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Theeyar

Thiyya (Malayalam : തിയ്യര്‍ ) or Theeyar is a caste in South India.They are mainly located in Malabar including Tulunad and coastal belts of Thrishur District. In Tulunad they are known as Tulu Thiyyar. Thiyyar belongs to 8 illams . The 8 illams of Thiyyar according to the history book Castes and Tribes of Southern India by Edgar Thurston (1855-1935) are  :

• Nellikka
• Pullanhi
• Vangeri
• Koyikkalan
• Padayamkudi
• Tenamkudi
• Manankudy
• Vilakkan Kudi

Marriage between individuals of same illams is prohibited and it is still strictly followed in North Malabar even nowadays.

The Thiyyar dynasties such as the Mannanar also existed in Kerala. The Chekavar, a warrior section within the Thiyyar community, were part of the militias of local chieftains and kings. There were also renowned kalaripayattu experts among Chekavars.

British Indian Army also had a special regiment called The Thiyyar Regiment which was formed with thousands of Thiyyar warriors. The Regiment was centered at Thalassery , since Tellicherry (Thalassery) was a strategic centre of the company in Malabar.

History

In 2013 , the genetic studies carried out by Dr.Shyamalan discovered that Thiyyar were Indo-Aryan who migrated from Central Asia.The ancestors of the present Thiyya community who lived in the Western coast of India including Karnataka, Maharashtra and Gujarat were came from Tian Shan high ranges of Kyrgyz region in Central Asia. A large group of people were fled to East due to a massive earthquake in the above region and settled in the Western coast of India centuries ago ,  , 

Thiyyar belongings to Haplogroup L.

Indo-Aryan caucasian Class (Unlike ezhavas of haplogroup C australoids,Nairs of K and Namboothiris of H) from central Asian Thiyassa valley of Tia-Shan Mountain Ranges lying south of Russia to North Malabar.

Genetic Marker for this group in general is KLM9/M20.

Ancestors traveled through Rajasthan where the people who settled were known as sekovars. They were probably descendants of Rajputs,who later became fierce fighters and warriors. From there ,the group migrated through the sind province,Gujarat, Maharashtra , and to southern India. The thiyya group acquired warrior qualities, martial arts, and acrobatic talents from the ancestors living in the Thiyyas valley in Kyrgyzstan and the pamir plateau ( north-central Asia).

These class of people were great warriors of ever. (Scientific DNA Studies on Thiyya published in the book ‘North Africa to North Malabar ’ )

Recently from TamilNadu many veerakal which are about 2500 years old were found out with the inscription Thiyya Andavan who died in battle fields. Veerakal were stones which were erected with the description of fierce fighters who died in battles. These inscriptions are used to claim Shresta Bhasha Padavi for Malayalam language on the behalf of Central Government of India.

Thiyyas have no connection with Ezhava. The the book castes and tribes of southern india vol 7 by Thurson it states that ( ref : https://archive.org/details/castestribesofso07thuriala ) :

" An Izhuvan will eat rice cooked by a Tiyan, but a Tiyan will not eat rice cooked by an Izhuvan a circum- stance pointing to the inferiority of the Izhuvan. A Nayar, as well as a Tiyan, will partake of almost any form of food or drink, which is prepared even by a Mappilla (Malabar Muhammadan), who is deemed inferior to both. But the line is drawn at rice, which must be prepared by one of equal caste or class, or by a superior.

An Izhuvan, partaking of rice at a Tiyan's house, must eat it in a verandah ; he cannot do so in the house, as that would be defilement to the Tiyan. Not only must the Izhuvan eat the rice in the verandah, but he must wash the plates, and clean up the place where he has eaten. Again, an Izhuvan could have no objection to drinking from a Tiyan's well. Further, there is practically no mixture in the distribution of Tiyans and Izhuvans "

which clearly states that Thiyyar are a distinct group and have no relationship with Ezhava of southern kerala.

Social structure & Rituals

File:Kalaripayattu.JPG

Kalaripayattu

Thiyyas were hard working and industrious peoples and done different occupations like Kalariyapayathu expert Chekavar,Agriculural farming, Kalaripayattu Teachers, Ayurveda physicians, Toddy Tapping, Astrologers, Buisiness etc . They traded with Arabs and Europeans through 22 small and big ports along Malabar coast. There were many warriors in Thiyya community. Unniarcha ,Aromal Chekavar etc. were from Puthooram Veedu, a Thiyya Tharavadu (Ancestor Home) In Vadakkan paattukal Thiyyas followed a social system of individual family tharavadu (Ancestor Home). Tharavadu head ‘karanavar’ was respected and his decision was the final word in all the family matters. The local chieftains or head man wore a gold knife on their waist bands. "MANNANARS" (a common malayalam term for king) were a thiyya dynasty who ruled with their capital in Eruvessy near Taliparamba .

