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'{{short description|Agricultural Caste in Tamil Nadu, India}} {{Use Indian English|date=April 2021}} {{Use dmy dates|date=April 2021}} {{infobox caste | caste_name = Devendrakula Velalar | image = | caption = | region = | religions = Hinduism | country = India | state = [[Tamil Nadu]] | populated_states = | languages = [[Tamil language|Tamil]] | classification = [[Agriculturist]] | related = }} '''Devendrakula Velalar''' is an ancient agricultural community found in the Indian state of [[Tamil Nadu]] comprising seven subcastes: [[Devendra Kulathan|Devendra Kulathar]], [[Kudumbar]], [[Kadaiyar]], [[Kaladi(caste)|Kaladi]], [[Pallar]], [[Pannadi]] and [[Vathiriyar]].<ref>{{cite news | url=https://www.thehindu.com/news/national/tamil-nadu/lok-sabha-okays-putting-seven-castes-under-devendrakula-vellalars/article34109785.ece | newspaper=The Hindu| title= Lok Sabha passes bill to place seven castes under Devendrakula Velalars in Tamil Nadu| date= 19 March 2021 | first= | last=| access-date=20 March 2021}}</ref><ref>{{cite news | url=https://www.thehindu.com/news/national/tamil-nadu/president-gives-assent-to-devendrakula-velalar-act/article34314307.ece | newspaper=The Hindu| title=President gives assent to Devendrakula Velalar Act| date= 14 April 2021 | first= | last=| access-date=23 April 2021}}</ref> == Etymology == Devendra means [[Indra]], as the the people of this community claim that they were descended from him. Kula means [[clan]]. [[Vellalar (disambiguation)|Velalar]] means [[Agriculture|agriculturist]] as in one who does velanmai (agriculture). == Origin == ==== The origin of the Devendrakula Velalar is associated with the origin of the Velalars (agriculturists) in Tamil Nadu the community claim their descent from Lord Devendra ([[Indra]]) who is known as rain god (MazhaiKadavul).The Devendrakula Velalars traditionally inhabited the fertile wetland area referred to as ''Marutham'' in the literary devices of the [[Sangam landscape]]. The people of this caste are considered to be the great cultivators especially of wet land of Tamil country. The major concentrations of the Devendrakula Velalars were in the Pandya, Chola and Kongu regions of ancient Tamil Nadu.In the Pandiya region (NADU), the Kudumban were the repository of the indigenous and tradition of agriculture. Around the 12th Century, the different caste groups of Tamil Nadu were divided into two groups, the valankkai (right-hand) and idankkai (left-hand) communities. All the communities who did agriculture and agriculture-related jobs formed the left-hand division. The Pallan belonged to the left-hand (idankkai) division as they were agricultural laborers’. (Thangaraj, 1975) Those who belonged to the valankkai division were Pillamar, Chetiyar, Mudhaliyar, etc…<ref>{{Cite web|title=INTERPRETATION OF IDENTITY: AN ANTHROPOLOGICAL REPORT OF SEVEN COMMUNITIESIN SOUTH INDIA|url=https://apiar.org.au/wp-content/uploads/2019/07/3_APJABSS_v5i2_2019_pp.-21-33.pdf|url-status=live}}<cite class="citation web cs1" data-ve-ignore="true">[https://apiar.org.au/wp-content/uploads/2019/07/3_APJABSS_v5i2_2019_pp.-21-33.pdf "INTERPRETATION OF IDENTITY: AN ANTHROPOLOGICAL REPORT OF SEVEN COMMUNITIESIN SOUTH INDIA"] <span class="cs1-format">(PDF)</span>.</cite><span title="ctx_ver=Z39.88-2004&rft_val_fmt=info%3Aofi%2Ffmt%3Akev%3Amtx%3Abook&rft.genre=unknown&rft.btitle=INTERPRETATION+OF+IDENTITY%3A+AN+ANTHROPOLOGICAL+REPORT+OF+SEVEN+COMMUNITIESIN+SOUTH+INDIA&rft_id=https%3A%2F%2Fapiar.org.au%2Fwp-content%2Fuploads%2F2019%2F07%2F3_APJABSS_v5i2_2019_pp.