Sri Lankan Vellalar

For other uses, see Vellalar.

Vellalar amongst Sri Lankan Tamils are a dominat group of formerly farming related caste group from Sri Lanka that is found amongst all walks of life and around the world as part of the Sri Lankan Tamil diaspora.

Origin

What is certain is that the Sri Lankan tamil Vellalar identity rose amongst those who migrated from neibhouring Tamil Nadu state in India since the 13the century. According to Yalpana Vaipava Malai, a native chronicle that documents the history of the rise and fall of the Jaffna kingdom in Sri Lanka from the 12th century to the 16th, many Vellalar cheifs from Tamil Nadu were responsible for organizing settlement groups from India in to the Jaffna peninsula. Most of these pioneering families had titles associted with clan chiefs such as "Rayan", "Thevan", "Mudali", "Mappanan" and "Malavan".

Yalpana Vaipava Malai explains in details the names and places of origin of some of these Vellala lineage founders. One was of ethnic Tuluva origin where as others were of mercantile Chetty caste. Some had idependant wealth from India yet others were known for the fighting abilities. In total it explains a settlement pattern of pioneering people from South India under influence of an independant Jaffna kingdom who although mostly of Vellala origin but also had other origins.

Rise to dominance

During the Jaffna kingdom period and the following colonila period since the 16 the century, Vellala cheifs were in constant struggle for supremacy with another now extinct caste called Madapalli. The kings belonging to the Arya Chakaravarthi dynasty would appoint leaders from both the factions to maintain peace in the kingdom. The the rise to dominance by the Vellala elites began with the capture of Portugese holdings in Sri Lanka by the Dutch. The Dutch ineterpreted the local laws later codified as Thesavalamai as allowing Vellala chefs to own slaves. Thus empowered many tobacco plantations were created by the Vellala cheifs with the help of imorted Indian workers from the Pallar caste who were held as slaves.

Vellalars Today

A wide range of communities claim Vellala ancestry today. Many of them unrelated to the earlier migrants. But they rely on the early history and migration to create an aura of aristocracy. But what is obviously still visible is the traditional and convervative nature of the religion Saivite Hinduism practiced among Jaffna Tamils. They follow a conservative brand of Saiva Siddhanta which follow Agamic and Sanksritic features. In this they are similar to Saiva Vellalars of India who also consider themselves the custodians of Saiva Adheenams and Saivite Culture. Chrisitan Vellalas in Jaffna are very influential in all spheres and dominate the priesthood as well. Caste System is not formally practiced at all in the Tamil society or diaspora. But Tamils in Sri Lanka still frequently quote from the kailaya malai or vaipava malai to claim their links to the Royal Houses of Tamil Nadu and their arsitocratic origins.