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{{About| | {{Short description|Indian caste}} | ||
{{About|the social group|the Indian poet and philosopher|Thiruvalluvar}} | |||
{{Use dmy dates|date=September 2019}} | {{Use dmy dates|date=September 2019}} | ||
{{Use Indian English|date=September 2019}} | {{Use Indian English|date=September 2019}} | ||
'''Valluvar''' | '''Valluvar''' is a caste associated with the Indian state of [[Tamil Nadu]]. They are the hereditary priests of the [[Pallar]]s and [[Paraiyars]] of [[Tamil Nadu]].<ref name="casteandtribes303">[[#Castes and Tribes of Southern India|Castes and Tribes of Southern India]], Pg 303</ref><ref name="saints_goddesses_kings">{{cite book | title=Saints, Goddesses and Kings: Muslims and Christians in South Indian Society, 1700-1900| last=Bayly| first=susan| year=2004| pages=387|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=siLzp_4Dwb4C&q=saints+and+goddesses |publisher=Cambridge University Press| isbn=0521891035}}</ref><ref name="charred_lullabies">{{cite book | url=https://books.google.com/books?id=bR_1TjNkxFkC&q=charred+lullabies|title=Charred Lullabies: Chapters in an Anthropography of Violence| last=Daniel| first=E. Valentine| year=1996| pages=30| publisher=Princeton University Press|isbn=0691027730}}</ref><ref name="astro_magazine">{{cite book | title=Astrological Magazine| year=1986| pages=259}}</ref><ref name="ghuryep361">{{cite book | title=Caste and Race in India| last= Ghurye| first= G. S. | pages=361| authorlink= | url=https://books.google.com/books?id=nJMs-r0FY50C&q=caste+and+race+in+india+ghurye|year=1991| publisher= Popular Prakashan| location=Bombay| isbn= 9788171542055}}</ref> | ||
== Origin == | == Origin == | ||
Valluvars are believed to have been the priests of the [[Pallava|Pallava kings]] before the introduction of [[Brahmins]] and for sometime after their arrival.<ref name="casteandtribes303" /> The exalted position of Valluvars in the social hierarchy during those times is indicated by inscriptions which refer to Valluvars in a respectful manner.<ref name="casteandtribes304">[[#Castes and Tribes of Southern India|Castes and Tribes of Southern India]], Pg 304</ref> Moreover, the Tamil saint [[Thiruvalluvar]] is believed to have been a member of this community<ref name="encyclopedia_religions">{{cite book | title=Encyclopedia of Religions Or Faiths of Man Part 3: V. 3| last=Forlong| first=J. G. R.| year=2003| pages=432| publisher=Kessinger Publishing| isbn=0766143090}}</ref> and there is a subsect of Valluvars claiming descent from him.<ref name="casteandtribes304" /><ref name="charred_lullabies" /><ref name="astro_magazine" /> The Valluvars are also called Pandaram or Valluva Pandaram.<ref name="casteandtribes310">[[#Castes and Tribes of Southern India|Castes and Tribes of Southern India]], Pg 310</ref> The priests of the Valluvars are sometimes called Vellala Pandaram, Thiruvalluva Nayanar.<ref name="casteandtribes310" /> | |||
== Culture and practices== | |||
Owing to their occupation as priests, all males over twelve wore the sacred thread.<ref name="casteandtribes310" /> The Valluvars were also noted for their abstinence from beef.<ref name="casteandtribes310" /> | |||
== An | Valluvars were an [[untouchability|untouchable caste]].<ref name="Untouchable_Community">{{cite book | title=An Untouchable Community in South India: Structure and Consensus |last=Moffatt| first=Michael| year=2015| pages=103| publisher=Princeton University Press}}</ref><ref>{{Cite journal |last=Deliege |first=Robert |date=1992 |title=Replication and Consensus: Untouchability, Caste and Ideology in India |url=https://www.jstor.org/stable/2803599 |journal=Man |volume=27 |issue=1 |pages=155–173 |doi=10.2307/2803599 |jstor=2803599 |issn=0025-1496|url-access=subscription }}</ref><ref name="moffat_TamilCaseStudy">{{cite journal|url=https://citeseerx.ist.psu.edu/document?repid=rep1&type=pdf&doi=43d2f27151813d7ff466b82429ebc9c67ed8fcf3|title=Untouchables and the caste system: a Tamil case study|journal=Contributions to Indian Sociology|first1=Michael|last1=Moffat|access-date=2025-03-07}}</ref> | ||
Valluvars follow both [[Saivism]] and [[Vaishnavism]]. Saivite and Vaishnavite Valluvars dine together, but not intermarry.<ref name="casteandtribes304" /> A particular class of Valluvars officiated as priest at Paraiyar funerals.<ref name="casteandtribes304" /> This particular class of Valluvars was known as Paraiya Tadas and were regarded as inferior by other sections of Valluvars.<ref name="casteandtribes304" /> Another section of Valluvars wear a necklace of ''[[tulsi]]'' beads and are known as Alvar Dasari or Tavadadhari.<ref name="casteandtribes304" /> The affairs of the community are handled by a caste-council.<ref name="casteandtribes306">[[#Castes and Tribes of Southern India|Castes and Tribes of Southern India]], Pg 306</ref> The community is headed by a ''Kolkaran'' or a ''Kanakkan''.<ref name="casteandtribes306" /> There are the hereditary astrologers of the Indian temple town of [[Vaithiswaran Koil]] and are considered experts in ''Nadi'' astrology.<ref name="nadi_astrology">{{cite news | last=Raghavan | first=M. | title= Turning over old leaves | date= | url =http://www.thesundayindian.com/20072008/storyd.asp?sid=5194&pageno=1 | work =The Sunday India | accessdate = 2008-09-20}}</ref><ref name="slaves_of_soil_southern_india">{{cite book | title=Slaves of the Soil in Southern India | last=B. Pandian| first=Thomas| year=1895| pages=24| publisher=University of Michigan}}</ref> | |||
