CandicePrenderga: adjust section additionally and cleaned formatting

2026-03-19T21:44:33Z

adjust section additionally and cleaned formatting

59.98.140.102: /* Origins */It was venad Kingdom. Not travancore. Travancore formed in 18 th century. There were lot of kerala Kings have name Marthanda Varma.

2021-08-23T14:49:54Z

Origins: It was venad Kingdom. Not travancore. Travancore formed in 18 th century. There were lot of kerala Kings have name Marthanda Varma.

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{{short description|Hindu agrarian caste}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=April 2017}}
{{more citations needed|date=November 2019}}
{{infobox ethnic group
| group = Reddiar
| total = 45,00,000
| regions = [[Tamil Nadu]] and [[Pondicherry]]
| rels = [[Hinduism]]
| langs = [[Tamil language|Tamil]], [[Telugu language|Telugu]]
| related = [[Reddy]]
| native_name =
| native_name_lang =
}}

'''Reddiar''' (also spelt as '''Reddiyar''') is a [[Telugu language|Telugu]] speaking land owning, agriculture and farming [[social group]] in [[Tamil Nadu]], [[Andhrapradesh]], and [[Telangana]].

Reddiars, [[Reddy]], Reddappa are considered and believed to come from the same origins and they spread across the lands of Southern and [[Central India]]. Political scientist [[Christophe Jaffrelot]] notes that Reddiyars were oddly classified as [[Shudra]] in spite they being a land-owning caste which originated from the Telugu country<ref>{{Cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=tDN0MinxMigC&pg=PA447&redir_esc=y#v=onepage&q&f=false|title=Rise of the Plebeians?: The Changing Face of the Indian Legislative Assemblies|last=Jaffrelot|first=Christophe|last2=Kumar|first2=Sanjay|date=2012-05-04|publisher=Routledge|isbn=9781136516610|language=en}}</ref> and said they are the patrons/financial supporters of local temples in Tamil Region. The names have been believed to be derived according to the regions they are spread across. Reddy in Andhra Pradesh and Telangana, Reddiar (Reddy + ar) in Tamil Nadu, Pondicherry, and Kerala. Reddy, Reddappa (Reddy + appa- signifying respect) in Karnataka.

Many Reddiars moved from the Andhra region in search of rich soil for cultivation and settled in [[Pondicherry]] and the northern districts of [[Cuddalore]], [[Villupuram]] and [[Chengalpet]] in Tamil Nadu during [[Vijayanagar Empire]]. (In People of India/Indian Communities, Oxford University Press).

The migration of the Reddys/Reddiars to Tamil Nadu is assumed to have occurred during the [[Reddy dynasty]] expansion till Kanchipuram areas.<ref name="Pollock2003">{{cite book|author=Sheldon I. Pollock|title=Literary cultures in history: reconstructions from South Asia|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=ak9csfpY2WoC&q=Reddy+kings+kondavidu+addanki+rajahmundry&pg=PA385|access-date=8 July 2011|year=2003|publisher=University of California Press|isbn=978-0-520-22821-4|pages=385–}}</ref>

Following are the districts that have significant Reddiar Population.
[[Chennai district|Chennai]], [[Tiruvallur district|Tiruvallur]], [[Kanchipuram district|Kanchipuram]], [[Chengalpattu district|Chengalpattu]], [[Ranipet district|Ranipet]], [[Vellore district|Vellore]], [[Tiruppattur, Tirupathur district|Thirupattur]], [[Tiruvannamalai district|Thiruvannamalai]], [[Krishnagiri district|Krishnagiri]], [[Dharmapuri district|Dharmapuri]], [[Puducherry district|Puducherry]], [[Cuddalore district|Cuddalore]], [[Villupuram district|Villupuram]], [[Kallakurichi district|Kallakurichi]], [[Salem district|Salem]], [[Erode district|Erode]], [[Tiruppur district|Tiruppur]], [[Coimbatore district|Coimbatore]], [[Karur district|Karur]], [[Perambalur district|Perambalur]], [[Tiruchirappalli district|Tiruchirappalli]], [[Dindigul district|Dindigul]], [[Madurai district|Madurai]], [[Virudhunagar district|Virudhunagar]], [[Thoothukudi district|Thoothukudi]] and [[Tirunelveli district|Tirunelveli]]

==Origins==

Anavota Reddy (1335-1364 CE) of [[Reddy dynasty]] extended the dominion of the kingdom to Rajahmundry on the north, Kanchi on the south and Srisailam on the west. In a battle at Vallioor, Reddiapuram army defeated Venad army in the 14th century.<ref name="-page 94 History of Travancore from the earliest times">{{cite book|last=Shungoonny Menon|first=P|title=History of Travancore from the earliest times|year=1998|publisher=Asian Educational Services|location=Madras|isbn=9788120601697|pages=523|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=gxsrz7DAPxIC}}</ref> In an information Board at the entrance of the Vallioor Murugan Temple it is stated that 14th century vallioor War - Reddiapuram army defeated Venad Army at vallioor Battle. After this war Reddiars settled at Samugarengapuram, Seelathikulam and all over Tirunelveli Region in the 14th century.{{citation needed|date=March 2016}}

A mural at the Tiruppudaimaruthur temple in Tirunelveli district in Tamil Nadu, shows the emissaries of the Vijayanagara king Achyutadeva Raya serving an ultimatum to the Venad ruler Bhoothala Veera Udaya Marthanda Varma to pay tributes to him and return the Pandya territory to Sri Vallabhan. It also depicts the battle between the armies of Achyutadeva Raya and Bhoothala Varma.|They are believed moved into [[Tamil Nadu]] with the Vijayanagara Emperor Kumara Kampana to liberate Madurai [Madura Vijayam] from Islamic rule and expansion of [[Vijayanagara Empire|Vijayanagar]] empire along with other Telugu and [[Kannada]] origin social groups.

