Origin of Vellalars and other castes During cultural diversification, the Vellalars of TamilNadu can be classified into layers. The first layer consists of Saiva Vellalars (Saiva Vellala Mudaliars and Pillais). They are strict vegetarians, literate and sophisticated like Brahmins but do not perform priestly duties. They were major landlords, feudal lords and powerful like Rajput and Thakurs of Northern India. Saiva Vellalars of the Thondaimandalam became the Thondaimandala Mudaliars. This area includes the present day areas of Chennai, Chingleput, Kanchipuram, Vellore, Cadalore, Arcot, Vadalore, Thrivannamalai, etc. The second layer consists of a number of unique castes, which do not intermarry at all like Pandia Vellalar, (Madurai) Chozhia Vellalar, those who inhabited the areas of Chola (Thichy, Thanjavur, and Pudukottai) and Pandiya mandalams (Madurai, Thuthukudi, Kanyakumari, and Nagerkovil) became the Shoziya Vellar (or "Chola Velar") and Pandiya Vellar respectively. These communities use Mudaliar, udyar, Pillai titles. The Kaikolar also known as Sengunthar, who are predominantly weavers, cloth merchants and were soldiers under chola empire also use Mudali title. Agamudaiyar, a caste belonging to the Mukkulathor community who generally use Thevar as their surname also use the Mudaliar surname. "Kallarum, Maravarum, Agamudaiyarum mella mella vanthu vellalar anaarkal"- so goes the saying in Tamil.
Posted on: Wed, 10 Jul 2013 09:31:10 +0000
Trending Topics
Recently Viewed Topics
© 2015