maritime activities economy and social customs of the muslims of ...

of nineteenth centuy and he had factoy at ~ en~al'~~. Marakkayar Tambi Marakkayar, Sali Naina
Marakkayar of Kikkkaral were exporters of chank to Bengal and they had trading centres in Thirunehreli
coast 19' . Mohamed Kasim Labbe Marhyar of Kila!&arai was the rentor of chank and fishey in
Thirunelveli coast in 1819. He was also the chank fishey rentor for South Arcot coast during this
pelid192.
The system of renting chank fishery was discontinued by the English from 1876. The English
government looked upon the hank fishery as their prerogative and conducted it anually in Thiwelveli
coast. The sh& collected were SOH in one lot, in the month of July, to the highest bidder. In Thanjavur
coast, the individual fishermen collected the shells and they were purchased by the custom department
at a fixed price. In South Arcot it was farmed out to the rentors on yearly basis. At the close of
nineteenth centuy, the Muslim Labbais in the coastal villages continued as chank divers and there were
many Muslims in chank trade and they exported them in their native crafts to Bengal. The Muslim divers
of Kilakkarai, Periapattanam Kayalpattanam participated in the pearl fishery in the ceylon coasts where
they got gocd remunerati~n'~~.
The pearl and chank fisheries were an important a source for the economic development of the
region during eighteenth nineteenth centuries. A detailed account of profit from pearl and chank flshety
in Thlrunelveli ccastr from 1801 to 1900 wlU show the part played by these fisheries in the economic life
of the people of the regionlg4. By their active participation in this sphere of activity, the Marakkayan
of Ramanathapuram and Thirunelveli coasts, particularly of Kilakkarai and Kayalpattanam, contributed
much for the economic development of the region and for the livelihood of a large contingent of people
in the lower strata of society.
The name " Pearl " is vey closely associated in the Islamic society in Coromandel. Muslim
women loved ornaments made of pearl. Muslims in the coastal towns prefixed Muthu (Tamil word for
Pearl) to their names. Muthu Ibrahim, Muthu Mohhamed, Muthu Nainar, Muthu Hussain are a few such
very cbmmon names. The Marakkayan cat! the paternal grand father as Muthuvappa (vappa - father ).
The habitations of the Muslims in the coastal towns were called Muthupattanam. Muthu Mahal, is vey
commonly w d to name the Muslims' house. No doubt that the long association of the Muslims of
Coromandel in pearling activities have brought such an effect in their social life.