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'{{Multiple issues| {{more citations needed|date=July 2019}} {{Original research|date=July 2019}} }} {{short description|Agricultural Caste in Tamil Nadu, India}} '''Devendrakula Velalar''' also known as Kudumbar, Vaikkaran, Kaladi, Pannadi, Pandyan, Pannikan, Palakan, Mooppan<ref>{{Cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=1lZuAAAAMAAJ|title= Societas to Civitas|last=Venkatasubramanian|first=T.K|date=1993|publisher=Kalinga Publications Press|isbn=9788185163420|location=|pages=74|language=en}}</ref> is a Tamil speaking community prevalent in southern India. The community is mostly distributed in the [[Tirunelveli]], [[Tuticorin]], [[Tiruchendur]], [[Thiruparankundram]], [[Virudhunagar]], [[Madurai]], [[Thanjavur]], [[Ramanathapuram]], [[Tiruchirappalli]], [[Pudukkottai]], [[Nagapattinam]], [[Tiruvarur]], [[Coimbatore]] and [[Salem, Tamil Nadu|Salem]] districts of Tamil Nadu.<ref>{{Cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=1lZuAAAAMAAJ|title= Societas to Civitas|last=Venkatasubramanian|first=T.K|date=1993|publisher=Kalinga Publications Press|isbn=9788185163420|location=|pages=74|language=en}}</ref> The community is also found in [[Sri Lanka]] as subcaste of [[Sri Lankan Pallar|Pallar]] and [[Kadaiyar]]. {{infobox caste | caste_name = Devendrakula Velalar | image = | caption = | classification = Farmers, cultivators, warriors<ref name=":dvk">{{Cite journal|last=|first=|date=1996|title=Chapter II - CASTE AND WOMEN|url=https://shodhganga.inflibnet.ac.in/bitstream/10603/135469/7/07_chapter%202.pdf|journal=Social conditions in Tamil Nadu|volume=|pages=104|via=INFLIBNET}}</ref> | religions = [[Hinduism]] | country = [[India]], [[Sri Lanka]] | state = [[Tamil Nadu]], [[Northern Province, Sri Lanka|Northern Province]] | languages = [[Tamil language|Tamil]] | region = [[Pandya Nadu]], [[Chola Nadu]], [[Kongu Nadu]] | related = }} == Etymology == The term Devendrakula Velalar resp. Vellalar is used as an umbrella term for the castes which were related. The term means "''farmer of celestial being"'' or ''"Devendra community farmer"'', connoting that they were created by the god Devendra resp. Indra.<ref>{{Cite book|last=Venkatasubramanian|first=T. K.|url=https://books.google.ch/books?id=i8dp_b7GBrEC&pg=PA51&redir_esc=y#v=onepage&q&f=false|title=Political Change and Agrarian Tradition in South India, C. 1600-1801: A Case Study|date=1986|publisher=Mittal Publications|language=en}}</ref> ==History== In ancient times they worshiped [[Indra|Vendhan]] (Devendran), hence, they were called Devendrakula Velalars. As heads of village councils, they were also known as Devendra Kudumban. They were the first to till the land and build the cities of ancient Tamil civilization. They get first respect in most of the temples in southern part of Tamil Nadu.<ref name=":0">{{Cite book|url=http://shodhganga.inflibnet.ac.in/bitstream/10603/117432/13/13_chapter%205.pdf|title=Caste based social system|last=|first=|date=|publisher=publisher|year=|isbn=|location=|pages=244|language=en}}</ref> === Chola Hegemony === They had land ownership and were part of military services.<ref name=":0" /> ===Pallava Hegemony=== *K. R. Hanumanthan is also of the view they were an ancient community of Tamil Nadu who worked under the Pallavas as Political Chieftain with the title [[Kurumbar]].