Muthuraja

2023-10-02T05:48:40Z

Palaekari: Palaekari

{{About|the Indian caste called Muthuraja||Muttaraiyar (disambiguation){{!}}Muttaraiyar}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=May 2016}}
{{Use Indian English|date=May 2016}}
{{Infobox ethnic group
| image =
| caption =
| group = Muthuraja
| popplace = [[Tamil Nadu]] , [[Andhra Pradesh]], [[Telangana]]
| languages = [[Tamil language|Tamil]], [[Telugu language|Telugu]]
| religions = [[Hinduism]]
| related-c =
| related_groups = [[Mudiraju]]

}}
'''Muthuraja''' or '''Mutharaiyar''' is a [[Tamil language|Tamil]] and [[Telugu language|Telugu]]<ref>{{cite book|editor1-first=Venkatesh B. |editor1-last=Athreya |editor2-first=Göran |editor2-last=Djurfeldt |editor3-first=Staffan |editor3-last= Lindberg |title=Barriers broken: production relations and agrarian change in Tamil Nadu |publisher= Sage Publications|year=1990 |page=25 |isbn=9780803996397 |quote=The Muthurajas are descendants of the soldiers which the poligars recruited in their homeland, the Telugu-speaking areas of contemporary Andhra Pradesh, north of Tamil Nadu. Like other castes originating from Andhra, they are bilingual, often speaking Telugu in family circles and Tamil outside the house |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=VwbtAAAAMAAJ}}</ref><ref>{{cite book|editor1=Eveline Masilamani-Meyer |title=Kattavarayan Katai |publisher=Otto Harrassowitz Verlag|year=2004|page=19|isbn=9783447047128 |quote=Among the Telugu castes that came to Tamilnadu were the Mutturajas or Mutrāchas. | url=https://books.google.com/books?id=iw7SL2QrgcQC&pg=PA19}}</ref><ref>{{cite book|editor1=K. M. Venkataramaiah |title=A handbook of Tamil Nadu|publisher=International School of Dravidian Linguistics |year=1996|page=425|isbn=9788185692203 |quote=Muthuracha: A Telugu caste found in some districts of Tamil Nadu, the Muthuracha (muthurācha) is also called Muttaraiyan. Some are talaiyāris or watchmen of villages. They seem to be a major sect in the coastal villages of Andhra Pradesh| url=https://books.google.com/books?id=2pAMAQAAMAAJ&q=Muthuracha}}</ref><ref>{{cite book|editor1=L. D. Sanghvi |editor2=V. Balakrishnan |editor3=Irawati Karmarkar Karve |title=Biology of the People of Tamil Nadu |year=1981|page=21|quote=Mutracha (MT) Mutracha is primarily a Telugu caste found in the southern districts of Andhra Pradesh. They were employed by the Vijayanagar kings to defend their frontiers when they entered Tamil Nadu and were honoured with the title of Paligar. They speak Telugu. In Tamil Nadu|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=bxiAAAAAMAAJ&q=%2C+++++andhra+Pradesh+frontiers++honoured++paligar++vijayanagar++more+numerous+++Tiruchirappalli}}</ref> speaking [[Landlord|Landowning]] community prevalent in southern India.They are originated from [[Mutharaiyar dynasty]]. In mutharaiyar castes palaekari dhoravar

== Etymology ==
The etymology of the community name is unclear. The names Muthuraja and Muthuraiyar may be derived from two words, the [[Tamil language|Tamil]] name ''muthu'' meaning "pearl" and ''raja'' or ''raiyar'' both meaning "king".<ref name=":0">{{Cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=kkppAgAAQBAJ|title=Sacred Groves and Local Gods: Religion and Environmentalism in South India|last=Kent|first=Eliza F.|date=2013-03-26|publisher=Oxford University Press|isbn=9780199895472|pages=33–34|language=en}}</ref> ''Muttaraiyar'' may also be derived from ''mundru'' meaning "three" and ''tharai'' meaning "earth", which was also a title of [[Velir]] chiefs.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.tamilvu.org/library/ldpam/ldpam07/ldpam072/html/ldpam072ind.htm|title=A Comprehensive Etymological Dictionary of the Tamil Language|website=www.tamilvu.org|publisher=Government of Tamil Nadu|page=200|access-date=2018-12-03}}</ref>{{qn|date=July 2020}}

Their title '''Ambalakkarar''' is derived from the Tamil word ''ambalam'' meaning [[Gram panchayat|panchayat]] or "village council", as they served as the heads of these councils.<ref name=":0" />
==Origin==
According to Tamil historians, the Muttarayar are said to have invaded kingdoms in Tamil Nadu around the 2nd century CE from [[Erumainadu]], which is identified with the area in and around modern [[Mysore]] in [[Karnataka]].<ref name=erumainad>{{cite book|title=Bulletin, Volume 3, Issue 2|author=Anthropological Survey of India|publisher=India. Dept. of Anthropology|page=8}}</ref>{{full|date=July 2020}}