-21-33.pdf&rfr_id=info%3Asid%2Fen.wikipedia.org%3ADevendrakula+Velalar" class="Z3988" data-ve-ignore="true"></span><span data-ve-ignore="true"> </span><span class="cs1-visible-error error citation-comment" data-ve-ignore="true">line feed character in <code class="cs1-code">&#x7C;title=</code> at position 28 ([[Help:CS1 errors#invisible char|help]])</span> [[Category:CS1 errors: invisible characters]]</ref>. The term Pallar seems to have been derived from the word Pallam, meaning a pit or low-lying region. Since wet land is usually found in low lying area and the Pallars were often engaged in cultivation of such land, they came to be known as Pallam and latter as Pallan and Pallar. It is argued with sufficient support of literature that the Pallars of today were actually known as Mallar belonging to the Dravidian race about 2300 years back and were the rulers of Tamil country during the 14th-15th centuries. It is also asserted that they are the descendants of Pallavas who were ruling the Andhra and Tamil countries once. Since they were known for charity, heading and presiding village panchayat meetings and being kind, they were referred to as Velalar; and for their ability to control flood, they were kudumban. Putting all these qualities together, the Mallar (Pallar) call themselves Devendra Kula velalar. There are over 84 branches among Pallars. The Mallar were called Pallar only after 15th century by more powerful tribes from other parts of South India with a view to degrading their social status. it is said that they were farmers during peace times and were warriors during war times.<ref>{{Cite book|last=Edmund.|first=Weber,|url=http://worldcat.org/oclc/55687272|title=Journal of religious culture = Journal für Religionskultur.|date=[1997]-|publisher=Institute for Irenics, Johann Wolfgang Goethe-Universität|oclc=55687272}}<cite id="CITEREFEdmund." class="citation book cs1" data-ve-ignore="true">Edmund., Weber, ([1997]-). [http://worldcat.org/oclc/55687272 ''Journal of religious culture = Journal für Religionskultur'']. Institute for Irenics, Johann Wolfgang Goethe-Universität. [[OCLC (identifier)|OCLC]]&nbsp;[//www.worldcat.org/oclc/55687272 55687272].</cite><span title="ctx_ver=Z39.88-2004&rft_val_fmt=info%3Aofi%2Ffmt%3Akev%3Amtx%3Abook&rft.genre=book&rft.btitle=Journal+of+religious+culture+%3D+Journal+f%C3%BCr+Religionskultur.&rft.pub=Institute+for+Irenics%2C+Johann+Wolfgang+Goethe-Universit%C3%A4t&rft_id=info%3Aoclcnum%2F55687272&rft.aulast=Edmund.&rft.aufirst=Weber%2C&rft_id=http%3A%2F%2Fworldcat.org%2Foclc%2F55687272&rfr_id=info%3Asid%2Fen.wikipedia.org%3ADevendrakula+Velalar" class="Z3988" data-ve-ignore="true"></span><span data-ve-ignore="true"> </span><span class="cs1-visible-error error citation-comment" data-ve-ignore="true">Check date values in: <code class="cs1-code">&#x7C;date=</code> ([[Help:CS1 errors#bad date|help]])</span><span class="cs1-maint citation-comment" data-ve-ignore="true">CS1 maint: extra punctuation ([[:Category:CS1 maint: extra punctuation|link]])</span> [[Category:CS1 errors: dates]] [[Category:CS1 maint: extra punctuation]]</ref><ref>{{Cite journal|last=ZVELEBIL|first=KAMIL|date=1966|title=PAḶḶAR SPEECH: A CONTRIBUTION TO TAMIL DIALECTOLOGY|url=http://dx.doi.org/10.1515/ling.1966.4.21.87|journal=Linguistics|volume=4|issue=21|doi=10.1515/ling.1966.4.21.87|issn=0024-3949}}<cite id="CITEREFZVELEBIL1966" class="citation journal cs1" data-ve-ignore="true">ZVELEBIL, KAMIL (1966). [http://dx.doi.org/10.1515/ling.1966.4.21.87 "PAḶḶAR SPEECH: A CONTRIBUTION TO TAMIL DIALECTOLOGY"]. ''Linguistics''. '''4''' (21). [[Doi (identifier)|doi]]:[[doi:10.1515/ling.1966.4.21.87|10.1515/ling.1966.4.21.87]]. [[ISSN (identifier)|ISSN]]&nbsp;[//www.worldcat.org/issn/0024-3949 0024-3949].