| Nadar Caste |
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HISTORY The Nadars are a hardworking community and became successful after some struggles early on because of the caste system. One of their occupations was Toddy (a kind of liquor) gathering from Palm trees or Toddy Tapping . The 19th Century saw the Nadars embracing Christianity in large numbers some out of will and some due to the easier acceptance into Christian schools. Today the distribution of Nadars between the two major religions, Hindu and Christian, are 60% and 40% respectively. The religion Ayyavazhi is Nadar oriented, sociologically. The Deity Sudalai Madan is a prominantly wotshiped by Nadars of South Tamil Nadu. Nadars traditionally have been extremely clannish people. Although outwardly they are united as Nadars, there is a clear cut distinction between the Nadars of various regions of Tamil Nadu and Kerala. For example the customs and practices of Nadars hailing from Tirunelveli will be completely different from that of Nadars hailing from Madurai or Nagercoil. It is only in the present generation that Nadars like the current generation of most castes in India, are really opening up each other. The premium placed on education by the Nadar community resulted in a drastic improvement in the socio-economic landscape of the community, a distinction reserved to upper classes of India. The Nadars are known for their work mostly on small scale business. Most cities in Tamil Nadu will have a grocery store run by a person from this community. They are even referred to as 'Annachi Kadai' or 'Nadar Kadai.' The Nadars also have branched into electronics, applicances and silverware retail mega-stores. Nadars form about one tenth of Tamilnadu's population and are powerful business community. GENETIC STUDY Recent communities of south Tamilnadu, who are more closely related to the branch of the Indo-European and Central Asian tree (''Human Biology'' 1996, 68(4), 523-37). SEE ALSO
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