Thiyyas are often cited together with Ezhava, a similar caste from South Kerala, although a recent study claims that there is no hereditary or historical link between the two communities . Thiyyas had their own concepts of gods, rites and rituals. They worshipped different rays of consciousness- Bhagavathi , Gulikan, Muthappan etc in their own kavukal and performed offerings and rituals like Velichapadu, Thira, Theyyam, Vellatam and Thiruvappana. They were the custodians of ancestor worship, they worshipped their Elders in family, most of the Theyyams are in memory of our guru karanavers (Elders), and proudly remembering their heroic acts through Theyyam.

During the fourth and fifth century, they were under the influence Buddhism and Jainism, Thiyyas reformed the Puja, Offerings and Kuruthi (Sacrifice) in ahimsa way. But, they did not ceremoniously converted to Buddhism or Jainism and remained as Thiyyas.

Past occupations

Martial traditions

Many were employed as soldiers and kalaripayattu trainers at the army of Kolathiri,Calicut of Zamorin and in the army of Sakthan Thampuran of Kingdom of Cochin.Thiyyar also served in army of local chieftains and local rulers such as of Kadathanad and Kurumbranad of Kerala, who were privileged in the pre-colonial period to have their own private armies.

They were also soldiers of Thiyya ruling dynasty of Mannanar of Ezhuveshi.

Shankaran Moopan of Pullambil Thiyyar Tharawad served as the commander in chief of Pazhashi Raja against British.

French Thiyyar Army

After the French Governor Bertrand-François Mahé de La Bourdonnais captured Mahe from the Marathas in 1741, they formed an army with hundreds of Thiyyar soldiers, two French officers, a drummer and 40 rifles in 1774 called the Thiyya Army.They served the french Mahe till 1954 when the French handed over the reins of power to a local government led by I. K. Kumaran Master.

British Army Thiyyar Regiment

Even after the formation of the Malabar Special Police, a new police force formed by british to which they recruited mainly thiyyar, british also formed a separate regiment in Indian British army called Thiyya regiment based in Thalassery.

Chekavar

A subgroup of the Thiyyas considered themselves to be warriors and became known as the Chekavars. The Vadakkan Pattukal ballads describe Chekavars as forming the militia of local chieftains and kings but the title was also given to experts of Kalari Payattu.

Medicine and traditional toxicology

Almst all of the Ayuveda Physicians in Malabar belongs to Thiyyar community.

Marriage

Theyyam Thiyyars followed a "EIGHT ILLAMS",(the eight illams are Nellika, Pullani, Vangeri, Kozhikalan, Patayanguti, Managuti, Thenanguti, Velakanguti) means each and every thiyyas belongs to one illam among the eight, members of an illam are considered as relatives and not allowed to marry each other, marriage is only allowed between members of different illams. Thiyyas followed a unique ritual where the bridegroom with his friends and relatives arrive at the bride’s house and accept kanyadaan- marriage without dowry. Thiyyas followed matriarchal system, The matriarchy system was changed subsequently to patriarchy by Hindu Succession Act 1956 .

Edgar Thurston has described Thiyyar wedding in his Castes and Tribes of Southern India as

"The South Malabar Tiyan bridegroom, dressed as if for a wrestling match, with his cloth tied tight about his loins, carries a sword and shield, and is escorted by two companions similarly equipped, dancing their way along. The Izhuvan does not carry a sword under any circumstances. The chief feature of his wedding ceremony is a singing match. This, called the vatil-tura-pattu, or open the door song, assumes the form of a contest between the parties of the bridegroom and bride. The story of Krishna and his wife Rukmini is supposed to be alluded to. We have seen it all under slightly different colour at Conjeeveram. Krishna asks Rukmini to open the door, and admit him. She refuses, thinking he has been gallivanting with some other lady. He beseeches ; she refuses. He explains, and at length she yields. The song is more or less extem- pore, and each "side must be ready with an immediate answer. The side which is reduced to the extremity of having no answer is beaten and under ignominy. Marriage is strictly forbidden between two persons belonging to the same illam. The bride and bridegroom must belong to different illams. In fact, the illams are exogamous. The following formula is repeated by the headman of the bride's party. Translated as accurately as possible, it runs thus. "The tara and changati of both sides having met and consulted ; the astrologer having fixed an auspicious day after examining the star and porutham ; permission having been obtained from the tara, the relations, the illam and kulam, the father, uncle, and the brothers, and from the eight and four (twelve illams) and the six and four (ten kiriyams) ; the conji and adayalam ceremonies and the four tazhus having been performed, let me perform the kanjikudi ceremony for the marriage of .... The son of . . . . With .... Daughter of .... In the presence of muperium. ”

Worship

Thiyyar are shakteyar who worship shakti through shakteyam.They worship in a special place called 'Kavu'. Temple worship was started in late 19th century. All 'Kavus' conduct Theyyam yearly.

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