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Chekavar (Also known as Chekon or Chevakar, Cekavar) were the warriors belonging to Hindu Thiyya community in Malabar of Kerala.^[1]^[2]^[3] There were less than 10 Chekavar family and they serve the Nair Kings. Chekavar were allowed to learn Kalari in Nair Kalari Temples .^[4] They are people who migrated from the now Karanataka region during the Invasion of Hyder Ali. They seek refugee under the Nair Kings. Impressed by their loyality some families were given special status and allowed to learn Kalaripayattu.

Warrior role

Loyal Thiyya of the Nair Kingdom were allowed to learn Kalaripayattu by the Nair Kings and some were given the Title of Kurup. The chekons were lined up for combats and duels, representing the rulers in disputes. In short, they were warriors who fought and died for the empire in wars, protecting the country and it's people's life. Chekavar formed the army of the Chera Empire.

Almost all the 9 families of Chekavars were killed by the later Tipu Sultan invasion of malabar thus ending the clan.

Some of these heroes are remembered and worshipped even today through folk songs like Vadakkan Pattukal; for example, the 19th century Kuroolli Chekon who fought against the British is remembered through folk songs while the Sangam age hero Akathooty Chekavar, Commander-in-chief of the Chera army, was adopted into Theyyam forms and is worshipped as a war deity today.^[5]^[6]

Etymology

Chekavar is derived from the Sanskrit words Sevakar, Sevakan or Sevaka, which mean soldiers in service or soldiers in royal service.^[7]^[8]

Origin

They are people of Karnataka orgin. They migrates from Karnataka to the malabar region seeking the help of Nair kings to protect them from the atrocities of the invasion of Hyder Ali.

History

The Malabar chekavars was a warrior .^[9]^[10] that inhabited present day Malabar and Tulu Nadu.^[11]

Jacob Canter Visscher's Letters from Malabar says: 'They may be justly entitled soldiers, as by virtue of their descent they must always bear arms. In spite of the fact that Thiyyas were also practitioners of payatt and had a unavoidable presence in the militia of the ruler, they were allowed in the military services.'^[12]

According to historian A. Sreedhara Menon:

Northern songs are represented in Malabar where the Unniyarcha and Aromal Chekavars of the Puthuram Veettil house are an important Thiyyar family known for their martial arts. The area of their activities comprised the medieval principalities of Kolathunad, Kadathanad and Kottayam.^[2]

Notable people

References

^ P., Girija, K (2021). Mapping the History of Ayurveda : Culture, Hegemony and the Rhetoric of Diversity. ISBN 978-1-000-48139-6.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
^ ^a ^b Menon, A. Sreedhara (4 March 2011). Kerala History and its Makers. D C Books. pp. 82–86. ISBN 978-81-264-3782-5. Retrieved 10 October 2021.
^ Kurup, K. K. N. (1985). "History of the Tellicherry Factory, 1683-1794".
^ Ullekh.N.p (2018). Kannur:inside India's Bloodiest. Penguin Random House India Private Limited, 2018. p. 201. ISBN 9789353051051.
^ Vishnumangalm Kumar, "Kuroolli Chekon: Charithram Thamaskaricha Kadathanadan Simham" (Keralasabdam, 2007-9-2),Page 30-33, ISBN 96220924
^ "Theyyaprapancham".
^ Mathew, George (1989). Communal Road to a Secular Kerala. Concept Pub.Co, 1989. p. 30. ISBN 81-7022-282-6.
^ Smith, Bardwell L. (1976). Religion and Social Conflict in South Asia. BRILL. p. 27. ISBN 90-04-04510-4.
^ James John (2020). The Portuguese and the Socio-Cultural Changes in Kerala: 1498-1663. Routledge. ISBN 9781000078718.
^ Binu John Mailaparambil (2011). Lords of the Sea: The Ali Rajas of Cannanore and the Political Economy of Malabar. Brill. p. 36. ISBN 9789004180215.
^ Zahira, M. (2014). "Folk performances: Reading the cultural history of the Thiyya community in Kerala". Research in Drama Education: The Journal of Applied Theatre and Performance. 19 (2): 159–164. doi:10.1080/13569783.2014.895619. S2CID 191468000.
^ Nisha, P. R. (12 June 2020). Jumbos and Jumping Devils: A Social History of Indian Circus. ISBN 9780190992071.
^ K. k. N Kurup (1989). Samooham Charithram Samskaram. Poorna Publication. p. 73.
^ Singh, Shanta Serbjeet (23 August 2000). Indian Dance: The Ultimate Metaphor. Ravi Kumar. p. 243. ISBN 9781878529657 – via Google Books.

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[1] P., Girija, K (2021). Mapping the History of Ayurveda : Culture, Hegemony and the Rhetoric of Diversity. ISBN 978-1-000-48139-6.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)

[kkkksg-2] Menon, A. Sreedhara (4 March 2011). Kerala History and its Makers. D C Books. pp. 82–86. ISBN 978-81-264-3782-5. Retrieved 10 October 2021.

[3] Kurup, K. K. N. (1985). "History of the Tellicherry Factory, 1683-1794".