==Amongst the Tamil diaspora==
[[File:Kondavid-drug. Signed 'W.R.'.jpg|thumb|left|225px|Water colour painting - Kondavidu fort, Reddy Kingdom.]]
Through emigration, there are now many Reddiars in the [[Tamil people|Tamil]] communities of United States, South Africa, Singapore, Australia, United Kingdom. The title does not generally mark the person as a Telugu but as an ethnic Tamil along with [[Naidu]] or Naicker, [[Raju]] or Raja, [[Pillai (title)|Pillai]], [[Gounder]] and [[Chetty]] as surnames used in the [[Tamil diaspora]]. Many Reddiars were brought to South Africa during British colonial era to work on the sugarcane farms as indentured labourers. The descendants of such Reddiars can still be found in South Africa today.

==Reddy versus Reddiars==

Reddys predominantly Telugu and follow Telugu cultural norms like [[Ugadi]], [[Dussehra]] and [[Sankranthi]] and follow all other Andhra norms. Whereas Reddiars who came from [[Andhra Pradesh|Andhra]] to the Tamil region speak both Tamil and Telugu follow both Tamil and Telugu cultural norms. They also celebrate [[Pongal (festival)|Thai Pongal]], Tamil [[New Year]] and Ugadi. Some have represented in Tamil literary circles as great patrons and scholars of Tamil language.

==Prominent Reddiars==
* [[A. Subbarayalu Reddiar]] - First Chief Minister of Madras Presidency - Dec 1920 - June 1921
* [[V. Venkatasubha Reddiar]] - Former Chief Minister of Puducherry and a prominent [[Puducherry (union territory)|Puducherry]] freedom fighter<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.hinduonnet.com/2005/06/07/stories/2005060704130300.htm|title=The Hindu : Other States / Pondicherry News : Venkatasubba Reddiar remembered|website=www.hinduonnet.com|access-date=2018-05-25}}</ref>
* [[Muthulakshmi Reddi]], First Indian woman doctor and legislator, [[Padma Bhushan]] awardee
* [[O. P. Ramaswamy Reddiyar]] - Chief Minister of Madras Presidency - 1947-1949
* [[V. Vaithilingam]] - Chief Minister of Puducherry - July 4, 1991 to May 13, 1996 (first term), September 4, 2008 – April 13, 2011
* [[M. D. R. Ramachandran]] - Chief Minister of Puducherry - 16 January 1980 to 23 June 1983 and 8 March 1990 – 3 March 1991
* [[K. S. Venkatakrishna Reddiar]] - Politician, President of [[Congress Reform Committee]]
* [[M. R. Lakshmi Narayanan]] - Member of Parliament, [[Tindivanam (Lok Sabha constituency)|Tindivanam]] from 15 March 1971 to 18 January 1977 and 23 March 1977 to 22 August 1979
* [[K. K. S. S. R. Ramachandran]] - Former Co-operation, PWD minister in MGR cabinet, Revenue and Disaster Management Minister in DMK Cabinet (2021-)
* [[K. N. Nehru]] - Former Milk, food minister in DMK cabinet(1996–2000), Transport minister in DMK cabinet (2006–2011), Minister For Municipal Administration and Urban and Water Supply (2021-)
* [[Napoleon (actor)|Napoleon]] - Actor and [[Member of Parliament|MP]] of [[Perambalur (Lok Sabha constituency)|Perambalur Constituency]] Central Minister Of State for Social Justice and Empowerment
* [[R. Radhakrishnan]] - Member of Parliament, Puducherry 2014 to 2019
* [[Jayarama Reddiar]] - Member of legislative assembly from [[Aruppukottai (State Assembly Constituency)|Aruppukottai constituency]] in 1952
* [[A. Pappasundaram]] - Former Member of the Legislative Assembly of Tamil Nadu from Kulithalai constituency.
* [[E.Ramar]] - Former Member of the Legislative Assembly of Tamil Nadu from Kulithalai constituency.
* [[S. R. Raja]] - Member of the Legislative Assembly of Tamil Nadu from Tambaram constituency.
* [[M. Varalakshmi]] - Member of the Legislative Assembly of Tamil Nadu from Chengalpattu constituency.
* [[T. Venkatapathi Reddiar]], Horticulturist, [[Padma Shri]] awardee
* [[C. V. Sridhar]], Film director
* [[Annamalai Reddiyar]] - Tamil poet
* [[G. R. Vaishnav]] - Indian volleyball player
*[[R. K. Perumal]] - Prominent MLA of Vilathikulam constituency, Tuticorin in the year 1977 and 1980 elections.
*[[G. V. Markandayan]] - MLA of Vilathikulam constituency, Tuticorin in the year 2016 and 2021 elections.
*[[K.M.Adimoolam]] - Prominent Artist.

==See also==
*[[Tamil diaspora]]
*[[List of Reddy dynasties and states]]

==References==
{{reflist}}

[[Category:Telugu society]]
[[Category:Tamil society]]
[[Category:Indian surnames]]
[[Category:Social groups of Tamil Nadu]]

Reddiar - Revision history

CandicePrenderga: adjust section additionally and cleaned formatting

59.98.140.102: /* Origins */It was venad Kingdom. Not travancore. Travancore formed in 18 th century. There were lot of kerala Kings have name Marthanda Varma.