Reddiar

Reddiar
Total population
	7,00,000
Regions with significant populations
	Tamil Nadu and Pondicherry
Languages
	Tamil
Religion
	Hinduism
Related ethnic groups
	Reddy

Reddiar (also spelt as Reddiyar) is a Telugu speaking caste title of Land Owning, farming and mercantile social group of Tamil Nadu, Pondicherry, and Sri Lanka.

Reddiars, Reddy, Reddappa are considered and believed to come from the same origins and they spread across the lands of Southern and Central India. Political scientist Christophe Jaffrelot notes that, Reddiyars are the landlord caste originated from Telugu Country^[1] and said they are patrons/Financial supporters of local temples in Tamil Region. The origin of the Reddys (Reddiars) has been linked to the Rashtrakutas and till date the Reddys in India are spread across the same area of Rasthrakuta dynasty, although opinions vary. The names have been believed to be derived according to the regions they are spread across. Reddy in Andhra Pradesh and Telangana, Reddiar (Reddy+ar)in Tamil Nadu, Pondicherry and Kerala. Reddy, Reddappa (Reddy + appa- signifying respect) in Karnataka.

The Panta Reddiars moved from Andhra region in search of rich soil for cultivation and settled in Pondicherry and the northern districts of Cuddalore, Villupuram and Chengalpet in Tamil Nadu during Vijayanagar Empire. (In People of India/Indian Communities, Oxford University Press).

The Migration of the Reddys/Reddiars to areas of Chennai, Kanchipuram, Vellore,Trichy,Karur and Northern Tamil Nadu is assumed to occur during the Reddy dynasty expansion till Kanchipuram areas.^[2]

Origins

Anavota Reddy (1335-1364 CE) of Reddy dynasty extended the dominion of the kingdom to Rajahmundry on the north, Kanchi on the south and Srisailam on the west. In a battle at Vallioor, Reddiapuram army defeated Travancore army in the 14th century.^[3] In an information Board at the entrance of the Vallioor Murugan Temple it is stated that 14th century vallioor War - Reddiapuram army defeated Travancore Army at vallioor Battle. After this war Reddiars settled at Samugarengapuram, Seelathikulam and all over Tirunelveli Region in the 14th century.^{[citation needed]}

File:Thiruppudaimaruthur Temple mural.jpg

Tamiraparani Battle

A mural at the Tiruppudaimaruthur temple in Tirunelveli district in Tamil Nadu, shows the emissaries of the Vijayanagara king Achyutadeva Raya serving an ultimatum to the Travancore ruler Bhoothala Veera Udaya Marthanda Varma to pay tributes to him and return the Pandya territory to Sri Vallabhan. It also depicts the "Tamiraparani battle" between the armies of Achyutadeva Raya and Bhoothala Varma.^[4] They are believed moved into Tamil Nadu with the expansion of Vijayanagar empire along with other Telugu and Kannada origin social groups. They have their origin in Vannipuranam.^{[citation needed]}

They migrated from Andhra Pradesh and Orissa to Madurai District in Tamil Nadu during Thirumalai Nayakkar's rule.^{[citation needed]}

Amongst the Tamil diaspora

Through emigration, there are now many Reddiars in the Tamil communities of United States, South Africa, Singapore, Australia, United Kingdom. The title does not generally mark the person as a Telugu but as an ethnic Tamil along with Naidu or Naicker, Raju or Raja, Pillai, Gounder and Chetty as surnames used in the Tamil diaspora.

Current status

In Tamil Nadu and Pondicherry, Panta Reddiars are classified as Forward Caste and Ganjam Reddiars are considered as backward caste

Reddy versus Reddiars

Reddys predominantly speak Telugu and follow Telugu cultural festivals like Ugadi and follow all other Andhra norms. Whereas Reddiars who came from Andhra to the Tamil region speak both Tamil and Telugu follow both Tamil and Telugu cultural norms. They also celebrate Thai Pongal, Tamil New Year and Ugadi. For survival and to maintain their Dravidian lineage, they are active in supporting local Temple societies and local political aspirations. Some have become very prominent in Dravidian nationalistic causes and are represented in Tamil literary circles as great patrons and scholars of Tamil language.

