List of Vellalar sub castes

Vellalar (also called Velalar and Karalar) are a Tamil community in the state of Tamil Nadu.

The Vellalar are a major agricultural caste predominantly found in Tamil Nadu, a state in southern India. They are Tamil-speaking community and have historically played a significant role in the region’s agricultural and social structure. The Vellalar community is a large and heterogeneous group that has assimilated several other subcastes over time.

The Vellalar are divided into numerous subcastes, which are often distinguished by territorial affiliations and further subdivided into endogamous groups, known as caste.^[1]^[2] These subcastes can be identified by specific prefixes denoting a place of origin, and suffixes that honor social or regional distinctions, for example, Tondaimandalam Kondaikatti Vellala Mudaliar.^[3]

The titles used by the Vellalar community include Pillai, Mudaliar, and Gounder. These titles are adopted by different subcastes of the Vellalar based on regional, social, and cultural factors.^[4]

Subcastes

The following is a list of some subcastes of the Vellalar based on region:

Arunattu Vellalar.^[5]
Chozhia Vellalar, also spelt as Sozhiya Vellalar
Karkathar Vellalar
Kodikaal Vellalar
Kondaikatti Vellalar
Kongu Vellalar, commonly known as Kongu gounder
Nankudi Vellalar or Narkudi Vellalar (also known as Sivakalai Pillaimar)
Sri Lankan Vellalar
Thondaimandala Vellalar
Thuluva Vellalar

References

^ 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.
^ 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.
^ "Vellala | Encyclopedia.com". www.encyclopedia.com. Retrieved 20 January 2024.
^ Robb, Peter (1996). *Meanings of Agriculture: Essays in South Asian History and Economics*. Oxford University Press, p. 348.
^ ":: CHENNAI AARUNATTU VELLALAR SANGAM ::". www.chennaiavs.com. Retrieved 16 February 2024.

[Walker-1] 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.

[Raghavan-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.

[3] "Vellala | Encyclopedia.com". www.encyclopedia.com. Retrieved 20 January 2024.

[4] Robb, Peter (1996). *Meanings of Agriculture: Essays in South Asian History and Economics*. Oxford University Press, p. 348.

[5] ":: CHENNAI AARUNATTU VELLALAR SANGAM ::". www.chennaiavs.com. Retrieved 16 February 2024.

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