Caste, Culture and Communalism: An Ethnohistorical Study of Araya Fisher Communities in Coastal Malabar Regions of Kerala

Abstract

This study examines the dynamics of caste, culture, and communalism in the coastal Malabar regions of the south Indian state of Kerala. The work investigates the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh’s (RSS) activities among the marginalised Araya fishers of the coastal Malabar region of Kerala. Unlike the other Hindu castes in the Malabar region, the RSS has managed to establish formidable influence among the Hindu Araya fishers since the early days of its presence in the region. It was in 1942 that the first pracharak of the RSS, D.B. Thengadi, was appointed in Malabar to organise the activities of the organisation in the region. In 1948, the organisation successfully set up a shakha in Vellayil coastal village in Kozhikode district, reaching out to the fishermen in the area. Eventually, its influence expanded to neighbouring coastal villages, rapidly making RSS the most predominant organisation among the Hindu fishers in the Kozhikode district. Hence, it is crucial to explore how Hindu nationalist organisations mobilised the marginalised fishers within their fold. I have adopted an ethno-historical methodology for my research, integrating historical methods with ethnographic fieldwork. The ethnographic field study was conducted among the fisher communities living in selected coastal villages of Kozhikode district at various intervals spanning from February 2020 to June 2022. The Araya Samajam plays a significant role in organising the socio-cultural life of the fisher communities living in coastal Malabar. In the traditional caste hierarchy, the fishers were placed as subordinate caste groups. However, the study found that in the early 20th century, Dheevara social reformers diligently attempted to enhance the social status of their community. In doing so, they assimilated their community into mainstream Hindu culture, asserting their superiority in the caste hierarchy through their cultural heritage and traditions. viTherefore, I argue that through cultural assimilation, they are integrated into mainstream Hinduism. Along with this, through the cultural project of ‘assimilation’, ‘appropriation’, and ‘othering’, the RSS and its affiliated organisations could enhance their strength on the coast. I further elucidate in this thesis that despite the strong presence of communal organisations, the coast does not witness larger open conflicts due to the everyday interdependence of both Hindu and Muslim fisher communities. Keywords: Assimilation, Appropriation, Othering, Communalism, Hindu Nationalism, Araya, Coast, Malabar, Politics.