== | The Valluvars generally officiate in Paraiyar marriages<ref name="slaves_of_soil_southern_india" /> and funerals. During such occasions, Valluvar priests used to chant Sanskrit ''shlokas''.<ref name="slaves_of_soil_southern_india" /> | ||
== Notable people == | |||
* [[Thiruvalluvar]] | |||
==References== | |||
{{Reflist}} | {{Reflist}} | ||
== | == Further reading == | ||
* {{cite book | title=Castes and Tribes of | * {{cite book | title=Castes and Tribes of Southern India Volume VII| last=Thurston| first=Edgar| authorlink= Edgar Thurston|author2=K. Rangachari | year=1909| publisher=Government Press| location=Madras|ref= Castes and Tribes of Southern India}}{{Unreliable source inline|date=March 2025}} | ||
[[Category:Social groups of Kerala]] | |||
[[Category:Social groups of Tamil Nadu]] | |||
[[Category:Tamil society]] | [[Category:Tamil society]] | ||
Latest revision as of 20:32, 20 September 2026
Valluvar is a caste associated with the Indian state of Tamil Nadu. They are the hereditary priests of the Pallars and Paraiyars of Tamil Nadu.[1][2][3][4][5]
Origin[edit | edit source]
Valluvars are believed to have been the priests of the Pallava kings before the introduction of Brahmins and for sometime after their arrival.[1] The exalted position of Valluvars in the social hierarchy during those times is indicated by inscriptions which refer to Valluvars in a respectful manner.[6] Moreover, the Tamil saint Thiruvalluvar is believed to have been a member of this community[7] and there is a subsect of Valluvars claiming descent from him.[6][3][4] The Valluvars are also called Pandaram or Valluva Pandaram.[8] The priests of the Valluvars are sometimes called Vellala Pandaram, Thiruvalluva Nayanar.[8]
Culture and practices[edit | edit source]
Owing to their occupation as priests, all males over twelve wore the sacred thread.[8] The Valluvars were also noted for their abstinence from beef.[8]
Valluvars were an untouchable caste.[9][10][11]
Valluvars follow both Saivism and Vaishnavism. Saivite and Vaishnavite Valluvars dine together, but not intermarry.[6] A particular class of Valluvars officiated as priest at Paraiyar funerals.[6] This particular class of Valluvars was known as Paraiya Tadas and were regarded as inferior by other sections of Valluvars.[6] Another section of Valluvars wear a necklace of tulsi beads and are known as Alvar Dasari or Tavadadhari.[6] The affairs of the community are handled by a caste-council.[12] The community is headed by a Kolkaran or a Kanakkan.[12] There are the hereditary astrologers of the Indian temple town of Vaithiswaran Koil and are considered experts in Nadi astrology.[13][14]
The Valluvars generally officiate in Paraiyar marriages[14] and funerals. During such occasions, Valluvar priests used to chant Sanskrit shlokas.[14]
Notable people[edit | edit source]
References[edit | edit source]
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 Castes and Tribes of Southern India, Pg 303
- ↑ Bayly, susan (2004). Saints, Goddesses and Kings: Muslims and Christians in South Indian Society, 1700-1900. Cambridge University Press. p. 387. ISBN 0521891035.
- ↑ 3.0 3.1 Daniel, E. Valentine (1996). Charred Lullabies: Chapters in an Anthropography of Violence. Princeton University Press. p. 30. ISBN 0691027730.
- ↑ 4.0 4.1 Astrological Magazine. 1986. p. 259.
- ↑ Ghurye, G. S. (1991). Caste and Race in India. Bombay: Popular Prakashan. p. 361. ISBN 9788171542055.
- ↑ 6.0 6.1 6.2 6.3 6.4 6.5 Castes and Tribes of Southern India, Pg 304
- ↑ Forlong, J. G. R. (2003). Encyclopedia of Religions Or Faiths of Man Part 3: V. 3. Kessinger Publishing. p. 432. ISBN 0766143090.
- ↑ 8.0 8.1 8.2 8.3 Castes and Tribes of Southern India, Pg 310
- ↑ Moffatt, Michael (2015). An Untouchable Community in South India: Structure and Consensus. Princeton University Press. p. 103.
- ↑ Deliege, Robert (1992). "Replication and Consensus: Untouchability, Caste and Ideology in India". Man. 27 (1): 155–173. doi:10.2307/2803599. ISSN 0025-1496. JSTOR 2803599.
- ↑ Moffat, Michael. "Untouchables and the caste system: a Tamil case study". Contributions to Indian Sociology. Retrieved 7 March 2025.
- ↑ 12.0 12.1 Castes and Tribes of Southern India, Pg 306
- ↑ Raghavan, M. "Turning over old leaves". The Sunday India. Retrieved 20 September 2008.
- ↑ 14.0 14.1 14.2 B. Pandian, Thomas (1895). Slaves of the Soil in Southern India. University of Michigan. p. 24.
Further reading[edit | edit source]
- Thurston, Edgar; K. Rangachari (1909). Castes and Tribes of Southern India Volume VII. Madras: Government Press.[unreliable source?]