Prominent Reddiars

A. Subbarayalu Reddiar - First Chief Minister of Madras Presidency - Dec 1920 - June 1921
V. Venkatasubha Reddiar - Former Chief Minister of Puducherry and a prominent Puducherry freedom fighter^[5]
Muthulakshmi Reddi, First Indian woman doctor and legislator, Padma Bhushan awardee
O. P. Ramaswamy Reddiyar - Chief Minister of Madras Presidency - 1947-1949
V. Vaithilingam - Chief Minister of Puducherry - July 4, 1991 to May 13, 1996 (first term), September 4, 2008 – April 13, 2011
M. D. R. Ramachandran - Chief Minister of Puducherry - 16 January 1980 to 23 June 1983 and 8 March 1990 – 3 March 1991
K. S. Venkatakrishna Reddiar - Politician, President of Congress Reform Committee
M. R. Lakshmi Narayanan - Member of Parliament, Tindivanam from 15 March 1971 to 18 January 1977 and 23 March 1977 to 22 August 1979
K. K. S. S. R. Ramachandran - Former Co-operation, PWD minister in MGR cabinet.^{[citation needed]}
K. N. Nehru - Former Milk, food minister in DMK cabinet(1996–2000), Transport minister in DMK cabinet (2006–2011)
Napoleon - Actor and MP of Perambalur Constituency Central Minister Of State for Social Justice and Empowerment
R. Radhakrishnan - Member of Parliament, Puducherry 2014 to 2019
Jayarama Reddiar - Member of legislative assembly from Aruppukottai constituency in 1952
A. Papasundaram - Former Member of the Legislative Assembly of Tamil Nadu from Kulithalai constituency.
T. Venkatapathi Reddiar, Horticulturist, Padma Shri awardee
C. V. Sridhar, Film director
Annamalai Reddiyar - Tamil poet
G. R. Vaishnav - Indian volleyball player
G.Vijayakumar Reddiyar - Renowned Advocate

References

^ Jaffrelot, Christophe; Kumar, Sanjay (4 May 2012). Rise of the Plebeians?: The Changing Face of the Indian Legislative Assemblies. Routledge. ISBN 9781136516610.
^ Sheldon I. Pollock (2003). Literary cultures in history: reconstructions from South Asia. University of California Press. pp. 385–. ISBN 978-0-520-22821-4. Retrieved 8 July 2011.
^ Shungoonny Menon, P (1998). History of Travancore from the earliest times. Madras: Asian Educational Services. p. 523. ISBN 9788120601697.
^ SUBRAMANIAN, T.S (10 September 2011). "Do Tamil Nadu temple murals portray Tamiraparani battle?". TheHindu. Chennai, India. Retrieved 10 September 2011.
^ "The Hindu : Other States / Pondicherry News : Venkatasubba Reddiar remembered". www.hinduonnet.com. Retrieved 25 May 2018.

[1] Jaffrelot, Christophe; Kumar, Sanjay (4 May 2012). Rise of the Plebeians?: The Changing Face of the Indian Legislative Assemblies. Routledge. ISBN 9781136516610.

[Pollock2003-2] Sheldon I. Pollock (2003). Literary cultures in history: reconstructions from South Asia. University of California Press. pp. 385–. ISBN 978-0-520-22821-4. Retrieved 8 July 2011.

[-page_94_History_of_Travancore_from_the_earliest_times-3] Shungoonny Menon, P (1998). History of Travancore from the earliest times. Madras: Asian Educational Services. p. 523. ISBN 9788120601697.

[Tamiraparani_battle_between_the_armies_of_Achyutadeva_Raya_and_Bhoothala_Varma.-4] SUBRAMANIAN, T.S (10 September 2011). "Do Tamil Nadu temple murals portray Tamiraparani battle?". TheHindu. Chennai, India. Retrieved 10 September 2011.

[5] "The Hindu : Other States / Pondicherry News : Venkatasubba Reddiar remembered". www.hinduonnet.com. Retrieved 25 May 2018.

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