[cheg-4] Ullekh.N.p (2018). Kannur:inside India's Bloodiest. Penguin Random House India Private Limited, 2018. p. 201. ISBN 9789353051051.

[ezh38-5] Vishnumangalm Kumar, "Kuroolli Chekon: Charithram Thamaskaricha Kadathanadan Simham" (Keralasabdam, 2007-9-2),Page 30-33, ISBN 96220924

[6] "Theyyaprapancham".

[mathew-7] Mathew, George (1989). Communal Road to a Secular Kerala. Concept Pub.Co, 1989. p. 30. ISBN 81-7022-282-6.

[smith-8] Smith, Bardwell L. (1976). Religion and Social Conflict in South Asia. BRILL. p. 27. ISBN 90-04-04510-4.

[warrior-9] James John (2020). The Portuguese and the Socio-Cultural Changes in Kerala: 1498-1663. Routledge. ISBN 9781000078718.

[10] Binu John Mailaparambil (2011). Lords of the Sea: The Ali Rajas of Cannanore and the Political Economy of Malabar. Brill. p. 36. ISBN 9789004180215.

[11] Zahira, M. (2014). "Folk performances: Reading the cultural history of the Thiyya community in Kerala". Research in Drama Education: The Journal of Applied Theatre and Performance. 19 (2): 159–164. doi:10.1080/13569783.2014.895619. S2CID 191468000.

[23ff-12] Nisha, P. R. (12 June 2020). Jumbos and Jumping Devils: A Social History of Indian Circus. ISBN 9780190992071.

[13] K. k. N Kurup (1989). Samooham Charithram Samskaram. Poorna Publication. p. 73.

[14] Singh, Shanta Serbjeet (23 August 2000). Indian Dance: The Ultimate Metaphor. Ravi Kumar. p. 243. ISBN 9781878529657 – via Google Books.

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 {{Use Indian English|date=September 2019}}
 {{About||the film|Chekavar (film)}}
-'''Chekavar''' (Also known as ''Chekon'' or ''Chevakar'', ''Cekavar'') were the [[warrior]]s belonging to [[Hindu]] [[Tiyyar |Thiyya]] community in [[Malabar Coast|Malabar]] of [[Kerala]].<ref>{{Cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=7yhHEAAAQBAJ&dq=chegon&pg=PT137|title=Mapping the History of Ayurveda : Culture, Hegemony and the Rhetoric of Diversity|last=P.|first=Girija, K|year=2021|isbn=978-1-000-48139-6}}</ref><ref name="kkkksg"/><ref>{{cite web | url=https://books.google.com/books?id=tQ8oAAAAMAAJ&q=k.+k.+n+kurup+tiyya | title=History of the Tellicherry Factory, 1683-1794 | last1=Kurup | first1=K. K. N. | year=1985 }}</ref> The Chekavar family was less than 10 they serve the [[Nair]] Kings. Chekavar were allowed to learn Kalari in [[Nair]] Kalari Temples .<ref name="cheg">{{cite book|last=Ullekh.N.p|year=2018|title=Kannur:inside India's Bloodiest|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=WR1eDwAAQBAJ&dq=chekavar+tiyya&pg=PT62|publisher=Penguin Random House India Private Limited, 2018|page=201|isbn=9789353051051}}</ref> They are people who migrated from the now Karanataka region during the Invasion of [[Hyder Ali]]. They seek refugee under the Nair Kings. Impressed by their loyality some families were given special status and allowed to learn [[Kalaripayattu|Kalaripayattu.]]
+'''Chekavar''' (Also known as ''Chekon'' or ''Chevakar'', ''Cekavar'') were the [[warrior]]s belonging to [[Hindu]] [[Tiyyar |Thiyya]] community in [[Malabar Coast|Malabar]] of [[Kerala]].<ref>{{Cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=7yhHEAAAQBAJ&dq=chegon&pg=PT137|title=Mapping the History of Ayurveda : Culture, Hegemony and the Rhetoric of Diversity|last=P.|first=Girija, K|year=2021|isbn=978-1-000-48139-6}}</ref><ref name="kkkksg"/><ref>{{cite web | url=https://books.google.com/books?id=tQ8oAAAAMAAJ&q=k.+k.+n+kurup+tiyya | title=History of the Tellicherry Factory, 1683-1794 | last1=Kurup | first1=K. K. N. | year=1985 }}</ref> There were less than 10 Chekavar family and they serve the [[Nair]] Kings. Chekavar were allowed to learn Kalari in [[Nair]] Kalari Temples .<ref name="cheg">{{cite book|last=Ullekh.N.p|year=2018|title=Kannur:inside India's Bloodiest|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=WR1eDwAAQBAJ&dq=chekavar+tiyya&pg=PT62|publisher=Penguin Random House India Private Limited, 2018|page=201|isbn=9789353051051}}</ref> They are people who migrated from the now Karanataka region during the Invasion of [[Hyder Ali]]. They seek refugee under the Nair Kings. Impressed by their loyality some families were given special status and allowed to learn [[Kalaripayattu|Kalaripayattu.]]
 ==Warrior role==