Karava of Sri Lanka

Marakkalage


Although Marakkala is the modern colloquial term for Muslims, Marakkalage is another uniquely Karava ancestral name and is used by several traditional Karava familes of Sri lanka todate. Variant forms are : Maha Marakkalage (Maha = great) , Arasa Marakkalage (Arasa = king), Andra Marakkalage (Andra as in Andra Pradesh), Antinna Marakkalage, Kodi Marakkalage (kodi = flag) , Loku Marakkalage (Loku = senior), Manna Marakkalage, Marakkala Hennedige (hennedige = armoured), Sandra Marakkalage and Marakkala Malimige (Malimi = captain).


The name Marakkalage derives from the type of craft used in warfare by the rulers of the Kuru Mandala coast (the region of the Kurus) and Sri lanka. They were also used in their naval battles against the Portuguese in the 16th century to attack Portuguese ships. The ancestors of the families bearing these names may have been the owners or commanders of such vessals.

The Karavas were the traditional martial and naval community of Sri Lanka and the preservation of that naval tradition in such mediaeval names is of interest. Sri Lankan and Portuguese history mention that Karavas were Naval commanders in the armies of the Nayaks of Tanjore.


A stamp issued by India shows the Marakkar war-paroe, a boat that could carry 30-40 men and could be rowed in the sea as well as through lagoons and narrow waters. These crafts were also used in their naval battles against the Portuguese in the 16th century to attack Portuguese ships.

Many Karava chiefs also owned large trading vessels and conducted trade with martial caste chiefs in South India , Bengal and south east Asian kingdoms. The items traded included chanks, pearls, elephants, spice and rice.

The Devanagala rock inscription of Parakramabahu I confirms that Sri Lanka had a powerful navy. According to this inscription, Parakramabahu sent a fleet of  a thousand ships and invaded Burma in 1164. And the Sri Lankan general Kit Nuvaragal captured the Burmese city of Kusima (EZ III pgs 312 -325). The Mahavamsa too refers to this event  (MV 76: 10-75). Selling elephants to  Burma, which would have required very large and strong ships is referred to in the Culavamsa (CV 76.18) There was a thriving trade in textiles, rice spices etc between Sri  Lanka and south east Asia (MV 58.9)

Karava families in Sri Lanka continued to own these large trading vessels (Yaathra) even during the British period, until this international trade was classified as smuggling. The large ceramic jars of south Asian origin found in old southern Karava homes bear testimony to their international trading connections.

Other Karava family names indicative of the Naval heritage of the Karavas are: Manavige / Malimige / Malavige- Captain of Ship / Yathra. From 'Maha Nevi' - Great Sailor. Varients are:   Manavige, Malimige, Malimage, Malavige, Maalavige, Manamarakkalage, Goniya Malimige, Malimi Patabendige, Marakkala Malimige, Varusa Malimige, Wickramasuriya Maha Malimige.

Five of the  ancient graffiti on the mirror wall of the Sigiri citadel (inscriptions 221, 391, 464, 470 & 570) have been inscribed by dignitaries who bore the title Maadabhi. This title is also found in the inscription featured in EZ III pg 256 (Paranavitana 1956  page  ccxii)

Karavas of the Anuradhapura period were already established in Sri Lanka and influential enough to have their own permanent council terrace in the heart of the royal city of Anuradhapura. The inscription of Ila Barata , Kuruvira, Karava Navika and others is inscribed on a vertical rock face of a terrace to the north west of the ancient Abhayagiri Dagaba in Anuradhapura (Paranavitana 1970 xo 94 ) 

References

EZ (Epigraphia Zeylanica) Colombo Museum

MV - Mahavamsa 

Paranavitana S. 1956 Sigiri Graffiti, Oxford University Press

Paranavithana S. 1970 Inscriptions of Ceylon Vol I Early Brahmi Inscriptions

Queyroz Fr. S. J. 1688 The Temporal and Spiritual Conquest of Ceylaö

Raghavan M. D. Karava of Ceylon 1962 Colombo

 Above: an ancient Marakkar illustrated on an Indian stamp

Below: other traditional Naval vessels of this region

Below:  a model of a Maha-Oru (Great boat) also known as Yathra Dhoni from the Maritime museum in Galle

An ancient inscription on the council terrace at Anuradhapura. One of the dignitaries who used this terrace for their meetings was a Karava Navika - a naval officer.  See  Karava terrace