Muthuraja

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Muthuraja
Classification Backward caste
Religions Hinduism  • Jainism
Languages Tamil  • Telugu
CountryFlag of India.svg India
Populated states Tamil Nadu
RegionCentral Tamil Nadu

Muthuraja (also known as Mutharaiyar) is a Tamil and Telugu [1] speaking community found in the Indian state of Tamil Nadu.

Contents

Etymology

The etymology of the community name is unclear. The names Muthuraja and Muthuraiyar may be derived from two words, the Tamil name muthu meaning "pearl" and raja or raiyar both meaning "king". [2] Muttaraiyar may also be derived from mundru meaning "three" and tharai meaning "earth".[ citation needed ]

Origins

The Tamil-speaking Muthuraja are densely distributed in the central and southern districts of Tamil Nadu, particularly in the Cauvery Delta region. They have historical roots as a ruling dynasty in this region, with inscriptions and literature from the 7th-9th centuries mentioning Tamil-speaking Mutharaiyar chiefs.

The Telugu-speaking section, often known as Muthuraja Naidu or Muthiriya Naidu, is mostly found in the northern districts of Tamil Nadu. This group's ancestors are to have migrated from the Telugu-speaking areas of modern Andhra Pradesh during the Vijayanagara and Nayaka periods, serving as paligars and soldiers. [1]

Subdivision

The Mutharaiyar community had two linguistic sects within the state; being Tamil and Telugu.

The Tamil-speaking Muthuraja community has historical connections to the Mutharaiyar dynasty, a ruling family from the 7th to 9th centuries CE and a strong presence in the central and southern districts of Tamil Nadu. while the Telugu-speaking Muthuraja Naidu community, who migrated from the Telugu-speaking areas of Andhra Pradesh, is mostly found in the northern districts of Tamil Nadu. [1]

Titles

Their title Ambalakkarar is derived from the Tamil word ambalam meaning panchayat or "village council", as they served as the heads of these councils. [2]

Unified Subcastes

J. Jayalalithaa, as Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu, issued a government order (G.O. 15/22.02.1996) in 1996 that unified 29 existing sub-castes into a single, combined "Mutharaiyar" community for official purposes. [3] [4]

Several Tamil and Telugu speaking sub-castes were unified under the common name "Mutharaiyar" (also Muthuraja) for the purpose of official government records and backward class reservations in Tamil Nadu.

backward classes and most backward classes welfare department G.O.Ms.No :15 dated 22-2-1996 MutharaiyarGO.jpg
backward classes and most backward classes welfare department G.O.Ms.No :15 dated 22-2-1996

Demographics

The Tamil-speaking Muthuraja are densely distributed in the Tiruchirappalli, Pudukkottai, Thanjavur, Karur, Madurai, Dindigul, Perambalur and Sivagangai districts of Tamil Nadu.[ citation needed ]

The Telugu-speaking Muthuraja Naidu, comparatively fewer in number, are mostly distributed in the Chennai, Tiruvallur, Kanchipuram, Vellore, Tiruvannamalai, Viluppuram and Cuddalore districts of northern Tamil Nadu.[ citation needed ]

References

  1. 1 2 3
    • Athreya, Venkatesh B.; Djurfeldt, Göran; Lindberg, Staffan, eds. (1990). Barriers broken: production relations and agrarian change in Tamil Nadu. Sage Publications. p. 25. ISBN   9780803996397. The Muthurajas are descendants of the soldiers which the poligars recruited in their homeland, the Telugu-speaking areas of contemporary Andhra Pradesh, north of Tamil Nadu. Like other castes originating from Andhra, they are bilingual, often speaking Telugu in family circles and Tamil outside the house
    • K. M. Venkataramaiah, ed. (1996). A handbook of Tamil Nadu. International School of Dravidian Linguistics. p. 425. ISBN   9788185692203. Muthuracha: A Telugu caste found in some districts of Tamil Nadu, the Muthuracha (muthurācha) is also called Muttaraiyan. Some are talaiyāris or watchmen of villages. They seem to be a major sect in the coastal villages of Andhra Pradesh
    • Eveline Masilamani-Meyer, ed. (2004). Kattavarayan Katai. Otto Harrassowitz Verlag. p. 19. ISBN   9783447047128. Among the Telugu castes that came to Tamilnadu were the Mutturajas or Mutrāchas.
    • L. D. Sanghvi; V. Balakrishnan; Irawati Karmarkar Karve, eds. (1981). Biology of the People of Tamil Nadu. p. 21. Mutracha (MT) Mutracha is also known as Muttiriyan in Tamil Nadu. It is primarily a Telugu caste found in the southern districts of Andhra Pradesh. They were employed by the Vijayanagar kings to defend their frontiers when they entered Tamil Nadu and were honoured with the title of Paligar. They speak Telugu in Tamil Nadu.
  2. 1 2 Kent, Eliza F. (26 March 2013). Sacred Groves and Local Gods: Religion and Environmentalism in South India. Oxford University Press. pp. 33–34. ISBN   9780199895472.
  3. ↑ N . Hari Bhaskar, Chief Secretary of Tamil Nadu Government, ed. (July 1996). G.O.Ms.No :15 ( Backward Classes and Most Backward Classes Welfare Department ) dated 22-2-96 (PDF). TAMIL NADU ELECTRICITY BOARD BULLETIN. ( PART - 2 ) GENERAL ADMINISTRATION & SERVICES ( Page 2 ) GOVERNMENT OF TAMILNADU ABSTRACT : WELFARE OF BACKWARD CLASSES - Mutharaiyar community and its Sub-sects calling the main community and its Sub-sects as Mutharaiyar - Orders - Issused
  4. ↑ எஸ்.சஞ்சய் ராமசாமி, ed. (15 September 2010). மத்திய மண்டலம் அரசியல் பரபர முத்தரையர்கள் வாக்கு யாருக்கு?. விகடன் இதழ். 96-ம் ஆண்டு 29 பிரிவுகளாக இருந்த எங்கள் சமுதாய மக்களை 'முத்தரையர்கள்' என்கிற பெயரில் ஒருங்கிணைத்து அரசாணை பிறப்பித்தார் ஜெயலலிதா
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