The Koravar were one of the tribes of the Madras Presidency during the British Raj in India. They were primarily involved in the salt trade. In 1913 they were classed as a criminal tribe by the British authorities. Today there are an estimated 1.2 million (12 lakh) Koravar in Tamil Nadu.Mainly this tribes founds in Thanjavur, Nagapattinam, Tiruvarur, Tiruchirapalli, Karur, Perambalur and Pudukottai Districts of Tamil Nadu.
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Ethnonym
People of this community are called with different names in different parts of South India. They are called as Yerukula in Andhra Pradesh, Korama or Koracha in Karnataka, Kaikadi in Maharashtra, and Sidanar in Kerala. In essence, all these communities form a great big community from south India. The gothras among all these communities is the same, i.e. Kavadi, Sathupadi, Maanupadi and Mendraguthi. They are also known as Malai Kuruvans, Kuravans, Thalaiyaris, Kavalkara koravars, uppu koravars, Dabi Koravars(simbu koravars), Gandarvakottai Koravars, Inji Koravars, Koravars, Kalinji Dabikoravars, Kala Koravars, Monda Koravars, karuvapillai koravars, Thogamalai koravars, mel nadu and kel nadu koravars, Kathukuthi koravars, Pachai kuthi Koravars, sidanars, Panikers, vedars, vettuvars,
Caste politics
In 2006 the Koravar applied to gain Scheduled Tribe status.
Recently many Koravar activists have protested the Tamil-language film Paruthiveeran on the grounds that it demeans their culture and even more specifically their women.For further reference see "The encyclopaedia of Dravidian tribes"- Volume 3 about Konanki Kuravar,Bommayya Kuravar,Nanchil Kuravar of Nagercoil region of Tamil Nadu.