</cite><span title="ctx_ver=Z39.88-2004&rft_val_fmt=info%3Aofi%2Ffmt%3Akev%3Amtx%3Ajournal&rft.genre=article&rft.jtitle=Linguistics&rft.atitle=PA%E1%B8%B6%E1%B8%B6AR+SPEECH%3A+A+CONTRIBUTION+TO+TAMIL+DIALECTOLOGY&rft.volume=4&rft.issue=21&rft.date=1966&rft_id=info%3Adoi%2F10.1515%2Fling.1966.4.21.87&rft.issn=0024-3949&rft.aulast=ZVELEBIL&rft.aufirst=KAMIL&rft_id=http%3A%2F%2Fdx.doi.org%2F10.1515%2Fling.1966.4.21.87&rfr_id=info%3Asid%2Fen.wikipedia.org%3ADevendrakula+Velalar" class="Z3988" data-ve-ignore="true"></span></ref> ==== == Ancient Political System == ==== The ruling class emerged from among the people settled in Marutam region. It was these people who planned towns, constructed forts for guarding their towns from the enemies and offered proper security to the people and their belongings. The main functions of the government were offering inter- nal and external security and promoting agriculture. The main source of government revenue was from agriculture undertaken in theMarutam region by the Vellaalas, the agriculturalists. As the king was from the Marutam region, he chose his Ministers, Generals, Warriors, village/town administrators and other officials from his own group. Armed forces constituted an important element in offering government to a region. All the agriculturalists of Marutam regions served invariably as warriors during the war time and when there was peace, they engaged themselves in agriculture. In course of time, as population went on increasing, a sort of distinction came to exist between these two groups, namely, agriculturalists and warriors and they became separate. However, it has to be borne in mind that they both belonged to the same social group, namely, Mallar. This system helped the ancient kings to offer stable government to their people. These Mallar kings in course of time, got themselves separated into a number of sub- groups, such as Chera, Chola, and Pandiya kings and so many petty kings. Even in the present day democratic political set - up, we find that those who are in power appoint people of their own group/community to key positions in the government in order to promote their community. In the present day society, we find that there are many professional groups among the people. But in the ancient society, there were only three major professions, namely, 1. agriculture and related fields, 2 warfare and security and 3. local administration. In all these three professions the relatives of kings were in key positions. As far as Tamilnadu is concerned, the people of Mallar community (present day Pallar community) served as kings, agriculturalists and also as warriors as evinced by the literary references discussed eleborately in this book. It has to be mentioned that no other community of the present day Tamilnadu has been described in our literary works as persons who took care of these three important aspects of ancient society. ==== == In Tamil Literature == ==== Mallars/Pallars are mentioned in Tamil literature from the ancient Sangam Literature to the recent 19th century poems, including Purananuru, Kamba Ramayanam, Thirumurukkatruppatai, Silapathigaram, Agananuru, Pathirtrupattu, Kurunthogai, Aingurunooru, Kalithogai, Natrinai, and