Thuluva Vellala

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Thuluva Vellalar
Religions Hinduism, Christianity and Jainism [ citation needed ]
Languages Tamil
Region Tamil Nadu, Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka cities: Chennai, Bangalore, Vellore
Feudal title Mudaliar, Pillai, Goundar, Udayar, Chettiar, Nayakar
Related groups Tamil people

Thuluva Vellalar, [1] [a] also known as Agamudi Mudaliar [3] [4] or Arcot Mudaliars, [5] [6] is a caste found in northern Tamil Nadu, southern Andhra Pradesh and southern Karnataka. [7] [8] [9] They were an elite and dominant land-owning community. [10]

Contents

Etymology

The earliest occurrence of the term Velaalar (வேளாளர்) in Sangam literature is found in Paripadal, where it is used in the sense of a landowner. [11] The word Vellalar (வெள்ளாளர்) may originate from the root Vellam for flood, denoting their ability to control and store water for irrigation purposes. [12] which led to the development of various land rights, ultimately giving the Vellalar their name. [13] The term Velaalar (வேளாளர்) is also derived from the word Vel (வேள்), a title used by Velir chieftains during the Sangam age.

Since they migrated from the Tulu region of ancient Tamizhagam, they are called Thuluva Vellalar. [7] [8] [9]

History

Thuluva Vellalars are part of larger Vellalar community. An early Tamil tradition states that a king known as Ādonda Chakravarthi brought a large number of agriculturists (now known as the Tuluva Vellalas) from the Tulu areas in order to reclaim forest lands for cultivation in Thondaimandalam. [14] Scholar M. Arokiaswami identifies Tondaiman Ilandiraiyan with king Adondai Chakravarthi, the legendary figure who is referred to in the Mackenzie Manuscripts . [15]

Sometimes this migration of Thuluva Vellalas is also assigned to later Chola times when Hoysala Ballalas of Karnataka had occupied portions of Kanchipuram and Trichy. [16]

Demographics

Their original stronghold in present-day Tamil Nadu was Thiruvannamalai in North Arcot district, the town that served as the capital of the Hoysala king Veera Ballala III in the 14th century. [17] [18]

Tuluva Vellalars are progressive and prosperous [7] in the society. They are considerably advanced in the matter of education [19] and the community was eagerly involved in business, Government and Non- governmental institutions.

The community commonly use Mudaliar [20] and Udayar titles. However Naicker, [21] Gounder, Reddy and Pillai titles are also present in some pockets.

Caste-based Reservation Status

In Tamil Nadu

Arcot Mudaliar and Arcot Vellala sects: Classified as Forward Class. [22]

Other sects of Thuluva Vellala: Classified under the Other Backward Class (OBC) category at both the Central [23] and State levels. [24]

In Andhra Pradesh

Thuluva Vellala, Agamudi Mudaliar, and Aghamudi Vellala: Recognized under the Backward Class (D) category under the umbrella term 'Mudhaliar'. [25]

Current status

The Thuluva Vellalar community, also referred to as Thuluva Vellala Mudaliars, was historically classified as a Forward Caste (FC) in Tamil Nadu. [22] [26] However, over time, they were reclassified as a Backward Class (BC). [27] [24]

while the Arcot Vellalar are continues to retain its Forward Caste (FC) status and do not avail any benefits under the reservation quota for Backward castes. [22] [28]

Notable people

See also

References

Notes

  1. ↑ Susan Bayly has noted of the Vellalar communities generally that "they were never a tighly-knit community ... In the eighteenth and early nineteenth centuries Vellala affiliation was a vague and uncertain as that of most other south Indian caste groups. Vellala identity was certainly thought of as a source of prestige, but for that very reason there were any number of groups who sought to claim Vellala status for themselves". [2]

