Rowther

ethnic group
group=Rowther or Ravuthar


poptime=about 1 Million
popplace=Tamil Nadu, Singapore, Malaysia, Middle east, UK & USA
rels=Sunni Islam
langs=Tamil

Rowther or Ravuthar (Tamil: ராவுத்தர்) is a distinctive Islamic community from Southern Indian state of Tamil Nadu. Together with Lebbai and Maraikayar communities, they constitute the multi-ethnic Tamil muslim, an Islamic community spread across South India and South East Asia. Rowthers follow Hanafi school of Fiqh.

Etymology

The etymology of the word 'Rowther' is unknown. It used to be a common surname among Rowther muslims. However, this has been given up by most people, after the Dravidian movement's call to give up surnames to abolish caste discrimination based on names. Rowther muslims swiftly followed like many other Tamils and is now rarely used as surname.

Identity and origins

Chola kings, who dominated Tamil Nadu for over two centuries (approximately 950 AD to 1200 AD) waned, and Pandya kings had the upper hand for the next century (approximately 1200 AD to 1300 AD). King Maravarman Kulasekhara Pandyan (1268 - 1310) had two sons Jatavarman Sundara Pandyan and Jatavarman Veera Pandyan. The elder son, Sundara Pandyan, was by the king's wife and the younger, Veera Pandyan, was by a mistress. Contrary to tradition, the king proclaimed that the younger son would succeed him. (www.geocities.com/tamiltribune) This enraged Sundara Pandyan. He killed the father and became king in 1310. Some local chieftains in the kingdom swore allegiance to the younger brother Veera Pandian and a civil war broke out.

Sundara Pandyan was defeated and he fled the country. He sought help from the far off northern ruler Sultan Ala-ud-din Khilji, who was ruling much of northern India from Delhi. At that time, his army under General Malik Kafur was in the south at Dvarasamudra (far to the north of Tamil Nadu). Khilji agreed to help Sundara Pandyan and ordered Malik Kafur's army to march to Tamil Nadu. With Sundara Pandyan's assistance, this Muslim army from the north entered Tamil Nadu in 1311. Many historians believe that Malik Kafur, who was based in Dvarasamudra at that time, was not planning to march south all the way to Tamil Nadu, and that, but for Sundara Pandyan's request to Sultan Ala-ud-din Khilji, he would never have invaded Tamil Nadu. Thus the first invasion of Tamil Nadu from Delhi was a direct result of the internal quarrel in the Pandyan royal family.

Once inside Tamil Nadu and his army well entrenched with not much opposition, Malik Kafur turned on Sundara Pandyan also, whom he came to help. The latter fled Madurai to southern Pandya Nadu. Sultan Ala-ud-din Khilji and Malik Kafur never intended to conquer and hold Tamil Nadu as part of the Delhi Sultanate; introducing Islam to Tamil Nadu was their aim all along. So, having accomplished what he came for, he did not occupy Tamil Nadu but turned back north. (Sundara Pandyan's uncle Vikrama Pandyan did win a couple of battles against Malik Kafur but many historians do not believe it to be the reason for Malik Kafur leaving Tamil Nadu. Whatever the reason, Malik Kaur left with his success of Islam.)

Before invasion of Moghul, Chola King invited Turkish of the Seljuk Turks from Ottoman Empire from the Fractions of Hanafi school (Known as Rowther in South India) for trade link in 1212 AD. A biggest armada of Turks traders and missionaries settled in Tharangambadi, Nagapattinam, Karaikal, Muthupet, Koothanallur and Podakkudi. Turkish Rowthers were unable to convert Hindus in Tanjore regions since Hindus were very stubborn in their belief, so the Turkish mission and traders settled in this area's with their armada and expanded to a moderate size of Islam community. These new settlements were now added to the Rowther community. Hanafi franctions have a mix of fair and darker complexions because they were more closely connected with the Turkish than others in South, they also follow purdah same as Turks and Iranian compared to Marakkars who just wear sarees. There are some Turkish Anatolian and Turkish Safavid Inscriptions found in wide area from Tanjore to Thiruvarur and in many villages. These inscriptions are seized by Madras Museum and are available for public viewing. Contact Archeologic Division at Madras Museum, for viewing and further research. Some Turkish inscriptions also stolen from Big Mosque of Koothanallur in 1850.

There are two factions of Rowthers in Tamil Nadu, Sultan Ala-ud-din Khilji's (Moghul) clan covers majority of Tamil Nadu while Turkish clans remains in Tharangambadi (Nagapattinam), Karaikal, Muthupet, Koothanallur and Podakkudi until now. Both Moghul and Turkish Hanafi expanded with population of almost 1 million Rowthers.

ee also

*Tamil muslim
*Lebbai
*Maraikayar

References

*J. P. Mulliner. Rise of Islam in India. University of Leeds chpt. 9. Page 215"'