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Book Review
History of a trading community
NAGARATHARIN ARAPPANIGAL: Na. Valli; Krishna Padhippagam, 7, Lakshmana Chettiar Street, Karaikudi-630001. Rs. 165.
THIS IS an interesting treatise on the history of an ancient and important trading community of Tamil Nadu called Nagarathar or Naattukottai Chettiars and their valuable contribution in the fields of religion, language and literature, temples, music and allied cultural activities.
Located predominantly in the area called Chettinadu or Naattukottai Bhumai, i.e., present day districts of Sivaganga and Pudukottai, they took a leading part in the trade and commerce not only within but also outside India especially Burma, Malaysia and other South-East Asian countries.
Their connections with places like Kanchipuram, Kaveripoompattinam, Pillaiyarpatti and Ilayathangudi, merchant guilds like the "Nanadesi-D. Thisai Ayirathu Aynutruvar" are outlined with the help of traditional literary and epigraphical sources.
Explanation of various sub-groups like Illuppakkudi Nagarathar, Devokottai Nagarathar, Onbathu-koil Nagarathar will be found interesting.
Chapters three, four and five give a vivid description of their benefactions not only to the leading temples like Chidambaram, Rameswaram and Tiruvannamalai but also to numerous smaller temples including those of village gods and goddesses.
They made special endowments for creating or maintaining Maths, feeding houses (Annachatram), Gosalas, Patasalas, Chatrams (rest-houses for pilgrims), tanks and ponds in many pilgrim centres.
Their services to education especially those of Raja Sir Annamalai Chettiar (founder of the Annamalai University), Alagappa Chettiar and Karumuthu Thiagaraja Chettiar described in another chapter are equally impressive. Nagarathars' munificent patronage to the development of Tamil language and music and also to Tamil poets and scholars form the theme of separate chapters.
Their active participation in the freedom movement, their contributions to the national causes and also to the educational and industrial growth of Tamil Nadu are many which deserve to be documented and the author has done it in a commendable manner.
K. V. RAMAN
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