Kallar (caste)

Kallar

Total population
65,00,000 (10% of Tamil population)
Regions with significant populations
Tamilnadu
Languages
Tamil
Religion
Hinduism
Related ethnic groups
Mukkulathors, Maravars, Agamudaiyars,

File:PMThevar.gif

Pasumpon Muthuramalinga Thevar The Undisputable Leader of Mukkulathor (From Subcaste – Maravar)

Kallar (Tamil: கள்ளர்) (meaning "Veerar"), is one of the three castes which constitute the Mukkalathor confederacy. "a fearless community show many signs of independence and non-submission to any form of subjugation". Kallars are found largely in Thanjavur, Trichy, Pudukkottai, Madurai, Dindigul, Sivagangai, Karur, kanchipuram, Theni and Ramanathapuram districts of Tamil Nadu.

Mukkulathor (Thevar)

Mukkulathor Means Three clans (Kallar, Maravar and Agamudayar) Combinedly called as Thevar (Estimated population 1,30,00,000).

Kallar, Maravar and Agamudayar are siblings and the Desendents of the Three clans chera, chola and Pandian. Thevar (Derived from Sanskrit Devar) means God early days Kings were portrayed as god and called as Thevar. Later the descendents of Muvenders were called as thevars.

Surnames

In Tamilnadu Kallars are called by various Surnames, these names comes to them during various times by the place they have ruled, the place they won in battle or to state their bravery.

There are over 1000 surnames in use. There are no other Castes in Tamilnadu have this many Surnames. Some of the commonly used Surnames are.

Vandaiyar, Paluvettaraiyar, Malayaman, Adigaman,Mannaiyar, Rajaliyar, Vallavaraiyar, Thanjaraayar, Pallavaraayar, Thondaiman, Etrandaar, Vaanavaraayar, Servai, Amballakkarar, Thevar, Sethurayar, Soma Naicker, Muniyarayar(Munaiyatriyar), Thondamar, Mayrkondar, Kallathil Venrar, , Nattar (not Nadar), Cholagar, kumarandar, Anjathevar, Olivarayar, Sendapiriyar, Alathondamar, Ambalam, Aarsuthiyar, Kaadavaraayar, Kalingarayar, Vandaiyaar, Veeramundar, Sepillaiyar, Vallundar, Chozhangaraayar, Kandiyar, Mazhavaraayar, Kommatti Mootar, Kannakkarar, Irungular, Singilaar, Ponnapoondar, Pullavaraayar, Araimeendar, Vairayar, Ponpethiar, Gopalar, Kandapillai, Vayaadiyar, Vanniar, Vallambar, Alankara Priyar, mavaliyar, Keerudayar, Saaluvar, Manraayar, Madhavarayar, Onthiriyar, Serumadar, Vambaliar, Thenkondaar, Mankondaar, etc.

It is a general practice in Tamil Nadu to address a Thevar woman as "Nachchiyaar"

During sangam

Thondaiman

The kings (Araiyars), were ruling Thondai Nadu, There are Hundreds of records pertaining to this dynasty. Thondai in Tamil means Kilay or pirivu, Pallava in Sanskrit defines the same, so Pallavas or Thondaiman are considered as a offshoot of Cholas later become an Prominent rulers.

Malayaman

The kings (Araiyars) ruled Tirukkoyilur during Chola kingdom with the title Malayaman (which is one of the family name of Kallar community). They were in close relation with Cholas. Sangam literature mentions of Tirumudikari, a Malayaman chief who fought alongside Perunarkilli Chola to defeat Cheral Irumporai (Irumporai Cheras). Vastly, Cholas, Cheras and even Satavahanas controlled the destiny in times.

Adigaman

The kings were ruling Tagadur, present villupuram district, One of The Four kingdoms Mentioned in rock-edict of Ashoka. Adigaman Naduman Anji King of Tagadur is Mentioned in rock-edict of Ashoka as Satyaputra Inscriptions found from Villuppuram Proves that stating Adigaman(which is one of the family name of Kallar community). as Satyaputra Adhiyan Neduman Anji intha Pali.

Chola

The Chola Dynasty (Tamil:சோழர் குலம்) was a Tamil dynasty that ruled primarily in southern India until the 13th century the other two royal dynastys were Pandian and Chera. The meaning of chola Is unknown. Chera, chola and pandian are considered as Siblings.

The dynasty originated in the fertile valley of the Kaveri River. Karikala Chola was the most famous among the early Chola kings, while Aditya I, Parantaka I, Rajaraja Chola I, Rajendra Chola I, Rajadhiraja Chola, Virarajendra Chola, Kulothunga Chola I and Kulothunga Chola III were notable emperors of the medieval Cholas.

Chera, chola and pandian are commonly called as Thevar to mean they are desendents of Lord Indra. But specially cholas were called by many Surnames all these surnames (Mel kondar, Chozangar, Thevar etc.) are now used by Kallars only shows that Cholas are from the Royal Kallar community. The Bramanda puranas Puvindra puranam and Kalla Kesari Purannam also Mentions the same.