Paripaadal. ==== === [[Pallu (poetry)|Pallu Poetry]] === ==== The Pallar are the focus of a genre of Tamil poetry known as Pallu. The genre developed in the 17th and 18th centuries, and depicts the Pallar hero dealing with the jealousies of his two wives and the oppression of his landlord in a satirical depiction of Pallar Zeitgeist. The pallu, while maintaining its basic storyline, developed into many forms, with the Mukkudal pallu the oldest, including depiction of the struggles between Shaivites and Vaishnavites. Among the Christian Tamils of Sri Lanka, the genre has been modified into nanapallu, a genre where the same story is told, but with the satirical and erotic elements replaced by Christian religious themes. Pallu poems are part of chitrilakiyangal in Tamil literature. Pallu poems were also known as 'aesal' (a kind of ironical poem). They were written during the Nayak rule. The first pallu poem was 'Mukkoodar pallu'. Many pallu poems were written which includes Vaiyapuri pallu, Sengottu pallu, Thandigai Kanagaraayan pallu.[clarification needed] All the Pallu poems consist of a Pallar who has got two wives. It also explains about the farming and the life of a Pallar farmer. ==== === References to Tamil Literary works<ref>{{Cite journal|last=ZVELEBIL|first=KAMIL|date=1966|title=PAḶḶAR SPEECH: A CONTRIBUTION TO TAMIL DIALECTOLOGY|url=http://dx.doi.org/10.1515/ling.1966.4.21.87|journal=Linguistics|volume=4|issue=21|doi=10.1515/ling.1966.4.21.87|issn=0024-3949}}</ref> === ==== The Tamil poems that have been cited in this book to prove the above concepts are listed below: # Puranaanuuru - poems - 10, 77, 78, 79, 80, 81, 84, 89, 219, 251, 254, 388, and 399 # Akanaanuuru - poems - 21, 33, 50, 70, 144, 174, 185, 189 227, 256, 314, 316, 344, 353 and 354 # Patirruppattu poems - 13, 38, 43, 63, 66, 81 and 90 # Kuruntokai poems - 31, 34, 72, 82, 188, 215 and 364 # Aynkurunuuru poems - 94, 371, 383, 400 and 432 # Narrinai poems - 73, 82, 150, 297 and 321 # Kalittokai poems - 52, 106, 134 # Paripaatal lines - 3.34 - 3.43, 3.85 - 3.90 and 11.117-11.121 # Tirumurugarruppatai lines - 250 - 277 # Perumpaanaarruppatai lines - 139 - 147, 253 - 256 and 448 - 461 # Takatuur Yaattirai lines - 13, 27, 35 and 44 # Perumporul Vilakkam - 14 # Palaiya Ramayanam - one section # Purattirattu - Pinninaippu - 40 and 44 # Purapporul Venpaamaalai - 3 verses # Silappatikaram - 8 instances # Perunkatai - 20 instances # Ciivaka Cintaamani verses - 16, 55, 137, 268, 275, 277, 284, 285, 286, 343, 372, 972, 984, 1138, 1142, 1591, 1614, 1772, 1868, 2151, 2186, 2296, 2323, 2325, 2332, 2350, 2360, 2525, 2733, 2789, 2963, 3006, 3062 and 3119. # Suulaamani verses - 324 and 842 # Tirugnanasambandar Tevaaram - Two verses # Tiruvasagam - one verse # Periyapuranam - six verses # Gnanamirtam - akaval 16 and 27 # Kandapuranam - seven verses # Vinayakapuranam - thirteen verses # KambaRamayanam poems - 27, 29, 34, 41, 49, 52, 63, 88, 459, 489, 679, 2118, 2122, 4164, 7318, 7872, 9398 and 9605 # Yasodara Kaaviyam - one verse # Veerapandiyam - verse 1211 # Tiruppukal, Tiruvakuppu - 2 Devendra sanga vakuppu # Paranjothi Munivar Tiruvilaiyadarpuranam - 30 verses # Perumparrappuliyur Nambi Tiruvilaiyadarpuranam - one verse ==== == Caste Organisation == ==== The Devendrakula Velalar community has its own self-governing organisation in the village/town they are presiding which is highly unique when compared to other communities of Tamil Nadu.The headman of the Pallars is, in the Madura country, called Kudumbar, and he is assisted