Sri Lankan Tamil Vellalar

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Contents 1 Origin 2 Misconception 3 Quotation from Kailaya Malai 4 Vellalars Today

[edit] Origin

The origin of the Vellalar families in Jaffna is chronicled in the Kailaya Malai and Vaipava Malai. This gives a brief description on the background of the families that settled down in Jaffna. The Collapse of the Chola empire and the subsequent domination of non-tamil clans in Tamil Nadu may have precipitated the migration. What is clear is that most of these families had titles or surnames such as "Rayan", "Theva", "Mudali", "Mappanan" and "Malavan".

[edit] Misconception

Tamil journalist D. Sivaram errenously believes these titles are unique to the Thevar caste [1]. Any Tamil historian knows that these titles are shared by a range of communities including Vellalas, Thevars, Vanniyars and others. titles usch as Mappanan, Mudali and Rayan are indeed more specific to the Vellalars. So we have to accept Kailaya Malai and Vaipava Malai when they claim that these families are Vellalar chiefs with a distinguished background in Tamilakam.

The whole range of essays from D. Sivaram contain glaring errors and ommissions. He comfortably avoids families of Vellala origin and talks about hypothesis. A glaring ommission is the fact that most of the Chieftains had the "Plough Flag" as their clan flag. This must atleast be obvious to people that the flag is of agricultural Chiefs and not of the hypothetical non-vellalar clans that Sivaram claims[2]. Another important fact is that Vellalars from Thondai Nadu had Mudali as their title (Taninayaga and Maanadukanda).

The Kailaya Malai below gives a brief description of the important clans and their place of origin in Tamil Nadu [3] . These are of 13th Century origin and hence before the Telugu/Mughal domination of Tamil Nadu.

[edit] Quotation from Kailaya Malai

The king after ascending the throne appointed as his Primo Minister, Buvaneka Vaku, a learned Brahman of a high family in Madura, and made him reside at Nallur. He made Pandi Malava of Ponpattiyur, formerly of Venkatagiri, a man of Gengakula a man who had a plough flag, a man of great generosity and liberality, who was fully disposed to feed the poor and rich alike, to reside as Tirunelveli with his brother and brother-in-law. Chempaka Malava. Next came in Narasinga Deva of the Tuluva clan of the Vellala division; a man of Gengakula and a nobleman of worldwide fame. who freely patronised the learn, and used to wear a garland of waterlilies, was a great lover of learning, whose native place was Kaviriyur. He was made to resider at Mayiliddi.

Then came another leading Vellala who had a plough flag whose native place was Valinagar. He had the appearance of cupid; he was well versed in all the three branches of Tamil and his name was Chenpala Mappana. He and a relation of his called Chandrasekar Mappana and another called Kanakaraya. a Vellan Chetty by caste who used to wear a garland of cummin, were made to reside at Tellippalai, a place of great. fertility and of never-failing water-supply and of unique distinction. The next was the Vellala of Kovalur who had a plough flag and a garland of water-lilies, He was a man of great influence, learning and charming appearance, and his name was Perayiraua He was made to reside at Inuvil, a village abounding with sugarcane, plantain and arecanut trees and with paddy fields.

The next was a Vellala of Kachehur, whose hands were liberal as the Kalpa tree. He had a garland of water-lilies, he was a man of great wealth and of handsome appearance. He was of incomparanle valour, and of great devotion to Siva, and his name was Nilakanda. He and his four brother were made to reside at Pachilatpalli. The next was the Vellala of Sikari, a man of great intelligence who had a garland of water-lilies. He was famous for truthfulness, learning, civility, industry and was full of resource. He had a commanding appearance, and his name was Kanaka Malava. He with his four brothers was made to reside at Puloli.

The next was the Vellala of Kupakam. He was as wealthy as Kubera, he had a garland of water-lilies, he was a patron of the learned, he had a plong fiag and his name was Kupakarendra. He and Narangufeva a relation of his, famous for charitable deds, were made to rsside at Tholpuram, a town without an equal. The next was the Vellala of Pullur, an Arjuna in archery a Bhima in warfare, a Karna in liberality, a Dharma in fame and forbearance, whose name, was Devarajendra. He had corwn of gold set with precious stones, He was asked to reside at Koyilakkandi.

The next was the Vellala of the family of him who shed over kamban a shower of gold for the work of Erezhupatu, whose country was Tondainade, who had a widespread name, who used to wear a lotus garland and whose name was Maanadukanda Mudali. He was made to reside at Irupalai. The next was the Vellala of Seyur, who was as wealthy as Indra, and who never deviated from the path of visture. whose garland was of water lilies. Whose fame was great and whose paternal and maternal lines were matchless and pure and whose name was Taninayaga. He was made a ehief of Neduntiva. The next was the Vellala of Vanchi, whose name was pallava. He with two other chiefs, was placed at Velinadu.

The kind having appinted these, thought of appinting headmen and other servants and accordingly appointed Valliamatakan, a man of great valour and power, to be the headman of the Western division; Imaiyana to be the headman of the Northern division; Chenpaka Matakan, a powerful man whose name was known even as far as the Himalayas, to be the headman of the Eastern division; Vetti Matakan, a man of great power, to be the headman of the Southern division; Virasingan who fought several battles and an experienced soldier, to be the commander-in-chief of his army.

[edit] Vellalars Today

A wide range of communities claim Vellala ancestry today. Many of them unrelated to the earlier migrants. But they rely on the early history and migration to create an aura of aristocracy. But what is obviously still visible is the tradional and convervative nature of the religion Saivite Hinduism practiced among Jaffna Tamils. They follow a conservative brand of Saiva Siddhanta which follow Agamic and Sanksritic features. In this they are similar to Saiva Vellalars of India who also consider themselves the custodians of Saiva Adheenams and Saivite Culture. Chrisitan Vellalas in Jaffna are very influential in all spheres and dominate the priesthood as well. Caste System is not formally practiced at all in the tamil society or diaspora. But Tamils in Sri Lanka still frequently quote from the kailaya malai or vaipava malai to claim their links to the Royal Houses of Tamil Nadu and their arsitocratic origins.