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Vellalars or Velalars are a high/dominant caste of affluent Tamil agricultural landlords in the states of Tamil Nadu, Kerala states in India and in neighbouring Sri Lanka. They constitute, from immemorial times, the Tamil gentry. They had the power, the right to own lands. The most important among them were the chiefs of these landlords called as Velirs in the Sangam literature[1][2][3][4]. According to their noble origins, they claim Kshatriya status[2][5][6][7][8][9]. It is important to distinguish the Vellalar from the poorer and the more common Veelkudi-Ulavar or the farmers/cultivators/peasants[10]. The Vellalar are found amongst the Tamil diaspora around the world. Although they were originally associated with the landed gentry, today they are found in all walks of life.
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Origin
- Agro-pastoral warriors
The theory derives the word from the word Vel meaning a spear or lance and alar meaning "people of Vel", an old and archaic Tamil weapon.
Supposedly cultivation in South Asia was spread by force, people would move out into virgin land, which was used by hunter gatherer or tribal people for slash and burn agriculture or for hunting and convert into prime agricultural land.[11]. This was an honorific title of select few people who would organize such raids and settlements like chiefs who were also called as Vel. Today everybody uses it but once it was restricted to village headman or founding chief's lineage. (see also Velama)[11]
- Lord of Floods and Clouds
Another one postulates it is derived from Vellam or flood (in Tamil) and alar (ruler or controller), so Vellalar means controller of floods. Sometimes they were also known as Karalar which means "lord of the clouds" in Tamil[10].
History
The Vellalars have a long cultural history that goes back to over two millennia in southern India and Sri Lanka. The history of Vellalars can be traced back to their powerful Velir chieftains who were called Ilangokkal or crown princes[2]. Some of the Vellalars also had the hereditary right to marry the kings and to crown the king during the coronation ceremony. These qualities reveal the high social status of the Vellalars even during the Sangam era[12].
The standard theory is that the word Vellalar is from 'Velanmai' or to cultivate. Another one postulates it is derived from 'Vellam' or flood (in Tamil) and "alar" (ruler or controller), so 'Vellalar' means controller of floods. Sometimes they were also known as Karalar which means ruler of clouds in Tamil.
Sangam Literature
In Sangam literature, the chiefs of the vellala tribes were called the Velir[2][3][4]. The Velir or the Vellalar tribes are described as a landed gentry who irrigated the wet lands and the Karalar were the landed gentry in the dry lands[13][4]. Numerous poems in the ancient Sangam literature extol these chieftains' charity and truthfulness. Among the most prominent were those known as the 'seven patrons' (kadaiyezhu vallal); Vel-Pari, Malayaman Thirumudi Kaari, Ori, Adigaman, Began, Nalli and Ay Kandiran[10].
They had close associations and held high positions of office with the three main Tamil dynasties, Chola, Chera and Pandya[2]. Some of them even had marital relations; Ilamcetcenni, the king known for his fleet of warships married a Velir princess, and his son Karikala Chola also married a Velir princess from Nangur[14].
Warrior Chieftains
The Vellalars not only held absolute control over the feudal society but also demonstrated great military prowess[10]. To quote a few:
- Ma-Vel-Evvi the famous chief known for his valour and bravery was a Vellala from Millalikurram in Pandimandalam. He was the law around the southern bank of the Kaveri basin. His territory included one of the most fertile fields of the Cauvery basin[10].
- Vel-Pari was known as the great patron of poets. This chief was a relative of Ma-Vel-Evvi and after the demise of the latter he took over the territory around the mountains of Parambu. Poet Kapilar, his life long companion described him as the lord of three hundred villages in ancient Tamilakkam who could only be won over by the sound of a lute[10].
Common titles
Common titles are Pillai, Mudaliar, and Gounder. When southern parts of Tamilnadu came into the control of Telugu Nayak kings, Vellalar were employed by them as accountants, hence they assumed the title Kanakku Pillai, in Kerala they use the title Karnam Pillai.
Major divisions
Major subdivisions are
There are numerous other subcastes which claim Vellalar roots and identity. Some subdivisions might intermarry yet other will not.
In Kerala and Sri Lanka
In Kerala, there is a significant population of Tamil and Malayalam speaking Vellalar population. They are believed to have migrated to work in courts of the Travancore kingdom as accountants.
The Vellalars of Jaffna have been chronicled clearly in the Yalpana Vaipava Malai and other historical texts of Jaffna kingdom. These Vellalar chiefs are descended from traditional minor-kings and chiefs of Tamil Nadu. They have been commanders of Chola and Pandya armies as well as respected ministers and administrators. From the 13th century when migration of Vellalar chiefs to Jaffna took place, Tamil Nadu has seen a decline in the traditional power of Vellalars except in Kongu Nadu (see Kongu Vellalar).[15]
In Sri Lanka, they are currently estimated to form 20 to 30% of the population in the Northern Province and Jaffna.
See the Ponnambalam-Coomaraswamy Family for the Ponnambalam-Coomaraswamy family centric rise of a Vellala elite in 19th century Sri Lanka.
Cultural Evolution and Assimilation of other castes
Most subcastes of Vellalar in general are believed to be the first of the group of Tamils to be Sanskritized.
"Kallar, Maravar, Agamudai-yar Vellalar anarkal"
is a popular Tamil proverb prevalent in India and Sri Lanka about the origin of Vellalars. That is Vellalar are a fusion of upwardly mobile members from castes such as Kallar,Maravar and Agamudaiyar according to the principles of Sanskritisation.
References
- ^ Heritage of the Tamils: Education and Vocation - Page 269 by Shanmuga Velayutham Subramanian, Ca. Vē Cuppiramaṇiyan̲, Vē. Irā Mātavan̲ - Education - 1986 - 506 pages
- ^ a b c d e Racical Synthesis in Hindu Culture - Page 156.
- ^ a b The Early History of the Vellar Basin, with Special Reference to the ... - Page 21 by M. Arokiaswami - Vellalas - 1954 - 166 pages
- ^ a b c Tamil Studies: Essays on the History of the Tamil People, Language, Religion, and Literature By Muttusvami Srinivasa Aiyangar
- ^ Ancient Indian History and Civilization By Sailendrda Nath Sen 205 & 207 pages
- ^ History of agriculture in India up to c. 1200 A.D. By Lalanji Gopal, Vinod Chandra Srivastava, Project of History of Indian Science, Philosophy and Culture Page 418 & 420
- ^ Agrarian settlements and agrarian society in peninsular India (The Deccan and the South) 4 & 5 pages
- ^ The Harappan civilization and its writing: a model for the decipherment of the Indus Script... By Walter Ashlin Fairservis 52/53 pages
- ^ The hollow crown: ethnohistory of an Indian Kingdom By Nicholas B. Dirks Pages 139 to 149
- ^ a b c d e f The Tamils Eighteen Hundred Years Ago - Page 113 by V. Kanakasabhai - Tamil (Indic people) - 1904 - 240 pages
- ^ a b Spectres of Agrarian Territory by David Ludden
- ^ Contributions to Indian Sociology By Research Centre on Social and Economic Development in Asia, Institute of Economic Growth (India), Institute of Economic Growth
- ^ Peoples of India - Page 29 by William Harlen Gilbert - Ethnology - 1944 - 86 pages
- ^ K.A.N. Sastri, The Colas p 49
- ^ Yalpana Vaipava Malai
External links
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