| Thondaiman • Sivaji Ganesan • Bharathiraja • Vairamuthu • Samy Vellu |
| Total population |
|---|
| 65,00,000 (10% of Tamil population)[1] |
| Regions with significant populations |
| Tamilnadu, Sri Lanka, Malaysia |
| Languages |
| Religion |
| Related ethnic groups |
Kallar (Tamil: கள்ளர்) are a community found in the central and south-eastern parts of the Indian state of Tamil Nadu. The Kallar, along with the Maravar and Akamudayar, constitute the Mukkulathor confederacy, a united social caste on the basis of parallel professions, though their locations and heritages are wholly separate from one another.[2]
The earliest references to the Kallar community go back to the Sangam period when they are believed to have inhabited the Paalai regions. However, recorded history of the community starts only in the 17th century AD, when Kallar chieftains of the Vijayanagar kings established their own small kingdoms, the most important of them being the Pudukkottai kingdom. Criminalized by the British through the controversial Criminal Tribes Act, Kallars predominate in the districts of Madurai, Thanjavur, Tiruvarur, Pudukkottai and Tiruchirappalli. In recent times, Kallars have diversified into many professions. Kallars are not in kshathriya varna. They are in vellala varna. it is the last varna in hinduism.
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A number of British colonial writers, including Edward Balfour[3], noted that the term kallar or culler mean "thief" in Tamil, and suggest that as the origin of the caste's name, given that their history has included periods of banditry.[4] Alternate theories derive Kallar from the Sanskrit and Tamil term kalla (black),[5] postulating that Aryan groups referred to the Dravidians as Kalla.[6]
Kallars are the thiefs used in the war to steal cows from other country.
Historians postulate that Pandians are Maravar . A Pandiyan king was mentioned as Kallar Perumagan Thennavan. Also the bulk of Kallar warriors were serving in the Pandian army. After the end of Pandian Rule, then Pandi nadu, Was ruled by Kallar Ambalakkarrars..
The downfall of the Mukkulathors occurred in 1345 CE 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.}
Ambalakarar were feudal chiefs of the villages and towns they ruled during 18th century. They were a warlike people who strongly resisted every British attempt to subjugate them. They are found in Madurai, Trichy and Sivaganga districts. In these districts, each village is headed by an ambalam (president of an assembly) and the ambalam took upon themselves the power to adjudicate disputes that arose among the inhabitants in the Nadu, belonging to different castes. They used to hear complaints, hold inquiries and punish the offenders. They wielded considerable powers to intervene in any kind of transaction or transfer of property among the people. No land could be alienated from one man to another without the permission of the ambalams. The sur-name Ambalam is given to them, because of their administration in their villages. So they are mostly called as Ambalam.
In Tamil Nadu, Kallars are called by various surnames. These names comes to them during various times by the place they have ruled and the names of the battlefields on which they fought. There are over 2,000 surnames in use among the community.[7]
Paluvettaraiyar, Malayaman, Adigaman, Thevar, Mannaiyar, Rajaliyar, Vallavaraiyar, Thanjaraayar, Pallavaraayar, Vandaiyar, Thondaiman, Etrandaar, Vaanavaraayar, Servai, Amballakkarar, 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, Onthiriyar, Serumadar, Vambaliar, Thenkondaar, Mankondaar,vengalapar,maluchuthiyar etc.
Another important Kallar subcaste is the Piramalai Kallar. They are highly conservative and have preserved their customs and traditions to the present day. They are also believed to be the oldest inhabitants of the Tamil country with reports of their presence going back to Tamil literary works of the 4th century B.C. They are found mainly in the districts of Madurai, Dindigul and Theni. Their popular deity is Amman, the Mother Goddess.
Other important subcastes are Koothappar Kallars, Periyasuriyur Kallars, Gandarvakoatai Kallars Esanattu Kallars and vallanatu kallar found largely dominated in Thanjavur, Pudukkottai &Trichy Districts.
It is a general practice in Tamil Nadu to address a Thevar woman as "Nachchiyaar"
Thenpandi Singam by M. Karunanidhi is a book about Ambalakarars, for which the author was awarded the "Raja Rajan Award" by Tamil University, Thanjavur. The book was also serialised on Sun TV, with music composed by Ilaiyaraaja.[8]