Sambavars: Their Journey from 10th Century

 

I took a Google search on Sambavar and it was a link I click that lead me to this interesting discovery

I did a Google search on Sambavar, and one of the links I clicked led me to this interesting discovery. I came across the earliest recorded person to be identified as belonging to the Sambavar caste. His name is Maharasan Vedamanickam and he was born in 1763 and he died in 1827. His name was Maharasan Vedamanickam. He was born in 1763 and died in 1827.

His 55-year lifespan forms the basis of the article. 

He was born in present-day Kanyakumari. At that time, the region was under the rule of the Travancore Maharaja.

Both Google search and Google Books clearly state that his ancestors were from Thanjavur. This implies that one of his forefathers - possibly his father, grandfather, or great-grandfather - may have migrated to Kanyakumari and settled there. 

It can be roughly estimated that Maharasan Vedamanickam’s ancestors may have settled in Kanyakumari more than 50 years ago. Considering his great-grandfather, it would have been around 100 years.

This indicates that their presence in Thanjavur may date back at least 1,000 years, that is, from the 16th century.

From the information gathered through Google search and Google Books, it is mentioned that they are cultivators. My further search led me to a variety of rice called Samba, along with several other varieties whose names either start or end with ‘Samba.’ This rice is cultivated in the Cauvery Delta region. Thanjavur district is also part of the Cauvery Delta, and nearby districts and places such as Tiruvarur, Nagapattinam, and Mayiladuthurai are included as well.

The caste name Sambavar might have originated from their involvement in Samba cultivation. However, some sources claim that they are descendants of Lord Shiva, while others suggest that they may have come from other places. The nearby port of Tranquebar (Tharangambadi) is located in Mayiladuthurai. This hypothesis cannot be ruled out.

There is a mention of a chieftain or king called Sambuvaraya, who ruled the districts of Tiruvannamalai, Kanchipuram, and Villupuram after the fall of the Chola kingdom. These places are near the Cauvery Delta region. This king’s rule was relatively short. There is a school of thought that suggests they are descendants of King Sambuvaraya, while some opinions propose that he was one among the Sambavars. This narrative dates back to the 12th or 13^th century.

This suggests that the Sambavars existed before the 10th century. Apart from being cultivators, they might also have served as foot soldiers, This is purely speculative. Though short live Sambuvaraya’s rule came after the Cholas, and following his reign, northern Tamil Nadu came under the rule of the Vijayanagar kingdom. 

By the 13th century, almost all the known kingdoms had ruled this part of Tamil Nadu. From Alauddin Khilji (Malik Kafur) in the early 14th century, to the Vijayanagar kingdom, the Nawabs, the Mughals, and the Marathas—each had their reigns. In between, the Dutch, the Portuguese, and the British also established footholds in the region. The Chalukyas, Rashtrakutas, Hoysalas, Kakatiyas, and a few others may have assisted or influenced these powers. 

This political and social disturbance might have prompted the cultivator Sambavars to seek opportunities beyond the fertile Cauvery Delta region, leading them to gradually migrate toward southern Tamil Nadu.