Paravar People – An Overview
Paravars are people who now inhabit most of the coastal villages from Tuticorin on the Eastern coast to Muttom on the western coast of the Indian peninsula. Their history, though very little serious research has been done, is very intriguing.
There are some claims that since Paravars are also called Bharathar, they are the original Indians who inhabited the Indus Valley before the arrival of the Aryans from central Asia. Hence they are the original Dravidians. The linguistic similarity between Bharat and Bharathar may simply be mere co-incidence.
However, the earliest mention of the Paravars in any authentic source dates back to 3rd century BC. Some archeological evidence found at Arittapatti in Melur taluk points to the fact that the Paravars were the sole fisherfolk who controlled the coast from Rameswaram down to southern cape. Probably they practiced Jainism by then. It is in that connection that the […]