Many Archaeologists and Historians Also proves that Cholas are Kallar.

Lots of mariages takes place between cholas with malavarayar, malayaman, Paluvettaraiyar,Melkondar and Vallavaraiyar. they also belongs to Kallar community.

Pallavas

The Pallava kingdom (Tamil: பல்லவர்) was an ancient South Indian tamil kingdom. Later they extended their rule to further south and established their capital at Kanchipuram around the 4th century CE. They rose in power during the reign of Mahendravarman I (571 – 630 CE) and Narasimhavarman I (630 – 668 CE) and dominated the Telugu and northern parts of Tamil region for about six hundred years until the end of the 9th century. The word Pallava means branch in Sanskrit. The word is rendered as Tondaiyar in Tamil language. The Pallava kings at several places are called Thondamans or Thondaiyarkon. The territory of the Pallavas was known as Tundaka Visaya or Tundaka Rashtra. The sancrit meaning of pallava is Kilay The tamil Thondai means the same, it proves that pallavas are desendents (Kilay or Pirivu) of chola.

Pathupattu, one of the sangam literatures, reads that the king Thondaiman Ilandirayan ruled this town around 2500 years ago. The pallavas are told as the descendents of Thondaiman Ilandirayan.

They were also called by surnames like sethurayar pallavarayar vandarayar, kadurayar,Vallavarayar,vanathirayar,kaliyarayar etc. all these surnames are used by Kallrs only. Proves that Pallavar are Decendents of Chola (Kallar).

Tamil copper-plate inscriptions

The discovery of Indian copper plate inscriptions provided a relative abundance of new evidence for use in evolving a chronicle of India's elusive history.

During chola rule there were many small kings(Araiyar) were Ruling there Respective area under Chola.Some of the names are seen in Tamil copper-plate inscriptions was also mentioned in Ponniyin Selvan (Tamil historical novel written by Kalki Krishnamurthy

• Paluvettaraiyar(பழுவேட்டரையன்)
• Malayaman(மலையமான்)
• Vallavaraiyar(வல்லவரையன்)
• Muniaraiyar
• Nilakkilar
• Kaliyaraiyar
• Puvaraiyar
• Velar(வேளார்)
• Vanataraiyar
• Thondaiman(தொண்டைமான்)
• Nayakavadiyar

During Vijayanagar Empire

The downfall of the Mukkulathors occurred in 1345 with the fall of Vira Pandyan IV and the subsequent conquest of Madurai by the Delhi Sultanate. However, the southern territories of the Sultanate soon asserted their independence and the Mukkulathors recovered under the Vijayanagar Empire and later under the Nayak dynasty during whose period they served as Polygars or chieftains.

The northern parts of Tamilnadu Behind Kongu nadu was called as Kallar Nadu (Thanjavur, Trichy, Pudukkottai and part of Madurai.) and was governed by kallar Polygors

Notable Reformers

Although there are Many Kings, Polygors ,Zamindars and Land lords the main occupation of kallar is Warrior, hence many Kallar Families struggled for income During British rule and after independence.. There were many reformers served for their Community.

• Pasumpon Muthuramalinga Thevar (முத்து ராமலிங்க தேவர்)

- Freedom fighter, social reformer, a descendant of pandiya kings and known for his relationship with Nethaji

• P. K. Mookayya Thevar (1923 – 1979) (மூக்கையா தேவர் )

-Founder of the Pasumpon Muthuramalinga Thevar college, President of All India Forward Bloc.

• Zamindar Gopalsamy Rajaliar (மேன்மை பொருந்திய வா. கோபாலசாமி ரகுநாத இராசாளியார்)

-Philanthropist, President indra kuladibar sangam.

• H. R. H. Rajagopala Tondaiman, Maharajah of Pudukottai (Thondaiman dynasty of Pudukkottai)
• Late Rao Bahadur Sri. A.Veeriya Vandayar (Poondi. Vandayar)
• Chevalier Nadikar Thilagam Sivaji Ganesan (நடிகர் திலகம் சிவாஜி கணேசன்)
• N.P.M Manicham Errthaandaar.(மக்கள் தொண்டர் ந.பா.மா மாணிக்கம் ஏற்றாண்டார்)

-Founder Mukkalathor Higher Secondary School and Tamilnadu Maanavar illam. Thiruverumbur, Founder Urimai murasu magazine(1954).

• Mayor of Trichy[Congress] - Charubala . R. Thondaiman
• Kallar community researcher[Nagapattinam] - Rajkumar Naattaar.

Current Status

Although a great many of the members are still agriculturalists, many have also progressed up the social ladder as doctors, engineers, entrepreneurs, politicians and civil servants. Large number of people from the community are serving the nation as military men. Large number of people serving the tamilnadu police department.

See Also

• Paluvettaraiyar
• Malayaman
• Thondaiman
• Mukkulathor

External References

• http://www.thevar.in
• http://www.thevarcommunity.com/
• http://www.devaronline.com/