| 24 Manai Telugu Chettiar | |
|---|---|
| Classification | Warriors, Traders, Peasants |
| Religions | Hinduism, |
| Languages | Telugu, Tamil |
| Populated States | Andhra Pradesh, Tamil Nadu, Karnataka, Kerala. |
| Subdivisions | Six |
The 24 Manai Telugu Chettiars is an Indian caste found predominantly in the state of Tamil Nadu in India, especially in southern Theni Kambam, northern Dharmapuri and Krishnagiri districts. The total population in south India is approximately 10 million.
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24 Manai Telugu Chettiars community is believed to have originated from the trader communities who descended from Vijayanagar kingdom and settled around Madurai (1530-1781 CE) and Thanjavur (1530-1674 CE).
Thanjavur was the heart of the Chola dynasty (from the 9th century to the 13th), but in the second quarter of the sixteenth century a Telugu Nayak viceroy (Raghunatha Nayaka) was appointed by the emperor of Vijayanagar, thus establishing a court whose language was Telugu. Telugu Nayak rulers acted as the governors in the present day Tamil Nadu area with headquarters at Madurai(1530-1781 CE) and Thanjavur (1530-1674 CE).
After the collapse of Vijayanagar, Thanjavur and Madurai Nayaks became independent and ruled for the next 150 years until they were replaced by Marathas. This was the period when several Telugu families migrated from Andhra Pradesh and settled down in Thanjavur and Madurai.
The 24 Manai Telugu Cettiar community is called so because it consists of 24 Manai's or houses (similar to a gotra). These 24 houses are divided into two groups of consisting of 16 houses and one of 8 houses. According to tradition, people of one group only marry a person from the other group. Marrying within same house is strictly taboo.
Veedu/Kothras
16 veedu kothras: 1.Mummudiyar 2.vedasanthoor kolavar 3.kanithiyavar 4.Thillaiyavar 5.Paliviriyar 6.Chennaiyavar 7.Mathalaiyavar 8.Kothavangavar 9.Rajabhairavar 10.Vammaiyar 11.Kappavar 12.Tharishiyavar 13.Vajyavar 14.Kenthiyavar 15.Naliviraiyavar 16.Surayavar..
8 Veedu kothras:1.Makkadaiyar 2.korahaiyar 3.Marattaiyar 4.Kavalaiyar/irataiyar 5.Pillivangavar 6.Thavalaiyar 7.Soppiyar 8.Lottaiyavar
The linguistic origins of the word are derived from Dravidian languages. One theory is the root word is ETTI a Dravidian word that means 'look up,jump up or forward jerk and around simultaneously calling out to sell'. The obvious intention is to sell merchandise, to advertise/market loudly, to have an audience to sell their wares. In Kannada it is Setty, Shettar and Shettigar, as in "Saetru Eeyar", meaning people who "collect and donate".
Pl amend Kottayavar or Kottawar in the place of lottaiyar