by a Kālādi, and, in large settlements, by a caste messenger entitled Vāriyan, who summons people to attend council-meetings, festivals, marriages and funerals. The offices of Kudumbar and Kālādi are hereditary. When a family is under a ban of excommunication, pending enquiry, the caste people refuse to give them fire, and otherwise help them, and even the barber and washerman are not permitted to work for them. At Coimbatore, the headman is called Pattakārar and he is assisted by various subordinate officers and a caste messenger called Ōdumpillai. In cases of theft, the guilty person has to carry a man on his back round the assembly, while two persons hang on to his back-hair. He is beaten on the cheeks, and the Ōdumpillai may be ordered to spit in his face. A somewhat similar form of punishment is inflicted on a man proved guilty of having intercourse with a married woman.<ref>{{Cite web|title=Page:Castes and tribes of southern India, Volume 5.djvu/536 - Wikisource, the free online library|url=https://en.wikisource.org/wiki/Page:Castes_and_tribes_of_southern_India,_Volume_5.djvu/536|access-date=2021-04-26|website=en.wikisource.org|language=en}}<cite class="citation web cs1" data-ve-ignore="true">[[wikisource:Page:Castes_and_tribes_of_southern_India,_Volume_5.djvu/536|"Page:Castes and tribes of southern India, Volume 5.djvu/536 - Wikisource, the free online library"]]. ''en.wikisource.org''<span class="reference-accessdate">. Retrieved <span class="nowrap">26 April</span> 2021</span>.</cite><span title="ctx_ver=Z39.88-2004&rft_val_fmt=info%3Aofi%2Ffmt%3Akev%3Amtx%3Ajournal&rft.genre=unknown&rft.jtitle=en.wikisource.org&rft.atitle=Page%3ACastes+and+tribes+of+southern+India%2C+Volume+5.djvu%2F536+-+Wikisource%2C+the+free+online+library&rft_id=https%3A%2F%2Fen.wikisource.org%2Fwiki%2FPage%3ACastes_and_tribes_of_southern_India%2C_Volume_5.djvu%2F536&rfr_id=info%3Asid%2Fen.wikipedia.org%3ADevendrakula+Velalar" class="Z3988" data-ve-ignore="true"></span></ref> In connection with the caste organisation of the Pallars in the Trichinopoly district, Mr. F. R. Hemingway writes as follows. "They generally have three or more headmen for each village, over whom is the Nāttu Mūppan. Each village also has a peon called Ōdumpillai (the runner). The main body of the caste, when attending council- meetings, is called ilam katchi (the inexperienced). The village councils are attended by the Mūppans and the Nāttu Mūppan. Between the Nāttu Mūppan and the ordinary Mūppans, there is, in the Karūr tāluk, a Pulli Mūppan. All these offices are hereditary. In this tāluk a rather different organisation is in force, to regulate the supply of labour to the landholders. Each of the village Mūppans has a number of karais or sections of the wet-land of the village under him, and he is bound to supply labourers for all the land in his karai, and is remunerated by the landowner with 1¼ marakkāls of grain for every 20 kalams harvested. The Mūppans do not work themselves, but maintain discipline among their men by flogging or expulsion from the caste. In the Karūr tāluk, the ordinary Pallans are called Manvettaikārans (mamoty or digging-tool men)."<ref>{{Cite web|title=Page:Castes and tribes of southern India, Volume 5.djvu/537 - Wikisource, the free online library|url=https://en.wikisource.org/wiki/Page:Castes_and_tribes_of_southern_India,_Volume_5.djvu/537|access-date=2021-04-26|website=en.wikisource.org|language=en}}<cite class="citation web cs1" data-ve-ignore="true">[[wikisource:Page:Castes_and_tribes_of_southern_India,_Volume_5.djvu/537|"Page:Castes and tribes of southern India, Volume 5.djvu/537 - Wikisource, the free online library"]]. ''en.wikisource.org''<span class="reference-accessdate">. Retrieved <span class="nowrap">26 April</span> 2021</span>.