Thuluva Vellala

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.Dev Nathan (1997). From Tribe to Caste. Indian Institute of Advanced Study. p. 233. The word Vellalar (வெள்ளாளர்) may originate from the root Vellam for flood, denoting their ability to control and store water for irrigation purposes.{{cite book|title=Historical Dictionary of the Tamils|author=Vijaya Ramaswamy|publisher=Rowman & Littlefield Publishers|page=390|year=2007}} which led to the development of various land rights, ultimately giving the Vellalar their name.{{Cite book |last=Venkatasubramanian |first=T. K. |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=SWeBAAAAMAAJ&pg=PA64 |title=Societas to Civitas: Evolution of Political Society in South India: Pre-Pallavan Tamil̤akam |date=1993 |publisher=Kalinga Publications |isbn=978-81-85163-42-0 |language=en}} 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.

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.{{cite book|title= Untouchability: A Historical Study Upto 1500 A.D.: with Special Reference to Tamil Nadu|author=Krishnaswamy Ranaganathan Hanumanthan|page=101|publisher=Koodal Publishers}} Scholar M. Arokiaswami identifies Tondaiman Ilandiraiyan with king Adondai Chakravarthi, the legendary figure who is referred to in the Mackenzie Manuscripts.{{cite book|title=The Early History of the Vellar Basin, with Special Reference to the Irukkuvels of Kodumbalur. A Study in Vellala Origin and Early History|author=M. Arokiaswami|publisher=Amudha Nilayam|page=72|year=1954}}

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.{{cite book|title=Proceedings and Transactions of the All-India Oriental Conference|year=1964}}

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.{{cite book|title=Census of India, 1961|author=India. Office of the Registrar|publisher=Manager of Publications|year=1962|page=xxii}}{{cite book|title=Topics in South Indian From Early Times Upto 1565 A.D. History|author=A. Krishnaswami (Professor of History)|page=212|year=1975}}

Tuluva Vellalars are progressive and prosperous in the society. They are considerably advanced in the matter of education{{Cite book|title=Census Book of India 1961|publisher=The Director of stationery and Printing, Madras.|year=1961|volume=9 North Arcot District |location=Madras|page=31|language=Tamil|chapter=3}} and the community was eagerly involved in business, Government and Non- governmental institutions.

The community commonly use Mudaliar{{Cite web |last=AP court orders |title=Doctypes |url=https://indiankanoon.org/docfragment/113966190/?formInput=thuluva%20%20%20doctypes%3A%20judgments}} and Udayar titles. However Naicker,Glossary of Caste Name, North Arcot District, 1951 Gounder, Reddy and Pillai titles are also present in some pockets.

In Tamil Nadu

Arcot Mudaliar and Arcot Vellala sects: Classified as Forward Class.{{Cite web

|date=2019-07-18

|title=அரசியல் ரீதியாக அங்கீகாரம் கிடைத்தாலும் 10 சதவீத இட ஒதுக்கீடு நிறைவேறுவதில் சிக்கல்

|url=http://www.dailythanthi.com/News/Sirappukatturaigal/2019/07/18125244/Although-politically-recognized10-per-cent-reservation.vpf

|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211010123456/http://www.dailythanthi.com/News/Sirappukatturaigal/2019/07/18125244/Although-politically-recognized10-per-cent-reservation.vpf

|archive-date=2021-10-10

|access-date=2021-02-06

|website=Dailythanthi.com}}

Other sects of Thuluva Vellala: Classified under the Other Backward Class (OBC) category at both the Central[http://www.bcmbcmw.tn.gov.in/obc/faq/tamilnadu.pdf CENTRAL LIST OF OBCs FOR THE STATE OF TAMILNADU]. Department of Backward Classes and Most Backward Classes and Minorities Welfare, Tamil Nadu. Accessed 11 March 2021. Entry No 1 and State levels.{{cite web |url=http://www.bcmbcmw.tn.gov.in/bclist.htm |title= List of Backward Classes approved by Government of Tamil Nadu |publisher=Department of Backward Classes and Most Backward Classes and Minorities Welfare, Tamil Nadu |access-date=6 March 2021|quote= Sl.No 1}}

In Andhra Pradesh

Thuluva Vellala, Agamudi Mudaliar, and Aghamudi Vellala: Recognized under the Backward Class (D) category under the umbrella term 'Mudhaliar'.{{Cite news|author=Staff Reporter|date=2016-12-12|title='Mudaliar' title added in BC (D) list|language=en-IN|work=The Hindu|url=https://www.thehindu.com/news/national/andhra-pradesh/'Mudaliar'-title-added-in-BC-D-list/article16794750.ece|access-date=2021-02-06|issn=0971-751X}}: "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."

The Thuluva Vellalar community, also referred to as Thuluva Vellala Mudaliars, was historically classified as a Forward Caste (FC) in Tamil Nadu.{{cite book | last1 = Rajadurai | first1 = S. V. | last2 = Geetha | first2 = V. | year = 2004 | title = Response to John Harriss | editor1-last = Wyatt | editor1-first = Andrew | editor2-last = Zavos | editor2-first = John | publisher = Routledge | page = 115 | isbn = 978-1-13576-169-1 | url = https://books.google.com/books?id=0L6RAgAAQBAJ&pg=PA115 | access-date = 2024-11-23}} However, over time, they were reclassified as a Backward Class (BC).

