Marakkar

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.

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), Kilakarai, 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.

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 Kilakarai 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.

See also

• Kunjali Marakkar
• Abdul Kalam
• Labbay
• Kayalar

References

• Kudi Maraikayar of eastern Sri Lanka

External links

• http://www.kilakkarai.org/pb/wp_48d496bd/wp_48d496bd.html