Citations

  1. ↑ Neild (1979)
  2. ↑ Bayly (2004), p. 411
  3. 1 2 "ப உ சண்முகம் பிறந்தநாள் விழா". Dinamani. 16 August 2012.
  4. ↑ "துளுவ வேளாளர் சங்கம் கோரிக்கை". Dinamalar. 14 May 2012. Retrieved 12 November 2021.
  5. ↑ Jacob Pandian (1987). Caste, Nationalism and Ethnicity: An Interpretation of Tamil Cultural History and Social Order. Popular Prakashan. p. 115.
  6. ↑ "Census of India 1961 - District Handbook of Chingleput" (PDF). Volume 9: 16. Census of India. p. 16. Retrieved 23 November 2024.
  7. 1 2 3 P.L. Samy (1994). "Nannan of North Malabar". Glimpses of Tamil Civilization. 8th World Tamil Conference. Tamil University. p. 142. Tuluva Vellala is a prosperous and progressive caste in Tamil Nadu and they migrated from Tulu Nadu to Tamil Nadu in ancient times.
  8. 1 2 Anthony R. Walker (1994). New Place, Old Ways, Essays on Indian Society and Culture in Modern Singapore. Hindustan Publishing Corporation. p. 200. The names of these four main Vellalar divisions are the Tondaimandalam (residents of the Pallava country), the Sōliyan (of the Cōla country), the Pandya (from the ancient Pandyan kingdom) and the Konku (from Konku country). Each of these four great divisions is further divided on a territorial basis. For example, the Tuluva are that branch of the Tondaimandalam Vellalar with origins in the Tulu country.
  9. 1 2 M. D. Raghavan. Tamil Culture in Ceylon: A General Introduction. Kalai Nilayam, 1971. p. 130. The Thondaimandalam Vellalas are sub-divided into the Tuluvas, originally of the Tulu country.
  10. ↑ Rajadurai, S. V.; Geetha, V. (2004). "Response to John Harriss". In Wyatt, Andrew; Zavos, John (eds.). Decentring the Indian Nation. Routledge. p. 115. ISBN   978-1-13576-169-1.
  11. ↑ Dev Nathan (1997). From Tribe to Caste. Indian Institute of Advanced Study. p. 233.
  12. ↑ Vijaya Ramaswamy (2007). Historical Dictionary of the Tamils. Rowman & Littlefield Publishers. p. 390.
  13. ↑ Venkatasubramanian, T. K. (1993). Societas to Civitas: Evolution of Political Society in South India: Pre-Pallavan Tamil̤akam. Kalinga Publications. ISBN   978-81-85163-42-0.
  14. ↑ Krishnaswamy Ranaganathan Hanumanthan. Untouchability: A Historical Study Upto 1500 A.D.: with Special Reference to Tamil Nadu. Koodal Publishers. p. 101.
  15. ↑ M. Arokiaswami (1954). The Early History of the Vellar Basin, with Special Reference to the Irukkuvels of Kodumbalur. A Study in Vellala Origin and Early History. Amudha Nilayam. p. 72.
  16. ↑ Proceedings and Transactions of the All-India Oriental Conference. 1964.
  17. ↑ India. Office of the Registrar (1962). Census of India, 1961. Manager of Publications. p. xxii.
  18. ↑ A. Krishnaswami (Professor of History) (1975). Topics in South Indian From Early Times Upto 1565 A.D. History. p. 212.
  19. ↑ "3". Census Book of India 1961 (in Tamil). Vol. 9 North Arcot District. Madras: The Director of stationery and Printing, Madras. 1961. p. 31.
  20. ↑ AP court orders. "Doctypes".
  21. ↑ Glossary of Caste Name, North Arcot District, 1951
  22. 1 2 3 "அரசியல் ரீதியாக அங்கீகாரம் கிடைத்தாலும் 10 சதவீத இட ஒதுக்கீடு நிறைவேறுவதில் சிக்கல்". Dailythanthi.com. 18 July 2019. Archived from the original on 10 October 2021. Retrieved 6 February 2021.
  23. ↑ "CENTRAL LIST OF OBCs FOR THE STATE OF TAMILNADU" (PDF). www.bcmbcmw.tn.gov.in. Department of Backward Classes and Most Backward Classes and Minorities Welfare, Tamil Nadu. p. 1. Retrieved 11 March 2021. Entry.No 1
  24. 1 2 "List of Backward Classes approved by Government of Tamil Nadu". Department of Backward Classes and Most Backward Classes and Minorities Welfare, Tamil Nadu. Retrieved 6 March 2021. Sl.No 1
  25. ↑ Staff Reporter (12 December 2016). "'Mudaliar' title added in BC (D) list". The Hindu. ISSN   0971-751X . Retrieved 6 February 2021.: "The State government has decided to add the title 'Mudaliar' in the first line of Sl. No. 39 of Group D of BC list following a request from the Mudaliar community. This will benefit Agamudimudaliar, Agamudivellalar, and Agamudimudaliar, including Thuluva Vellalas."
  26. ↑ Rajadurai, S. V.; Geetha, V. (2004). Wyatt, Andrew; Zavos, John (eds.). Response to John Harriss. Routledge. p. 115. ISBN   978-1-13576-169-1 . Retrieved 23 November 2024.
  27. ↑ "CENTRAL LIST OF OBCs FOR THE STATE OF TAMILNADU" (PDF). www.bcmbcmw.tn.gov.in. Department of Backward Classes and Most Backward Classes and Minorities Welfare, Tamil Nadu. p. 1. Retrieved 11 March 2021. Entry.No 1
  28. ↑ "EWS: The Antidote to the Fraudulent Dravidian Model of Social Justice". The Commune. Archived from the original on [insert archive date here].
  29. ↑ "Vallal Pachaiyappa | Pachaiyappa's College". pachaiyappascollege.edu.in. Retrieved 13 November 2021.
  30. ↑ K, Kumaresan (1984). Dravida Thalaivar C. Natesanar. Madras. pp. Introduction, p.4.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: location missing publisher (link)
  31. ↑ Andrew wyatt, John Zavos. Decentring the Indian Nation. p. 115.

Bibliography

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