Gounder
Gounder is a title used by various Tamil castes from Tamil Nadu state in India. It is primarily used by the Kongu Vellalar, who are, ritually a high caste involved in agriculture and mercantile activities. Kongu Vellalars are subdivided into numerous sub communities. They are present in the districts of Coimbatore, Erode, Salem, Dindukkal, Palani Dharmapuri and Nilagiris and Palakad in Kerala.
Kongu Vellalar are the dominant agricultural community in Kongu Nadu located in western Tamil Nadu, India.
They were all originally agriculturalists and consider Kongu Nadu, an ancient division of Tamil Nadu as their ancestral land.[1][2] There are sub-divisions such as Vellala Gounder, Naatu Gounder etc. All these communities fall under the Kongu Vellalar caste[3].
A number of other castes such as Vanniar, Vettuvar, and Gollar also use this tile.[4] Gounders are noted for their upward social mobility,[5] and like other communicaties said to be engaging in violence against untouchable castes.[6]
This title is equivalent to Gowd, Goud, Gowda in the state of Karnataka[7].
References
- ^ Guilmoto, C (2005). Fertility Transition in South India. SAGE Publications. p. 274. ISBN 978-0761932925.
{{cite book}}: Unknown parameter|coauthors=ignored (|author=suggested) (help) - ^ Mattison, M. (1985). The Warrior Merchants: Textiles, Trade and Territory in South India. Cambridge University Press. p. 95. ISBN 978-0521267144.
- ^ The Valayar of South India, by Erram Desingu Setty
- ^ Brill-Leiden, E.J. Contributions to Asian Studies, P. 8
- ^ Sharad Chari (2004). Fraternal Capital: peasant-workers, self-made men and globalisation in provincial India. Stanford University Press. ISBN 9780804748735.
- ^ "Caste discrimination and untouchability practices" (PDF). People's Union for Civil Liberties. Retrieved 2008-11-03.
{{cite web}}: Italic or bold markup not allowed in:|publisher=(help) - ^ Encyclopaedia of Backward Castes, by Neelam Yadav
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