Nadar climber

[1] To the south of the Tambraparni, the Nadar climbers constituted the vast majority of the population in the palmyra forests of the Tiruchendur teris, during the 19th century.

Unlike their Northern Tirunelveli counterparts, the Nadar climbers didn't suffer social disabilities as they were the most predominant caste in the regions south of Tamirabarani.

Under the Nawab and earlier British, the trees assessed separately from the land, and in these southern districts alone the palmryas were taxed.

[2][3] In these areas, where the Nadar climbers usually numbered no more than a few families in a single village, and suffered social disabilities.

The Nadar climbers were denied the use of the public well and were also refused the service of the barbers and washerman used by the caste Hindus of the village.

Uneasy with their social status, a large number of Nadar climbers embraced Christianity and became upwardly mobile.

[6] The Nadar climbers south of Tamrabarni began to acquire little plots of lands in the mid 19th century.

[7] New economic opportunities encouraged the Nadar climbers to give up their traditional occupation of toddy-tapping for other pursuits.

However, according to the Tuticorin district gazetteer, Nadar climbers are still regarded as a separate sub-caste in Southern Tirunelveli.