Meanings and origin of word Chekavan

Etymology

The word meaning of chekavar or chon is warrior.^[5] As per the English-Malayalm Dictionary of Hermann Gundert, the word meaning of chekavan are Servant, militiaman and warrior. As per Peyarakaraathi, a Tamil dictionary published from Jaffna, the word meaning of chekavan are aiyan(Respected person or teacher or ayyappan or sanstha), peyullipanividaikaran(war hero) and veeran. Some argue that this word might have derived from Sanskrit word Sevakan or sevaka.^[6][7] Another theory proposed says that it might have derived from local Malayalam language word Chavuka means ready to die. First reference of word chekava was found from inscriptions found in karapauram near cherthala which talks about an Ayurvedi physician Itty Achudan. Another inscription dated on 14th century talks about a chekava perumal(chekava king) which is recorded in Madras Epigraphy report(report number 598) of 1916.

Origin

As per Elamkulam P. N. Kunjan Pillai's ''Studies in Kerala history, they were decedents of or Villors or Villavar or Billavars who were warriors and bravos. They were trained under Maravars , a Dravidian martial tribe, accepted Buddhism in later stage. Villu(in Tamil and malayalm) or Billu(in Tulu), means bow was the Symbol of Chera kingdom. Thus as per his opinion, Chera kings were actually villavars. However, they were degraded after arrival of Brahmins and after establishing Chatur Varna system. Thereafter, they were accredited as chekavars or chevakars.Vadakkan Pattukal, collection of Malayalam Ballads of medieval origin present saga of chekava heros.^{[8] [9]}

As per some other historians, Chekavars(Ezhavas) came in to India ancient times, on account of their long inhabitations and similarities in religion that with natives. The tradition is that they came originally from Ceylon where they belonged to Military caste.^[10] Some folk song says they were natives of Ezhavathu Nadu(Local name for Ceylon) and another folk song about puthooram veedu says their ancestors were one of the eight fighter families sent by the king of Ezhavathu Nadu (Land of Ezhavas) to help the local rulers of malayalam (Here the malayalam refers to present day Kerala). Famous chekavars of south Kerala, Komalezhathu Chekavarss (which was originally komala ezhavathu) family name also stressing this notion.^[11][12]

Kalaripayattu tradition

The chekavars of Malabar were masters northern style Kalaripayattu while their counter-parts in South Kerala were practising southern styles like Varma Kalari, Adithada, Chilambam and occasionally using weapon based Kalaripayatu during wars. The chekavars of malabar were involved in ankam(quarrels between local rulers were resolved by fixing an Ankam, a duel to the death) between two Ankachekavars, each ruler being represented by one Ankachekavar. The ruler represented by the surviving Ankachekavar was considered the winner. This type of Ankams between two chekavars were not common in Travancore or cochin.

Legends

Arattupuzha Velayudha Panicker, was an Ezhava warrior lived in the 19th century in Kerala who has also fought against the caste oppression by the upper castes. His original name was Kalisseril Velayutha chekavar. His grandfather Vallikadavil Perumal Chekavan(Perumalchekon or Perumalchan) was even proficient in Tulunadan kalari techniques which was not common in southern style of Kalaripayattu. ^{[13] [14]}

Legendary warrior figures of northern ballads Kannappa chekavar, Aromal Chekavar, Unniarcha, Unikkannan, Aromalunny etc. were chekavars from puthooram veedu in malabar. Kottakkal Kanaran, the founder of the renowned CVN Kalari, was himself a Chekava.

In Central Travancore, there are families such as Punnasseril in Veloor whose roots are closely associated with these clans. Komalezhathu Chekavars of the Alappuzha districts were fierce warriors of most of the central Kerala kingdoms before the emergence of Travancore as a powerful kingdom. Sree Moolam Assembly (Praja sabha) memebr Komalezhathu Kunju pillai chevakar and ezhava leader T. K. Madhavan are from this family.

So is the case of Thadathil Chekavars. Thadathil Raman Chekavar Velayudhan, Former CEO, Coir Worker's welfare Fund Board and an astrologist, belongs to this family. Other chekavar families in travancore include Valiya mundakkal chekavars of eastern kollam and Melathil chekavars of Kanyakumari. Majority of these families in South Kerala lost it mightiness after the emergence Travancore as powerful kingdom, except Melathil tharavdu which continued to serve the Travancore kingdom.

In South kerala members of ezhavas are still being called chovans (a maltreated derived version of chekavan) by other communities mainly upper caste.

See also

• Ezhava caste
• Channar A warrior sect of ezhavas from south Kerala.
• Kuruppanmar An Ezhava sect from kerala associated with Bhadrakali temples
• Thandan A Surname and caste
• Warrior
• Izhathu Mannanars

References

1. ↑ A. Aiyappan, Social Revolution in a Kerala Village: A Study in Culture Change. (Asia Publishing House, 1965), Page 85
2. ↑
3. ↑
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5. ↑
6. ↑
7. ↑
8. ↑
9. ↑ Elamkulam P. N. Kunjan Pillai, Studies in Kerala History.( National Book Stall, Kottayam, 1970), Page 111, 151, 152,15,154
10. ↑
11. ↑
12. ↑
13. ↑
14. ↑ NR Krishanan IAS, Izhavar Annum Innum (Trissur: Seena Publications, 1967), p 119

External Links and Other References

• Ezhava Website
• Historical Personalities Of Kerala
• KalariPayattu(Vadakkan)
• Kalari Payattu
• Luijendijk, D.H. (2005) Kalarippayat: India's Ancient Martial Art, Paladin Press

sv:Ezhava

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