mines and pearl fishery in the classic. The boundaries and geographical features of ancient Cheras land can be reconstructed in the light of their modern counterparts in Kerala.
There were various social groups found in literature, the group of people denoted by terms “Amtanar, Paarppaar and IrupiRappaalar” seem to indicate the people having equal status and dignity in the society. The people related to rulers mentioned as Veeliris referred in combination with the ruler as Veemtarum Veelirum. Those people who served in army is commonly called as Iyavar. Another military class was called as Malavarto whom the ruler was the armour. Those people engaged with the occupation of dairy farming and the manufacture of dairy products is called as Koovalar. A few social units having hunting as their occupation existed in the Ancient Chera country. They were Eyinar, Veettuvar, Kaanavar and KuRavar. The Eyinar lived in Kutanaatu, and used to hunt eymaan and mulavumaa. The eymaan is a kind of pig and other, a deer. The Eyinar used to wear red coloured cloths and their equipments was the bow and arrow. Women of this class dried up the meet brought by their men. The Veettuvar who lived in forest used to hunt pigs and elephants with their own arrows. They also used the lance for hunting. It seems that the main avocation of the KuRava was forest cultivation. But thay also engaged themselves in hunting and used bow and arrows. Beingintoxicated with liquor, they participated in group dances like the Kuravai. A class of people whose occupation was fishing was Paratavar. They used nets, boats and lamps in nights. Besides fishing and selling the fish, they also sold pearls. So it can be inferred that they engaged also in pearl fishery. The Paanar was one of this category. They had a stringed instrument, yaal on which they played musical notes. Mostly dressed in rags, they were capable of playing sweet notes on lutes and had a bowl to receive gifts.
Either during the beginning of the Christian era or possibly even earlier, large scale migrations might have taken place into Kerala, through land and sea. It is the view of some scholars that the ilavas of Kerala are Polynesian in origin, migrating to Kerala via Ceylon and they might have brought with them the coconut palm. The prevalence of Alpine, Armenoid and Mongolian elements in the physical features of the people of Malabar suggest that an oceanic migration might have taken place during the pre-historic times.
The concepts of animism, ancestor worship and polytheism constituted the ancient Cheras. Initially the concept of animism is that, among ancient Cheras tree, forest and other objects of nature were the abode of deities. Besides it can be seen that they attached importance to few particular hillocks like Ayirai and Kolli. Secondly, the ancestor worship is a custom among the ancient Cheras to worship their famous ancestors. The sages in heaven were propitiated by performing certain yajnas. Memorial stones with inscriptions extolling the qualities of men who fell victims to the arrows of high way men were erected by ancient Cheras. The third concept is to the followers of polythesium. Besides animism and ancestor worship, the ancient Cheras worship most of the deities of modern Hindu pantheon. They can be classified into major deities and minor deities. The major deities were Lord Civa, Lord Tirumaal, Lord Muruka and Lord Balaraman.
Festivals are the occasions of joyous revelry in any society and the ancient Cheras society was not an exception. Some of the festivals of the ancient Cheras were tinged with religious color, through there were secular once. There are some traditional characters followed by ancient Cheras during festivals. In the place where festivals were celebrated, people assembled with joy and their revelry created loud noice. In cities and small towns the festivals were conducted at particular places. The celebration were conducted in temporary sheds erected with sugarcane and roofed with the ears of paddy. In ancient cities festivals were celebrated continuously. In such places jewelry marts with their identifying flags, were keep on open. Drums would be played during the festivals. Lamps would be lit in plenty during celebration of big festivals. Music and dance performance were conducted during festivals. Here they traditionally follow two types of festival. One is non religious festival another one is religious festival. During religious festivals people used to worship their God. The festivals under nonreligious festivals are agriculture festivals, royal festivals, martial festivals, ulli festivals etc. The festivals in honour of Kaaman, the lord of love, Intiran festival, aatirai festival, Murukan festival and Oonam festival were religious in character.
The foregoing analysis of ancient Cheras social life is shown that the values and importance of the culture and tradition. The economic source of the people is bring us to think about the prosperity of ancient Cheras. The references of the boundaries is the example of the bravery of the Chera’s army.
– Dr. V. Sejin
Assistant Professor, Department of History, Scott Christian College. Nagercoil.
References
1. Balakrishna Warrier, “Kerala and Paracurama Tradition” in Kerala Studies, 1985.
2. Edgar Thurston and Rangachari. K., Castes and Tribes of Southern India, Vol-III-L, Madras,1987.
3. Edgar Thurston, Omen and Superstition of Southern India, London, 1912,
4. K.P.Menon, History of Kerala , Vol. II, 1979.
5. Pattuppaattu, Edited by U.V.Caaminathaiyer, Madras-1961.
6. Raghavaiyengar.M. Some Aspects of Kerala and Tamil Literature, Part -II, 1986
7. Sardar.K.M Panickar. A History of Kerala, 1956.
8. Srinivasa Iyengar P.T, History of the Tamil, Madras, 1929.