Bharatha people
| Total population | |
|---|---|
| Greater than 1,500 | |
| Regions with significant populations | |
| 1,688 (2012) (0.008% of total) | |
| Languages | |
| Tamil, Sinhala | |
| Related ethnic groups | |
| Paravar, Negombo Tamils, Sri Lankan Chetty |
Bharatha People (Sinhala: භාරත, romanized: Bhārata, Tamil: பரதர், romanized: Paratar) also known as Bharatakula and Paravar, is an ethnicity in the island of Sri Lanka. Earlier considered a caste of the Sri Lankan Tamils, they were classified as separate ethnic group in the 2001 census. They are descendant of Tamil speaking Paravar of Southern India who migrated to Sri Lanka under Portuguese rule. They live mainly on the western coast of Sri Lanka and mainly found in the cities of Mannar, Negombo and Colombo.