This work has been selected by scholars as being culturally important, and is part of the knowledge base of civilization as we know it. This work was reproduced from the original artifact, and remains as true to the original work as possible. Therefore, you will see the original copyright references, library stamps (as most of these works have been housed in our most important libraries around the world), and other notations in the work. This work is in the public domain in the United States of America, and possibly other nations. Within the United States, you may freely copy and distribute this work, as no entity (individual or corporate) has a copyright on the body of the work. As a reproduction of a historical artifact, this work may contain missing or blurred pages, poor pictures, errant marks, etc. Scholars believe, and we concur, that this work is important enough to be preserved, reproduced, and made generally available to the public. We appreciate your support of the preservation process, and thank you for being an important part of keeping this knowledge alive and relevant.

This work has been selected by scholars as being culturally important, and is part of the knowledge base of civilization as we know it. This work is in the "public domain in the United States of America, and possibly other nations. Within the United States, you may freely copy and distribute this work, as no entity (individual or corporate) has a copyright on the body of the work. Scholars believe, and we concur, that this work is important enough to be preserved, reproduced, and made generally available to the public. We appreciate your support of the preservation process, and thank you for being an important part of keeping this knowledge alive and relevant.

This work has been selected by scholars as being culturally important, and is part of the knowledge base of civilization as we know it. This work was reproduced from the original artifact, and remains as true to the original work as possible. Therefore, you will see the original copyright references, library stamps (as most of these works have been housed in our most important libraries around the world), and other notations in the work. This work is in the public domain in the United States of America, and possibly other nations. Within the United States, you may freely copy and distribute this work, as no entity (individual or corporate) has a copyright on the body of the work. As a reproduction of a historical artifact, this work may contain missing or blurred pages, poor pictures, errant marks, etc. Scholars believe, and we concur, that this work is important enough to be preserved, reproduced, and made generally available to the public. We appreciate your support of the preservation process, and thank you for being an important part of keeping this knowledge alive and relevant.

This work has been selected by scholars as being culturally important, and is part of the knowledge base of civilization as we know it. This work was reproduced from the original artifact, and remains as true to the original work as possible. Therefore, you will see the original copyright references, library stamps (as most of these works have been housed in our most important libraries around the world), and other notations in the work.This work is in the public domain in the United States of America, and possibly other nations. Within the United States, you may freely copy and distribute this work, as no entity (individual or corporate) has a copyright on the body of the work.As a reproduction of a historical artifact, this work may contain missing or blurred pages, poor pictures, errant marks, etc. Scholars believe, and we concur, that this work is important enough to be preserved, reproduced, and made generally available to the public. We appreciate your support of the preservation process, and thank you for being an important part of keeping this knowledge alive and relevant.

"""பறையர்கள் என்பவர்கள் யார் என்னும் ஆதாரக் கேள்வியுடன் தொடங்கும் இந்த முக்கியமான ஆய்வுநூல் 19ம் நூற்றாண்டின் தொடக்கம் முதல் 20ம் நூற்றாண்டின் பிற்பகுதி வரையிலான பறையர்களின் சமூக, அரசியல், பொருளாதார வாழ்க்கை முறையை மிக விரிவாகவும் ஆதாரபூர்வமாகவும் பதிவு செய்திருக்கிறது. பிரிட்டிஷ் காலனியாதிக்கத்துக்கு ஆட்படுவதற்கு முன்பு பறையர்களின் வாழ்நிலை எப்படி இருந்தது என்பதையும் ஆட்பட்ட பின்னர் எத்தகைய மாற்றங்களையெல்லாம் சந்திக்க நேர்ந்தது என்பதையும் நுணுக்கமாக ஒப்பிட்டு ஆராய்கிறது. இந்த மாற்றத்தில் பங்கெடுத்த பிரிட்டிஷ் மற்றும் இந்திய அமைப்புகள், அரசியல் கட்சிகள், கிறிஸ்தவ மிஷனரிகள் ஆகியவற்றைப் பற்றியும் பல விரிவான செய்திகள் இந்நூலில் இடம்பெற்றுள்ளன. பறையர்கள் மெல்ல மெல்ல தங்கள் வாழ்நிலையை மாற்றிக்கொண்டு போராடத் தொடங்கியபோதும் அரசியல் வெளிக்குள் நுழைந்தபோதும் மேல்சாதியினரும் ஆதிக்கப் பிரிவினரும் எப்படியெல்லாம் எதிர்வினையாற்றினார்கள் என்பதை வாசிக்கும்போது நந்தனார் சம்பவம் நம் நினைவுக்கு வந்துவிடுகிறது. திராவிட இயக்கம் தோன்றுவதற்கு முன்பே, 1850களில் பறையர்களின் போராட்ட மரபு தொடங்கிவிட்டது என்பதைத் தகுந்த ஆதாரங்களுடன் நிறுவும் நூலாசிரியர் ராஜ் சேகர் பாசு, தமிழ்நாட்டின் தவிர்க்கவியலாத அரசியல் சக்தியாக பறையர்கள் மாறிப்போனது எப்படி என்பதைப் படிப்படியாக விவரிக்கிறார். பிரிட்டிஷ் நிர்வாக ஆவணங்கள், அரசுத் துறை பதிவுகள், நில ஆவணங்கள் என்று தொடங்கி விரிவான, ஆழமான மூலாதாரங்களில் இருந்து பறையர்கள் குறித்த தகவல்களைத் திரட்டியெடுத்து ஆய்வு செய்துள்ளார். விளிம்புநிலை மக்களின் வரலாறு எப்படி ஆய்வு செய்யப்படவேண்டும், எப்படி ஆவணப்படுத்தப்படவேண்டும் என்பதற்கு இந்தப் புத்தகம் ஒரு அருமையான உதாரணம். சாதி, அரசியல், வரலாறு, சமூகவியல் ஆகிய துறைகளில் ஆர்வம் உள்ள அனைவரும் போற்றி வரவேற்கவேண்டிய மிக முக்கியமான பதிவு இந்நூல். """

This work has been selected by scholars as being culturally important, and is part of the knowledge base of civilization as we know it. This work was reproduced from the original artifact, and remains as true to the original work as possible. Therefore, you will see the original copyright references, library stamps (as most of these works have been housed in our most important libraries around the world), and other notations in the work. This work is in the public domain in the United States of America, and possibly other nations. Within the United States, you may freely copy and distribute this work, as no entity (individual or corporate) has a copyright on the body of the work. As a reproduction of a historical artifact, this work may contain missing or blurred pages, poor pictures, errant marks, etc. Scholars believe, and we concur, that this work is important enough to be preserved, reproduced, and made generally available to the public. We appreciate your support of the preservation process, and thank you for being an important part of keeping this knowledge alive and relevant.

The narrative of this book is built around the historical experiences of the Paraiyars of Tamil Nadu. The author traces the transformation of the Paraiyars from an ‘untouchable’ and socially despised community to one that came to acquire prominence in the political scene of Tamil Nadu, especially in early 20th century. Through this framework, the book studies a number of issues: subaltern history, colonial ethnography, agrarian systems, agrarian bondage, land legislations, and the interventions by missionaries and social and political organizations.