Ponniyin Selvan I movie poster showing actor Sarathkumar as Periya Paluvettaraiyar and actor Parthiban as Chinna Paluvettaraiyar. In 2024, Oxford University Press published Minor Majesties: The Paluvēṭṭaraiyars and Their South Indian Kingdom of Paluvūr, 9th–11th Centuries A.D ., a groundbreaking study by historian Valerie Gillet. In the book’s opening chapter, A Tentative Biography of the Paluvettaraiyars , Gillet delves into the lineage and origins of this influential fami ly. These Chola warlords traced their lineage to the formidable Maravars, an ancient warrior tribe renowned for their valor. However, I believe that while the Paluvettaraiyars were indeed of Maravar descent, they likely forged alliances through intermarriage with those of the Kallar and Agambadiyar clans, further solidifying their power and influence. Prominent figures in the medieval Chola era, the Paluvettaraiyars played a pivotal role in shaping the empire’s political and military landscape. Through st...
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| In each cluster, a majority expresses a desire to maintain its cohesive identity, while a minority seeks to disassociate and form new clusters. This process of separation and integration leads to the emergence of additional clusters over successive centuries, ultimately contributing to an increase in overall cluster diversity. |
Humans are naturally social animals, and our preference for living in groups or clusters can be attributed to evolutionary advantages, emotional needs, cognitive benefits, and the development of complex social structures. Throughout human evolution, living in groups provided survival advantages, safety, and support during difficult times. Social interactions fulfill our emotional and psychological needs, fostering a sense of belonging.
Group living enhances cognitive development through shared learning and problem-solving. Ultimately, our social nature has been instrumental in shaping human progress and achievements throughout history.
Within the context of the human species, various levels of clustering are observed. Nationalities represent clusters within the broader human population, and within each nationality, ethnicities form distinct groupings. Further subdivisions exist, such as tribal groups, representing smaller clusters within specific ethnicities. Even the family unit, comprising parents and children, can be viewed as the smallest cluster in this context. Additional clusters are formed based on language, religion, political affiliation, sports allegiances, and other defining factors, each distinguished by its size and purpose.
The inclination of humans towards favoring their own cluster is a well-established phenomenon. Personal biases lead individuals to exhibit empathy and preferential treatment towards members of their cluster while displaying less tolerance for those outside of it. This selective approach shapes an individual's identity and influences their affinity towards certain clusters.
For instance, Tamils in general may express greater interest in discussing Tamil archaeological heritage due to its cultural relevance to their own background, rather than archaeological findings related to the Mali people in Africa, which may be perceived as less personally significant.
Despite the efforts to eliminate clusters, it is evident that they persist and even evolve through various means. For instance, intermarriage between ethnic groups, such as Chinese and Indian individuals in Malaysia, did not eradicate their respective Indian or Chinese races but instead resulted in the emergence of a new cluster referred to as "Chindians." Similarly, inter-caste marriages within the Tamil community did not abolish caste identities; rather, offspring were typically associated with the father's caste due to inheritance factors, surname and worship of patrilineal family deity known as kuladeivam.
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| Periyar followers getting married in their own unique style. |
The Periyar movement, originally intended to eliminate caste identities, underwent an unintended transformation, leading it to evolve into a distinct cluster. While the majority of Tamil people continued to maintain their caste affiliations, a minority of Periyar followers chose to reject their caste identity, giving rise to a separate cluster with its exclusive practices and beliefs. This social process is ilustrated in the image at the beginning of this article showing the formation of Cluster P.
This new cluster, known as Periyarism, reveres EV. Ramasamy, or Periyar, as its guiding figure, analogous to religious clusters with their revered leaders. Additionally, the Periyarism cluster conducts weddings in a unique manner, setting it apart from other Tamil clusters. In essence, Periyarism has now metamorphosed into a new cluster akin to a separate caste entity in its own right.
In conclusion, instead of eradicating existing clusters, movements and interactions have led to the creation of new clusters within larger societies. Understanding this cluster phenomenon is crucial in addressing the complexities of human group dynamics and identity formation.
Well written anne
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