Vellalar
Sign in to saveVellalar is a group of castes in the Indian states of Tamil Nadu and Kerala, and northeastern parts of Sri Lanka. The Vellalar are members of several endogamous castes such as the numerically strong Arunattu Vellalar, Chozhia Vellalar, Karkarthar Vellalar, Kongu Vellalar, Thuluva Vellalar and Sri Lankan Vellalar.
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Article
15 sectionsContents
- Etymology
- History
- In Sangam literature
- Post-Sangam period
- The Velir
- The Chola period
- Sri Lanka
- In Jainism
- In Christianity
- Current usage
- Social status
- See also
- Notes
- References
- Further reading
Vellalar is a group of castes in the Indian states of Tamil Nadu and Kerala, and northeastern parts of Sri Lanka. The Vellalar are members of several endogamous castes such as the numerically strong Arunattu Vellalar, Chozhia Vellalar, Karkarthar Vellalar, Kongu Vellalar, Thuluva Vellalar and Sri Lankan Vellalar.
==Etymology== The earliest occurrence of the term Velaalar (வேளாளர்) in Sangam literature is in Paripadal where it is used in the sense of a landowner. The term Velaalar (வேளாளர்) can be derived from the word Vel (வேள்), Vel being a title that was borne by the Velir chieftains of Sangam age among other things.