Vettuva Gounder
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Vettuva Gounder or Vettuva Goundan is an endogamous social group or caste of indigenous tribal origin and are a Tamil speaking people in the Erode area of West Tamil Nadu state.
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[edit] Ethnic roots
Vettuva Gounders are from agricultural family background like other gounders. Vettuva gounder's ancestors from the devotional legend of Siva bhakta Kannappan. They are from Khalhasti and moved from there to south. The largest pocket of people are located in Erode, Madurai, Coimbatore, Bhavanishakar and also near Thirunelveli.
[edit] Feudal past
In Tamil language the word Vettuvan or Vetan means a hunter. The word is derived from the noun Vettu or to cut. Many hunter gatherer tribes across Tamil nadu and neighboring Kerala are still referred to as Vetan or Vetar. Vettuva Pulayar is a name of a significant caste in Kerala. This term is etymologically related to Sinhalese Vedda and Telugu Bedda for primitive tribes.
When the changes taking place everywhere, the culture of urban centric changed after consolidation by kings and Britisher. Today, they built a rich heritage of GOUNDER COMMUNITY with civilized and treated as a respected class. They usually called OORU Gounders ( Head of Village) where they live. Apparently the clan divisions between a settled group commonly known as Vellala Gounder and Vettuva Gounder show similarities .
Both communities did an assimilation of hunting groups into settled agricultural groups. The historical war between Vellala Gounder and Vettuvas is mentioned in the mythical local Annamar-Appachimar story where the latter were defeated.
The most of the people are most backward in nature basis of per captia income as per Tamilnadu government gazette.
[edit] Vettuva Gounders Marriage
Gounders marriageKalyanam are actually multi-day functions and happen on non-consecutive days.
The marriage function starts with "murtha kall", the function marks the initiation of marriage and it is performed in front of house by installing a Vebbala stick tied with a yellow cloth filled with navadhanyas. During the day of murtha kall pooja, bride/bridegroom family will do the fasting and eat after pooja.
The marriage starts usually modern custom of combining marriage and Nichiyadartham betrothal together. The Bride is offered with Cloths and gold from bridegroom family. bridegrooms sisters will keep flower and tilak to bride. During that time , bride and bride grooms history of their family they usually starts from kalhasti to their current genration will be explained ( Kulam othudhal), usually by elder of the family( pangalis).
Later, they do the Seer (series of rituals). Bride groom will be shaven by bride's family barber( Barber are usually expertise in medicines and body condition. He will ensure that bride groom is really fit). Next ritual will be a taking bath infront of bride's male members for the reassurance of bridegrooms health by the relatives. Similarly Bride will also take bath in front of bridegrooms female members and usually bridegrooms sister will dress the bride to ensure she is healthy.
On the marriage day, there will be puja performed on nattukal on early morning for both bride and bridegroom. Followed by that murtham with thalli tying, they play games for building intimacy.
Bride will be taken to bridegrooms house and back to brides house. next available good dayyannai theiypuu, they do the oil bath to prepare bride and bridegroom to relieve the stress and prepare for their first night together, usually in the bridegroom's place. Bride's father and mother and pangalis will visit to their sanmabnthi's with sweets and kara sampanthi allippu. They mix and share and eat. it is an official meet. Now days, they will also arrange a non-veg meal to show their wealth and retreat each other.
[edit] Clans or Kootams
Vettuva gounder community has sub groups called Kullam more than 26. These Kullam's are primarily for the purpose of marriage and as well as their specialization of activity. There are people who rule the group called Vandha vettuvar ( King ancedant)
[edit] Prominent Vettuva Gounders
[edit] Politics
Kandasamy, Ex. MP karur constiutency
Late MR OS Duraisamy Gounder,Ex MLC,Kottarathotam, Erode.
Mr.O Subramanaian, Current Bhavnisagar MLA
Mr.Chaidmabaram, Ex. Bhavnisagar MLA
Mr.G. K subramanian Navarasam, Ex. Bhavnisagar MLA
Mr. Chinnasamy, Ex MP, MLA
Durisamy ,Sidapet EX MLA,
Mr.Kumar Muruges current erode municipal Chairman
[edit] Services
Late Paramashivam Ex Chief Minster MGR's personal sectrey
Rakkiappan Ex. Chief engineer PWD
M P Sampath Ex. Additional Chief Engineer TNEB
Arunachalam Ex. Advisory board TNEB
Ramalingam Ex. SE electricity Board
Krishansamy IAS, Currently serving in Revenue dept
Sasikumar Chandran, Head Quality (AS9100) , EDRC
B.R.THANIKASALAM. BE.,, ASSISTANT ENGINEER / TNEB / ERODE
[edit] Educationalists
Late Kalvi Kadal K.V.Kallipa Gounder Educationlist, Pulaimpatti
Mrs Thanagavel Amman educational Units
[edit] Academics
Nageshwaran Professor Maths dept Gobi Arts college
Amasaiappan, Prof REC trichi,
Dr. Chellapan , Professor, IRTE
S.P.PALANISWAMY, Professor(RTD), GOVT.ARTS, COVAI
[edit] Judicial
C.KUppusamy, Majestrate, Srivallipthur,
Loganathan,Legal advisior Crime branch Erode region,
[edit] Business
Hothippan Industrialist United Kingdom
Chinasamy Gaythiri Industries
Agro indutries Kuppsamy & family, coimbatore
[edit] Film Industry
Navarasm G.K. Subramainan Film Actor
Eswara Murthy Film Director
[edit] Misclleanious
You can find in Yahoo groups and Google orkut for community people groups