They seem to have established themselves as lords of the [[Thanjavur]] district in Tamilnadu around this time. The most famous of this [[Mutharaiyar dynasty]] were [[Perumbidugu Mutharaiyar]], also called Kuvavan Maaran, his son Maaran Parameswaran, alias Ilangovadiaraiyan, and [[Perumbidugu Mutharaiyar II]], alias Suvaran Maaran.<ref>{{cite book|title=Feudatories of South India, 800-1070 A.D.|author=Ve Pālāmpāḷ|publisher=Chugh Publications |year=1978|page=135}}</ref>{{qn|date=July 2020}}<ref>{{cite book|title=Hero-stones in Tamilnadu|author=Naṭan̲a Kācinātan̲|publisher=Arun Publications |year=1978|page=20}}</ref>{{qn|date=July 2020}}

During the 7th to 8th centuries, they served as feudatories of the [[Pallava]]s and controlled the fertile plains of the Kaveri region. An inscription in the [[Tiru Parameswara Vinnagaram|Vaikuntha Perumal temple]] in Kanchipuram mentions a Muttaraiyar chief receiving [[Nandivarman II]] Pallavamalla at the latter's coronation.<ref>{{cite book|title=Geographical Names in Ancient Indian Inscriptions|first=Parmanand |last=Gupta|publisher=Concept Publishing Company |year=1977|page=55}}</ref> According to historian T. A. Gopinatha Rao, this chief was Perumbidigu Muthurayar II,<ref>{{cite book|title=Social and cultural history of Tamilnad, Volume 1|author=N. Subrahmanian|publisher=Ennes |year=1993|page=66}}</ref> who is styled as Kalvara Kalvan in this epigraph.<ref>{{cite book|title=Geographical Names in Ancient Indian Inscriptions|author=Parmanand Gupta|publisher=Concept Publishing Company |year=1977|page=55}}</ref> According to historian Mahalingam, he fought along with Udayachandra, the Pallava general of Nandivarman II, in at least twelve battles against the [[Chera]]s and [[Pandya]]s.<ref>{{cite book|title=The Body of God: An Emperor's Palace for Krishna in Eighth-Century Kanchipuram|author=D Dennis Hudson|publisher=Oxford University Press |year=2008|page=541}}</ref> When the Cholas came to power in 850, [[Vijayalaya Chola]] wrested control of Tanjore from the Urayur and turned them into vassals.<ref>{{cite book|title=The political structure of early medieval South India|author=Kesavan Veluthat|publisher=Orient Longman, 1993|page=112}}</ref>

The early rulers of the dynasty seem to have encouraged [[Jainism]]. The Jain acharya Vimalachandra from [[Sravanabelagola]] is said to have visited Suvaran Maaran's court and challenged the [[Saivas]], [[Kapalika]]s, [[Pasupata]]s and [[Buddhist]]s.<ref>{{Cite book|title=Political, Legal And War Philosophy In Ancient India|author=H.S. Bhatia|publisher=Deep and Deep Publications, 2001|page=180}}</ref>

==Demographics==
The [[Tamil language|Tamil]] Speaking Muthuraja are densely distributed in the [[Tiruchirappalli district|Tiruchirappalli]], [[Pudukkottai district|Pudukkottai]], [[Thanjavur district|Thanjavur]], [[Karur district|Karur]], [[Madurai]], [[Dindigul]], [[Perambalur district|Perambalur]] and [[Sivagangai district|Sivagangai]] districts of [[Tamil Nadu]].

The [[Telugu language|Telugu]] speaking Muthuraja Naidu comparatively fewer in number are mostly distributed in the [[Chennai district|Chennai]], [[Tiruvallur district |Tiruvallur]], [[Kanchipuram district|Kanchipuram]], [[Vellore district|Vellore]], [[Tiruvannamalai district|Tiruvannamalai]], [[Viluppuram district |Viluppuram]] and [[Cuddalore district |Cuddalore]] districts of northern [[Tamil Nadu]].

== Literature ==
One of the most notable Muthuraja people was Peru Mutharaiyar, who was known for his great wealth and grand feasts. Two stanzas (200, 296) of ''[[Nālaṭiyār]]'', a [[Jainism|Jain]] work of ancient [[Tamil literature]], is dedicated to him.<ref>{{cite book|title=Studies in South Indian Jainism: South Indian Jainism|author=M. S. Ramaswami Ayyangar, B. Seshagiri Rao|publisher=Sri Satguru Publications |year=1982|page=56}}</ref> Another work called ''Muttolaayiram'' which is part of the Tamil anthology lauds the exploits of the Mutturaja chieftains.<ref name=erumainad/>

==See also==
*[[Perumbidugu Mutharaiyar]]
*[[Ilango Mutharaiyar]]
*[[Kannappa Nayanar]]
*[[Thirumangai Alvar]]
*[[Thenpandi Singam]]

==References==
{{Reflist}}

[[Category:Pudukkottai state]]
[[Category:Social groups of Tamil Nadu]]

User:Palaekari/sandbox

2023-10-02T05:39:18Z

Palaekari: Palaekari

Koose Munisamy Veerappan[3][4] (18 January 1952 – 18 October 2004) was an Indian bandit turned domestic terrorist who was active for 36 years, and kidnapped major politicians for ransom. He was charged with sandalwood smuggling and poaching of elephants in the scrub lands and forests in the states of Tamil Nadu, Karnataka and Kerala. <ref></ref><ref></ref><gallery>
File:Sandalwood Veerappan.JPG|palaekari veerappan dhoravar
</gallery><references />

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Muthuraja

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