Vellalar- are they only farm workers?

Vellalar- are they only farm workers?

Kesavan Veluthattu while translating the text in Tharisapally copper plates of CE489 for the   UK study group of  www.849ce.org.uk , translated Vellalar as “ farm workers”

Let us discuss whether it is an apt translation. Are they only mere farm workers?

“Tolkappiyam the ancient Tamil grammar, refers to four castes with distinct professions , the Arivar-men of knowledge who later came to be known as Brahmin, the ULAVAR thosewho plough the land later became the Vellalas”

According to the classical work, Silappadikaram, there was    a rudimentary hierarchial order  of social groups in which Ulavar , also called Vellalas, were assigned the first place. Ilanko Adugal, the author of Silapapdikaram said that farmers were responsible for the triumph of the king and wellbeing of the poor. There were two classes off farmers, The Vellala tenants and the Vellala landlords.

….The Vellala had the prerogative of making marital alliance with the royal household

…. The Vellalas ruled as powerful chieftains throughout the Sangam Times and the kings of the three ruling houses ,the Chola ,the Pandya and the Chera who themselves were Vellalas. The great kings like Karikala Ch ola and Cheran  Shenkuttavan married the daughter of Nankur Vel and Alumbil Vel respectively who were Vellalas.

(T .R. Seshaiyar, Dravidian Indi a Vol 1 p.178.)

The duties of the higher strata of Vellalas turned to Vedic learning, making sacrificial rites,giving alms, cultivating land, carrying on trade and tending cattles,while those of lower strata of V ellalasturned to giving alma,cultivating lands ,tending cattles ,carrying on trades and service to others excepting the study of Vedas.(Ibid p.179)

According to Manimekalai the word Vellala was interpreted as ”benevolence”(helping others)

Marshal (Mohenjo-Daro and Indus Civilization) says that Velal means man of Trident .Velan (Murukan or Subramanian  )is the god of Vellalas (H. Heras, Vellalas in Mohenjo-Daro The Indian Historical Quarterly Vol X1V, Calcutta pp245-255

 (T .Pazhani his Doctoral Thesis , Social change among Vellalas of Nanchinad , Pen Books 2003 p 26

In The Tamils eighteen hundred years ago Mr.V.Kanakasabhai Pillai writes that the  Farmers occupied the highest position .They   formed the nobility or the landed aristocracy of the country. They were also called Vellalar,” lords of the flood” or “karalar”, lords of the clouds,titles expressive of their skill in controlling floods, and in storing water for agricultural purposes.The Chera,Chola and Pandyan Kings an d most of their petty chiefs of Tamilakam belonged to the tribe of Vellalas.

Edgar Thurston& K .Rangachary <Castes and Tribes of South India Vol 7,Asian Educational services, N. Delhi 1993 p 368

In the Madras Census Report 1891Vellala is recorded as a caste ofJaines (Ibid p 389)

References

1. Edgar Thurston& K.Rengachary <Castes and Tribe sof South India Vol 7 Asian Educational services,N.Delhi

2. Kankasabhai Pillai V The Tamils Eighteen Hundred years Ago Asian Educational Services N.Delhi

1997

3.Pazani T.Dr, Social Change among Vellalas of Nanchinad Pen Books 1st Edn 2003