Chekavar


The Chekavar were warriors of the Ezhava community, also known as Thiyyas.

Etymology

Chekavar is derived from the Sanskrit words Sevakar, Sevakan or Sevaka, which means soldiers in service or soldiers in royal service. Hermann Gundert's English-Malayalam Dictionary, defines the term as militiaman and warrior.
According to George Mathew, "In the south and in some parts of central Travancore the community was known as Ezhava, Chovan or Chekavan."

Origin

and hero stones found in Tamil Nadu show that Chekavar were engaged in combat, often on behalf of a lord. On these hero stones, Chekavar are generally depicted by an image of an armed man along with a Shiva Linga. Hero stones were erected to commemorate men who had fallen in battle or cattle raids and were traditional during the Sangam period.
Military exploits of the Ezhavas are recorded in folk songs such as the "Vadukkan Pattukal".