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.

[https://thecommunemag.com/ews-the-antidote-to-the-fradulent-dravidian-model-of-social-justice/ "EWS: The Antidote to the Fraudulent Dravidian Model of Social Justice"]. The Commune. Archived from [https://archive.today/20250304175234/https://thecommunemag.com/ews-the-antidote-to-the-fradulent-dravidian-model-of-social-justice/ the original] on [insert archive date here].

The administrative classification of Thuluva Vellalars has evolved through successive Backward Classes commissions in Tamil Nadu, reflecting ongoing debates about their relationship to the Agamudayar community.{{cite news

|title=Govt. delinks Thuluva Vellalars from Agamudayars in Backward Classes list

|newspaper=The Hindu

|date=14 June 2024

|url=https://www.thehindu.com/news/national/tamil-nadu/govt-delinks-thuluva-vellalars-from-agamudayars-in-backward-classes-list/article69215123.ece

|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250408164145/https://www.thehindu.com/news/national/tamil-nadu/govt-delinks-thuluva-vellalars-from-agamudayars-in-backward-classes-list/article69215123.ece

|archive-date=8 April 2025

|access-date=8 April 2025

}}

The First Backward Classes Commission (1969-70), chaired by A.N. Sattanathan, encountered contradictory evidence regarding the communities' relationship. While the Madras District Collector asserted they were distinct castes, Chengalpattu officials maintained they represented the same community. Despite this unresolved question, the government's 1972 order grouped them together under the entry "Agamudayar including Thuluva Vellala."

The Second Backward Classes Commission (1982-85), led by J.A. Ambasankar, later documented that the combined population of Agamudayars and Thuluva Vellalars constituted 3.48% of Tamil Nadu's population (1,741,852 individuals) in the early 1980s. The commission noted both communities were among nine groups that had disproportionately benefited from reservation policies, having "cornered the lion's share" of reserved positions.

The Justice Janarthanan Commission (2023) re-examined this classification, concluding that creating separate entries would not require new data or affect existing benefits, but would address longstanding grievances about misclassification. This recommendation led to the June 2024 government order establishing distinct entries for both communities in the Backward Classes list.

The commission emphasized this change represented an administrative correction rather than a new classification, noting that district-level records had consistently documented separate identities for the communities.

• Vallal Pachayappa Mudaliar{{Cite web|title=Vallal Pachaiyappa {{!}} Pachaiyappa's College|url=https://pachaiyappascollege.edu.in/vallal|access-date=2021-11-13|website=pachaiyappascollege.edu.in}}- a famous Dubashe of Madras and the founder of Pachayappa Educational Trust.
• V. L. Ethiraj, Barrister and philanthropist who founded Ethiraj College for Women.
• Sir Dr. C. Natesa Mudaliar,{{Cite book|last=K|first=Kumaresan|title=Dravida Thalaivar C. Natesanar|year=1984|location=Madras|pages=Introduction, p.4}}{{request quotation|date=July 2020}} one of the founders of the Justice Party, politician, activist and philanthropist.
• Ariyanatha Mudaliar- Delavoy (General) and the Chief Minister of the greatest of the Nayaka domains established by the Vijayanagar viceroy and later ruler of Madurai, Viswanatha Nayak (1529–64).
• Diwan Bahadur Sir Arcot Ramasamy Mudaliar,{{Cite book|last=Andrew wyatt, John Zavos|title=Decentring the Indian Nation|pages=115}} KCSI - Founder Chairman of UNESCO and the Diwan of Mysore.
• Sir Arcot Lakshmanaswami Mudaliar, Vice-president of the Eighth World Health Assembly in 1955 and President of the Fourteenth World Health Assembly in 1961.
• P U Shanmugam - Former Tamil Nadu minister of Public Works Department.
• V. M. Muralidharan- The Chairman of Ethiraj College for Women.
• Dr. M. R. Gurusamy Mudaliar- An Indian medical practitioner.
• Dr. B. M. Sundaravadanan- Chairman of Tamil Nadu Medical Council.
• Arcot Narrainswamy Mudaliar- philanthropist, He Founded the R.B.A.N.M.'s Educational Charities and R.B.A.N.M.'s Chattram and other charities.
• Sir S. Muthiah Mudaliar- Indian politician and legislator of the Justice Party.

• list of Vellalars
• list of vellalar sub castes
• Sangama dynasty
• Arunachalesvara Temple

Notes

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Citations

{{reflist}}

Bibliography

• {{cite book |title=Saints, Goddesses and Kings: Muslims and Christians in South Indian Society, 1700-1900 |first=Susan |last=Bayly |author-link=Susan Bayly |publisher=Cambridge University Press |orig-date=1989 |year=2004 |isbn=978-0-52189-103-5 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=Fxqtx8SflEsC}}
• {{cite journal |last=Neild |first=Susan M. |title=Colonial Urbanism: The Development of Madras City in the Eighteenth and Nineteenth Centuries |journal=Modern Asian Studies |volume=13 |issue=2 |year=1979 |pages=217–246 |doi=10.1017/S0026749X00008301 |jstor=312124|s2cid=144309252 }}

Category:Social groups of Tamil Nadu

Category:Indian castes

Category:Vellalar clans

Category:South Indian communities