Valluvar ( ta, வள்ளுவர்) is a sub-caste belonging to the

Paraiyar Paraiyar, or Parayar or Maraiyar (formerly anglicised as Pariah and Paree), is a caste group found in the Indian states of Tamil Nadu and Kerala, and Sri Lanka. Etymology Robert Caldwell, a nineteenth-century missionary and grammarian who ...

community in the Indian state of

Tamil Nadu Tamil Nadu (; , TN) is a state in southern India. It is the tenth largest Indian state by area and the sixth largest by population. Its capital and largest city is Chennai. Tamil Nadu is the home of the Tamil people, whose Tamil languag ...

. They are the hereditary priests of the

Pallar The Pallar, who prefer to be called Mallar, are an agricultural community from the Indian state of Tamil Nadu. The Pallars traditionally inhabited the fertile wetland area referred to as ''Marutham'' in the literary devices of the Sangam lands ...

s and

Paraiyars Paraiyar, or Parayar or Maraiyar (formerly anglicised as Pariah and Paree), is a caste group found in the Indian states of Tamil Nadu and Kerala, and Sri Lanka. Etymology Robert Caldwell, a nineteenth-century missionary and grammarian who ...

Castes and Tribes of Southern India ''Castes and Tribes of Southern India'' is a seven-volume encyclopedia of social groups of Madras Presidency and the princely states of Travancore, Mysore, Coorg and Pudukkottai published by British museologist Edgar Thurston and K. Rangachari i ...

, Pg 303

Origin

Valluvars are believed to have been the priests of the

Pallava kings The Pallava dynasty existed from 275 CE to 897 CE, ruling a significant portion of the Deccan, also known as Tondaimandalam. The dynasty rose to prominence after the downfall of the Satavahana dynasty, with whom they had formerly served as fe ...

before the introduction of

Brahmins Brahmin (; sa, ब्राह्मण, brāhmaṇa) is a varna as well as a caste within Hindu society. The Brahmins are designated as the priestly class as they serve as priests ( purohit, pandit, or pujari) and religious teachers (gur ...

and for sometime after their arrival. The exalted position of Valluvars in the social hierarchy during those times is indicated by inscriptions which refer to Valluvars in a respectful manner.

, Pg 304 Moreover, the Tamil saint

Thiruvalluvar Thiruvalluvar ( Tamil: திருவள்ளுவர்), commonly known as Valluvar, was a celebrated Tamil poet and philosopher. He is best known as the author of the '' Tirukkuṟaḷ'', a collection of couplets on ethics, political ...

is believed to have been a member of this community and there is a subsect of Valluvars claiming descent from him.

An independent community

Though Valluvars were regarded as a subgroup of the Paraiyar community by caste Hindus, Thurston mentions that Valluvars did not eat with Paraiyars.

, Pg 310 Valluvar houses were generally located at a significant distance away from the ''parcheri'' where they lived. Owing to their occupation as priests, all males over twelve wore the sacred thread. The Valluvars were also noted for their abstinence from beef. The Valluvars are also called Pandaram or Valluva Pandaram..

, Pg 310 The priests of the Valluvars are sometimes called Vellala Pandaram, Thiruvalluva Nayanar. Valluvars were an

untouchable caste Dalit (from sa, दलित, dalita meaning "broken/scattered"), also previously known as untouchable, is the lowest stratum of the castes in India. Dalits were excluded from the four-fold varna system of Hinduism and were seen as forming a ...

Sub-sects

The important sub-sects of Valluvans are Paraiyan, Tavidadari and Tiruvalluvan.

, Pg 305 Valluvars are broadly classified into two main sub-divisions: Arupadhu Katchi or sixty clans and Narpadhu Katchi or forty clans The Arupadhu Katchi considered themselves the descendants of Nandi Gurukkal and have his name as their gotra. The Narpadhu Katchi are of the gotra Sidambara Sayichya Ayyamgar.

, Pg 306 The sub-division alvar claim descent from Tiruppan Alvar.

Practices

Valluvars follow both

Saivism Shaivism (; sa, शैवसम्प्रदायः, Śaivasampradāyaḥ) is one of the major Hindu traditions, which worships Shiva as the Supreme Being. One of the largest Hindu denominations, it incorporates many sub-traditions rangin ...

and

Vaishnavism Vaishnavism ( sa, वैष्णवसम्प्रदायः, Vaiṣṇavasampradāyaḥ) is one of the major Hindu denominations along with Shaivism, Shaktism, and Smartism. It is also called Vishnuism since it considers Vishnu as the ...

. Saivite and Vaishnavite Valluvars dine together, but not intermarry. A particular class of Valluvars officiated as priest at Paraiyar funerals.This particular class of Valluvars was known as Paraiya Tadas and were regarded as inferior by other sections of Valluvars. Another section of Valluvars wear a necklace of ''

tulsi ''Ocimum tenuiflorum'', commonly known as holy basil, ''tulsi'' or ''tulasi'', is an aromatic perennial plant in the family Lamiaceae. It is native to the Indian subcontinent and widespread as a cultivated plant throughout the Southeast Asian ...

'' beads and are known as Alvar Dasari or Tavadadhari. Some hold that the true Valluvan is one who practices astrology and that those who officiate as priests aren't true Valluvars. The affairs of the community are handled by a caste-council.The community is headed by a ''Kolkaran'' or a ''Kanakkan''. There are the hereditary astrologers of the Indian temple town of Vaithiswaran Koil and are considered experts in ''Nadi'' astrology. The Valluvars generally officiate in Paraiyar marriages and funerals. During such occasions, Valluvar priests used to chant Sanskrit ''shlokas''.

Prominent individuals

Notes

References

* {{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 Social groups of Kerala Social groups of Tamil Nadu Tamil society