<ref name=":0" /><ref>{{Cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=ZvQtAAAAMAAJ&q|title=Untouchability: A Historical Study Upto 1500 A.D. : with Special Reference to Tamil Nadu|last=Hanumanthan|first=K.R|publisher=Koodal publisher|year=1979|isbn=|location=|pages=101–103|language=en}}</ref> ==Subcastes and divisions== The following is a list of seven subcastes of the Devendrakula Velalar:<ref>{{Cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=1lZuAAAAMAAJ|title=Societas to Civitas|last=Venkatasubramanian|first=T.K|date=1993|publisher=Kalinga Publications Press|isbn=9788185163420|location=|pages=74|language=en}}</ref> *[[Devendra Kulathan]] *[[Kudumbar]] *[[Kadaiyar]] *Kaladi *[[Pallar]] **[[Sri Lankan Pallar]] *[[Pannadi]] ==Organisation== They have their own caste headman and [[Panchayati raj (India)|panchayat]] to settle disputes among them. ===Kongu Nadu=== *In Coimbatore, the headman is called Pattakaran, he is assisted by various subordinate officers and caste messenger called Odum Pillai. *In Salem, the headman called Palakan, a chief guru called Camiar or Karumapuram, a priest called Valluvan and messenger called Odum Pillai. ===Chola Nadu=== *In Trichy, they generally have 3 or more headman for each village, over whom is the Nattu Mooppan. Each village also has a peon called Odum Pillai. The village councils are attended by the Mooppan and the Nattu Mooppan. *In Karur, between the Nattu Mooppan and the ordinary Mooppans, there is Puli Mooppan. ===Pandya Nadu=== *In Madurai district the headman is called Kudumban whose assistant is called Kalati and messenger Variyan.<ref>{{Cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=FnB3k8fx5oEC&pg|title=Castes and Tribes of Southern India, Volume 1 |last=K.Rangachari|first=Edgar thurston|publisher=Asian educational services |year=2001|isbn=9788120602885|location=|pages=478|language=en}}</ref> ==Devendrakula Velalar [[Nattar]]s<ref name=":dvk" />== *Kodai Valanattar *Seevantha Valanattar *Paruthikottai Valanattar *Sikka Valanattar *Seluva Valanattar *Veera Nattar *Samudra Nattar As irrigation is vital to the latter must have held a key position. Their occupation being seasonal thy have enjoyed greater mobility and had also served in the army of the Polygars.<ref name=":dvk" /><ref>{{Cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=pQtuAAAAMAAJ&q|title=Proceedings of the ... Annual Conference ..., Issue 3 |last=Conference|first=South Indian History Congress |publisher=The Congress Press|year=1982|isbn=978052154885|location=|pages=172|language=en}}</ref> ==Surnames== === Pandya region === *Kudumbar in [[Thirunelvelli]] *Pandian in [[Sengottai]] *Nattar === Chola region === *Mooppan *Panikkan *Kaladi *Kadaiganar *Vaykkaran === Kongu region === *Kongu *Pandya *Chola *Kadaignan The titles assumed by them are Kudumban, Pannadi, Pattakaran, Mannadi, Pallar and Mooppan.<ref>{{Cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=pQtuAAAAMAAJ&q|title=Proceedings of the ... Annual Conference ..., Issue 3|last=Hanumanthan|first=K.R|date=1982|publisher=The congress Press|isbn=|location=|pages=171|language=en}}</ref> ==Inscription== Two inscriptions assigned to the seventeenth century one from Karivalamvanthanallur (Sankaranainarkoil Taluk, Tirunelveli District), and another from Srivilliputhur (formerly with Tinnevelly District and later with Ramanathapuram District) referred to them as Devendra Kudumban.<ref>{{Cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=i8dp_b7GBrEC&pg|title=Political Change and Agrarian Tradition in South India, C. 1600-1801: A Case ... |last=Venkatasubramanian|first=T.K|publisher=Mittal Publications Press|year=1986|isbn=978052154885|location=|pages=52|language=en}}</ref> == Notable members == *[[Veeran Sundaralingam]], was an 18th-century CE general from [[Tamil Nadu]], [[India]]. *[[Immanuvel Devendrar]], was a 19th-century CE freedom fighter from Tamil Nadu, India. *[[K. Krishnasamy]], is a physician turned politician who founded and currently acts as president of the party [[Puthiya Tamilagam]]. *P.John pandian#<nowiki>https://twitter.com</nowiki> › johnpandiantm...John Pandian (@JohnPandianTMMK) | Twitter ==References== {{Reflist}} [[Category:Indian castes]] [[Category:Tamil society]] [[Category:Hindu communities]] [[Category:Social groups of Tamil Nadu]]'