Chekavar (Also known as ChekonorChevakar, Cekavar) were the warriors belonging to HinduThiyya community in MalabarofKerala.[1][2][3] Many Thiyya families today trace their roots to this Chekavar lineage.[4]
Warrior role
Exceptionally talented Thiyya practitioners of Kalaripayattu were known as chekavanorchekon, and each local ruler had his own militia of chekons. 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.Some of the Chekavar families migrated from Malabar to Southern parts of Kerala at the invitation of kings, to train soldiers and lead war.[5][6]
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.[7][8]
Etymology
Chekavar is derived from the Sanskrit words Sevakar, SevakanorSevaka, which mean soldiers in service or soldiers in royal service.[9][10]
Origin
Hero stones found in Kerala depict Chekavar engaged in combat, often on behalf of a lord. On the stones, Chekavar are generally depicted by an image of an armed man along with a Shiva Linga.[citation needed]
History
The chekavar community was a warrior caste.[11][12] that inhabited present day Malabar and Tulu Nadu.[13]
They had their own style of martial arts, although it was influenced by the martial arts of the Chera Empire.[14][15]
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.'[5]
According to Indudara Menon, "The songs of the Vatakkan pattu (northern ballads) are about a clan of martial Chekavars who were Thiyyas and masters of the martial arts".[17] According to David Levinson, "The Chekavar families played an important role in the practice of Kalaripayattu in the Malabar District".[18]
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]
