Parava or Paravas, also known as Bharathar or Bharathakula Kshathriyar. Paravar is one of the oldest Tamil castes. They are the proudful heirs of ancient Pandya Kings. They founded the Panyan Empire and hoisted their Fish flag. Later, due to geographical changes the boundaries of Pandyan Empire changed. The earlier Pandya kingdom was under control of Paravas and Maravas. For centuries the Paravas had been pearl divers. However in the 19th century pearl oysters in the Gulf of Mannar, between and , became scarce. Tuticorin city in which is still a stronghold of the Parava community was the centre of the pearl trade. The Paravas later diversified into fishing, salt-making and other maritime professions.

Paravar also refers to the people living on the coast of the Indian state of Tamilnadu and in parts of northern and western (). In Tamil language and literature, the coastal areas where they lived were called 'Neythal Thinai'. Significant numbers of well-educated Paravas, many of whom have diversified into major professions and business also live in the major cities of southern Tamilnadu and in . The Paravas in migrated from during the British colonial days; many prospered in trade and business in and now generally speak Sinhala, the language of Srilanka .

Paravars are proud about their caste heritage. There are many historic reasons for the closer relations with the Pandiyan . Tuticorin the port city of the Pandiyan kingdom, has always been a stronghold of the Paravars. The Paravars were the chiefs of the coastal region and they ruled their areas as subordinates of the Pandyas of the Sangam age. The Paravars headquarters was Korkai harbour during the regime of Pandiyan Kingdom and they all spread into 22 fishing hamlets namely Muttom,Pillaithoppu,Rajakka Mangalam thurai, Periyakadu, Pozhikkarai, Kesavan Puthanthurai, Puthanthurai, Kovalam, Kanyakumari, Kumari muttam, Kootapuli, Perumanal, Idinthakarai, Kuthenkuly, Uvari, Periathalai, Pudukarai, Manapad, Alanthalai, Thiruchendur, Virapandianpatnam, Thalambuli, Punnaikayal, Palayakayal, Tuticorin, Vaippar, Chethupar, Vembar & Mookur in the pearl fishery coast of Gulf of Mannar and adjacent Comerin coast. The paravas once a very powerful people and no doubt derived much of their ascendancy over other tribes from their knowledge of navigation and pearl fishery. They had a succession of kings among them, distinguished by the title Adiarasen Some of these chiefs seem to have resided at Uttara Kosmangay near Ramnad. The story of this city itself is clear evidence to this fact. Later, the leaders were called by names Thalaivan, Pattankattiyars, and Adappannars. Parvars lived along with maravar (devar) in harmony, since they were blood related. Famous titles of"Rayar", has been shared by members of these two royal kshathriya clans of Pandya kingdom. 

A rare 3rd century B.C. Tamil Brahmi inscription found near Madurai recently has brought to light the fact that not only Pandyas and Cheras but the chiefs of the coastal region in the State also patronised Jainism in the early period. The discovery by a team of epigraphists, who undertook a survey at Arittapatti in Melur taluk, is a remarkable evidence of history of early Tamil politics, culture and language, State Archaeology department sources said here recently.

The inscription was found engraved in a cave of a hillock, where early Jain monks stayed and preached their faith. It is just four feet away from another Brahmi inscription discovered by some scholars in 1971. "Since this new inscription is carved with very thin strokes and illegible, it had not attracted the attention of the scholars so far in spite of their frequent visits to this cave," say the sources.

The inscription, engraved as a single line with 33 letters and running for 3.10 metres, reads as follows: ilanjiy mapparavan makan emayavan nalmuzhaukai kotupithavan. It means, "Emayavan, son of Mapparavan, cheif of Ilanji, has caused the carving of this auspicious cave." It has been written in the Bhattiprolu (Andhra Pradesh) casket inscription method and so all short consonants have long strokes. As the orthography of this inscription resembles that of Mangulam inscriptions (also in Madurai district), its date may be assigned to 3rd century B.C., say the sources.

`Ilanji' denotes the name of a place, while `Vel' means cheiftain. Ilanji Vel might have been a ruler of a small territory around Ilanji. There is also a village near Courtallam with the same name. Emayavan, cheif of Ilanji, was the son of Mapparavan. `Paravar' denotes the people of coastal region settled in southern districts of Tamil Nadu. `Muzhaukai' means the cave in which the inscription is found and the prefix, `nal' auspiciousness.

The same word, `Nalmuzhaukai' occurs in Varichiyur Brahmi inscription also. The previous inscription found at Arittapatti also bears the word `Muzhagai', which also means cave. One of the Sangam works, `Madurai Kanchi' refers to the battle among Paravars for the supremacy of Pandiyan Kingdom,where other Paravars and their , allies were defeated by Pandyan Nedunchezhian. Even the Velvikudi speaks of the defeat suffered by Tenparavar at the hands of a Pandya king, the sources point out.

All this evidence makes clear that the Paravars were the cheifs of the coastal region and they ruled their areas as subordinates of the Pandyas of the Sangam age. The previously discovered Brahmi inscription at Arittapatti also mentions about a chief from Nelveli (now Tirunelveli region). The inscription throws light on the proximity the chiefs of Nelveli to the Pandyas of Madurai in the Sangam age.

Paravas were the first community to convert to Christianity in the mid 16th century due to Moors aggressions. The Portuguese called the area where the Paravas lived as "Costa da Pescaria" - or Land of the Pearls.

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