The Vaniyar, also known as Vaniya

Chettiar Chettiar (also spelt as Chetti and Chetty) is a title used by many traders, weaving, agricultural and land-owning castes in South India, especially in the Indian states of Tamil Nadu, Kerala and Karnataka. Etymology Chettiar/Chetty is deri ...

and Vaniya

Nair The Nair (, ) also known as Nayar, are a group of Indian Hindu castes, described by anthropologist Kathleen Gough as "not a unitary group but a named category of castes". The Nair include several castes and many subdivisions, not all of whom hi ...

, are upper middle caste ethnic groups residing in the

India India, officially the Republic of India, is a country in South Asia. It is the List of countries and dependencies by area, seventh-largest country by area; the List of countries by population (United Nations), most populous country since ...

n states of

Tamil Nadu Tamil Nadu (; , TN) is the southernmost States and union territories of India, state of India. The List of states and union territories of India by area, tenth largest Indian state by area and the List of states and union territories of Indi ...

and

Kerala Kerala ( , ) is a States and union territories of India, state on the Malabar Coast of India. It was formed on 1 November 1956, following the passage of the States Reorganisation Act, by combining Malayalam-speaking regions of the erstwhile ...

. Vaniya Nairs are matrilineal and have customs similar to other Nair castes while Vaniya Chettiyars are patrilineal and have customs similar to other Chettiyars and tamil castes.Vaniyar are a mercantile community who are Traditionally engaged in the oil trade, producing and selling oil extracted using chekku (traditional wooden oil presses) and use the title

. They are classified under the Backward Class in the state's reservation system.List of Backward Classes approved by Government of Tamil Nadu https://bcmbcmw.tn.gov.in/bclist.htm Chettiars in

are split linguistically into

Tamil Tamil may refer to: People, culture and language * Tamils, an ethno-linguistic group native to India, Sri Lanka, and some other parts of Asia **Sri Lankan Tamils, Tamil people native to Sri Lanka ** Myanmar or Burmese Tamils, Tamil people of Ind ...

and Telugu-speaking groups. The Telugu-speaking segment is known as Telikula.

Historical background

The Vaniyar community has deep roots in the history of Tamil Nadu, tracing back to the early medieval period. Originally known as "Sangarappadiyars," they played an important role in economic activities, particularly oil extraction and the related trade. They established commercial networks that stretched into Kerala, signifying a broader regional presence that enabled the exchange of resources and cultural interactions. During the 13th and 14th centuries, the Vaniyar's economic influence grew as they facilitated trade between inland areas and coastal towns, creating vital economic links. Despite their prosperity in commerce, they faced certain caste-based restrictions that reflected the broader hierarchical structures in medieval Tamil society. These limitations affected their access to religious and social privileges, yet they managed to thrive by leveraging their trade expertise and community cohesion.

References

{{reflist Ethnic groups in India