</cite><span title="ctx_ver=Z39.88-2004&rft_val_fmt=info%3Aofi%2Ffmt%3Akev%3Amtx%3Ajournal&rft.genre=unknown&rft.jtitle=en.wikisource.org&rft.atitle=Page%3ACastes+and+tribes+of+southern+India%2C+Volume+5.djvu%2F537+-+Wikisource%2C+the+free+online+library&rft_id=https%3A%2F%2Fen.wikisource.org%2Fwiki%2FPage%3ACastes_and_tribes_of_southern_India%2C_Volume_5.djvu%2F537&rfr_id=info%3Asid%2Fen.wikipedia.org%3ADevendrakula+Velalar" class="Z3988" data-ve-ignore="true"></span></ref> The Pallans have their own washermen and barbers, who are said to be mainly recruited from the Sōzhia section, which, in consequence, holds an inferior position; and a Pallan belonging to another section would feel insulted if he was called a Sōzhian. ==== ==Politics== In [[Tamil Nadu]], Devendrakula Velalar make up 11.45% of the state's population.<ref>{{cite news | url= https://www.thenewsminute.com/article/ndas-caste-consolidation-exercise-ahead-tn-assembly-polls- | newspaper=The News Minute| title=NDA's caste consolidation exercise ahead of TN assembly polls| date= 21 February 2021 | first=Bharathi Sp | last= Priyanka Thirumurthy| access-date=20 March 2021}}</ref> The Devendrakula Velalar,[[Muthuraja|Mutharaiyar]] and [[Brahmin]] play a major role in [[Srirangam (state assembly constituency)|Srirangam Assembly constituency]], as a majority of voters are from these communities.<ref>{{cite news | url=https://newindianexpress.com/states/tamil-nadu/2021/mar/03/why-both-aiadmk-and-bjp-want-srirangam- |title=Why both AIADMK and BJP want Srirangam | newspaper=The New Indian Express| first=JAYAKUMAR | last=MADALA| date=3 March 2021 | access-date=}}</ref> ==Temple festivals== At the Mariamman Teppakulam float festival in [[Madurai]], Devendrakula Velalars from [[Chinna Anuppanadi|Anupanadi]] village are traditionally given the right to start pulling the [[Meenakshi Temple, Madurai|Sri Meenakshi Sundareswarar Temple]] float, according to a tradition dating to the 18th century.<ref>{{cite news|last=|first=TNN|date=9 February 2020|title=Grandeur marks float fest in Madurai|newspaper=Times Of India|url=https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/madurai/grandeur-marks-float-fest-in-madurai/articleshow/74036052.cms|url-status=live|access-date=2021-03-29}}</ref> According to mythology, the presiding deities, Lord Siva and Pachainayagi, of [[Perur Pateeswarar Temple|Patteswarar Temple]] in [[Perur]], [[Coimbatore]], were farmers who took up the task of sowing and cultivating paddies. The Devendrakula Velalar community celebrate Pady Sowing Season in the name of Chithiramezhi Ponnaer Natru Nadu Thiruvzha at Patteswarar Temple.<ref>{{cite news|last=|first=TNN|date=20 June 2018|title=Seedling Planting Festival at Perur Pateeswarar Temple in Coimbatore|newspaper=Maalai Malar|url=https://maalaimalar.com/devotional/devotionaltopnews/2018/06/20085626/1171330/perur-patteeswarar-temple-festival.vpf|url-status=live|access-date=2021-03-31}}</ref> ==References== {{Reflist}} {{Improve categories|date=March 2021}} [[Category:Indian society by state or union territory]] [[Category:Tamil Nadu]] [[Category:Agricultural castes]] [[Category:Indian castes by profession]] [[Category:Hindu communities]] [[Category:Tamil culture]] [[Category:Social groups of Tamil Nadu]]'