The Nadars of Tamilnad: The Political Culture of a Community in Change

by Robert L. Hardgrave Jr.

The Nadars have had a turbulent and colourful history. Their efforts to rise above their depressed condition assumed dramatic form in the series of escalating confrontations between the caste and its antagonists. From the breast-cloth controversy the sack of Sivakasi to the Nadar Mahajana Sangam, the Nadars rise, encapsulating the processes of social mobility in Indian sopciety, has given rich texture to the analysis of a community in change.

Genres: History

352 pages, Hardcover

First published January 1, 1970

Reviews

[Rick Sam · Rating 5 out of 5]

1. Who are Nadars?

Nadars are a social-group located in Southern India.
They are predominantly in Southern Tamil Nadu.

Occupationally as toddy-tappers.

huh, what is that?

Toddy is local alcoholic drink.
So, Toddy tapping is making alcohol from sap of palm trees.


2. Tell me more?

A While ago, in Tamil Society, Nadars were ostracized, ignored, shamed, due to their ignobleness.

Hardgrave says the following,

"Nadars were lowest of the highest, and highest of the lowest castes in Tamil Nadu."

3. So, Why care about this work?

Among social-groups of Tamil Nadu,
Nadars have made significant socio-economic progress in Tamil Society.

Starting their journey from landless toddy tapping community, No Land, Rented Palm Trees for a living.

Today -- Most of them are land owning socio-economic class.

They form contemporary Tamil Society's Socio-Business & Educational Class.


So How did they do this?

1. Hindu Nadars - Business or Tholil {tamil} with sole focus of their entire life

2. Christian Nadars - Education or White collar Professionals due to influence of Christianity

Tamils describe Nadars with characters such as, Hardworking, Thriftiness, & Saving among Tamil People

4. What is your own summary on this work?

Nadars were socio-economic low-rungs in Tamil society.

Through business & education, raised themselves socio-economically.

Christianity gave the tool of education for Tinnevelly Nadars.
Business {tholil} gave Sivakasi, Virudhunagar Nadars, the tool to lift themselves.

I came across this book to understand Tirunelveli society.
I found, compelling sources.

The 1899 Sivakasi riots caught my attention. I felt as if I was reading alarming war history.

Overall --An excellent scholarly work on Nadars.
I would recommend this book to anyone who is interested in Caste, Tamil-Nadu, Christianity.

Full detailed Summary

Deus Vult,
Gottfried

[Nallasivan V. · Rating 4 out of 5]

A comprehensive history of one community over 200 years. As a community, Nadars grew from a discriminated lower class to one of the prominent business communities of TamilNad. Through their story of rise, Hardgrave captures the flux in caste through the colonial era and independent India (through 60s). Recommended!

[Fraser Daniel · Rating 5 out of 5]

I have been wanting to read this book ever since it was recommended to me by Rick Sam. The book has been of personal and historical/ sociological interest to me since I was born into this caste (for better or worse) and I think of this as the first step in learning about the history of India. As with many things, I would like to start with learning about what's closest to me and then make my way to what's furthest to me. After all, what do I have in common with someone from Rajasthan or Assam? When I say personal interest, I don't mean that I have a personal attachment to the caste of Nadar. Despite being raised in a family where everyone identifies with caste.


Growing up, I noticed a tremendous amount of caste solidarity among family member to the point of absurdity. I have a long wondered where this come from? Why avoid associating with people of other castes? why maintain endogamy? where does the caste pride come from? None of this has made sense to me ever since I was a kid. I started to question these things when I was a teenager. Many people tell me that someone must have "brainwashed" me through politics or through "Christian ministry". The truth is that no one "brainwashed" me into rejecting caste identity. The answer is simple. I wondered would I be fine with someone else discriminating me because I was from a certain caste? Shouldn't I treat others like I would want to be treated? Isn't that the foundational dictum of Christian ethics? Isn't caste ideology a denial of the human dignity that God has given everyone? How can I reject to see the image of God in all of God's creation? All of this was perfectly obvious to me even before I turned 13. How can something so obvious to a 13-year-old prove to be an enigma to the so-called adults is absolutely beyond me. My contempt for the system made me want to dig into the history of Nadars and this book didn't disappoint.


I have come to completely reject the idea of caste as it explicitly draws from Hindu theology and politics. Hence, despite rejecting caste, I take caste to be fundamental in the way Indian culture and society operate. Therefore, to understand India, one must study the underlying Hindu hierarchy of caste which is taken for granted when we see how India has operated and continues to operate today. Here's my start!

Robert Hardgrave wrote most of this as a part of his dissertation. He wanted to understand the history of Nadars and how they worked hard to, essentially, lift them up by their bootstraps. The story begins with Robert Cardwell who first encountered this group of people who were palyma tree climbers in today's Tirunelveli district. Cardwell began to work with this group and studied their history from the primary sources that were available to him at that time.