The Aravidu Dynasty of Vijayanagara, Vol. I v1.c12.118

v1.c12.118

II. About the same time, when Achyuta and his generals were waging war with the sovereign of Travancore in favour of the Pandya king, several events took place in the Fishery Coast that occasioned many disagreeable encounters between the Nayaks of Madura and the inhabitants of that coast. Many influential Muhammadans had retreated there after their expulsion from Madura. They had practically become the ultimate owners of the pearl fisheries. Their tyranny over the poor Paravas, who for a long time had been the sole masters, was without limit. They would not allow the Paravas to fish without their permission, and they claimed the monopoly in dealing in pearls. The oppression of the Muhammadans had excited even the quiet poor people of the coast, when in 1532 a fight between a Parava and a Muslim occurred, from which the former emerged badly wounded and with one of his ears torn.