Rev. Fr. Adrian Caussanel ( 1850- 1930 ) was one of the French Jesuit missionaries who began his mission in Tuticorin in 1889 –and served in erstwhile Tinnevely District till 1930. Fr. Caussanel sj, took up recording history of the communities he served and wrote “ Historical notes on Tinnevely district.” Two chapters of this document deal with Paravas. And these were written between 1910 and 1916.

Fr. Caussanel was the founder of the order of brothers of Sacred Heart of Jesus and one of the founders of St. Xaviers college , Palyamcottah through the portals of which many of our boys have passed through.

We reproduce a paragraph from this document. — Editor

Another remark truly worthy of notice — so extraordinary it is —, should be drawn from the fact that Paravas alone have survived all kingdoms, rulers, disasters, all persecutions, oppressions and contempts. The Cheras , Cholas, and Pandyas have vanished away, the mighty powers the Carnatic and Bisnagar (Vijayanagar) have gone, the empires of Delhi do exist only in annals of the times. The formidable armies of the great Moghul the Maharattas, the Naiks, the Nawabs of Arcot, have gone for ever. Portuguese and Dutch domination have come to a close. Hundred times the surface of India has changed ,its rulers and ruled. What caste could claim a single corner of the territory not for the last 3000 years but for one thousand and less. The Paravas alone remain on their Paralia amongst the universal ruins accumulated all around. They continue to be fishermen and fishers of pearls. You may dispossess the Poligars. and Pattadars of their estates, You may deprive the ghats of its forests, You will not deprive the Paralia of its Paravas. You may free their villages and reduce to ashes their boats and do as Salmanasar and Nabuchodosor did with the inhabitants of Israel of Judea who were dispersed in Assyria, and Mesopotomia by these tyrants. You may replace the Paravas by what sort of people you like; the Paravas will not lose their Paralia……. England lost its Aborigines ; so did Spain; and Italy and all countries. The Paralia keeps its aborigines. The Gulf of Mannar is still their kingdom. Contemplate one morning the the whole sea from Cape Comarin to Manapad covered with boats mounted by Paravas who joyfully sing the powers of God and say whether the Paralia has passed to strangers.

( PARALIA ; The coast line between Trivancore backwaters near Kanyakumari and as far as Adams bridge.)