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Devendrakulam (also referred to as Devendrar and Devendrakula Velalar) is an umbrella term for seven castes in the state of Tamil Nadu such as Devendrakulathar, Kalladi, Kudumbar, Pallar, Pannadi and Vathiriyar, after the bill amending the list of Scheduled Castes list belonging to the state in the Tamil Nadu as per the conditions of Article 341 in the Part 16 of the Constitution of India at the Parliament of India in 2021. (An attempt was made to include Pattangattiar Kadayar community in the Devendra Kula Velalar category But it was said on the side of Pattangattiyar Kadayar that there is no connection between the Devendra clan Velalar community and the Pattangattiyar Kadayar community).

History

The demand of merging castes such as Devendrakulathar,Kallaமுதாய மக்கள் கூறுகின்றனர் ar, Pallar, Pannadi and Vathiriyar in the Scheduled Castes list and the castes such as Kaladi and Moopar in the Other Backward Class list in the state of Tamil Nadu into an umbrella term called "Devendrakula Velalar" and delisting them to Other Backward Class arose.

Before the 2011 Tamil Nadu Legislative Assembly election, the Government of Tamil Nadu under M. Karunanidhi constituted a one-man commission under the chairmanship of Justice Jannarthanam to study and submit a report on the demand. However post elections, with the change in power in the state, the demand did not proceed further.

But with the increasing agitations and protests from the people and parties like Puthiya Tamilagam, Tamizhaga Makkal Munnetra Kazhagam and Anaithinthiya Thamizhaga Munnetra Kazhagam and various caste organisations the demand gained pace. The demand was supported by Pattali Makkal Katchi, Bharatiya Janata Party and Indian National Congress. Before the 2019 Indian general election, the Government of Tamil Nadu under Edappadi K. Palaniswami constituted a commission under the chairmanship of Hansraj Varma IAS to study and report on the issue.

The demand even gained pace with the community members boycotting the Nanguneri bypoll in October 2021 where the community had a significant population.

The Hansraj Varma commission submitted the report to the Government of Tamil Nadu with their report justifying the proposal. Then the Parliament of India passed a bill for the merger of the seven sub castes in 2021 with the President of India giving it an assent, making it a law in India. However the opposition parties argued that the decision was made only in favour of attracting the sizeable vote bank of the community in Tenkasi, Tirunelveli, Thoothukudi, Ramanathapuram, Virudhunagar, Thiruvarur, Tiruchirapalli, Karur, Dindigul, Nagapattianm, Thanjavur, Madurai and Sivaganga districts.

In June 2021, the Government of Tamil Nadu under M. K. Stalin released a G.O to release community certificates under the new nomenclature listed in no.17 of Tamil Nadu Scheduled Caste list with the deletion of entries to Pallar, Kudumbar, Vathiriyar, Kalladi, Kadaiyar and Pannadi. The change was notified in the Indian Union gazette of castes by the Government of India.

However the demand of delisting them to Other Backward Class is not met yet. For the 2024 Indian general election, Pattali Makkal Katchi which was a part of National Democratic Alliance declared in its manifesto for the polls that the community would be delisted from Scheduled Castes to Other Backward Class in the Union list.

Temple festivals

The Devendrakulam community traditionally celebrate and initiate the temple car festivals at various major historic temples, such as the

• Perur Pateeswarar Temple, Coimbatore
• Koniamman Temple, Coimbatore
• Srivilliputhur Andal temple, Tirunelveli
• Nellaiappar Temple, Tirunelveli
• Vandiyur Mariamman Teppakulam, Madurai
• Makara Nedunkuzhaikathar Temple, Thenthiruperai

and the decorated flower palanquin at Kamakshi Amman Temple, Kanchipuram.

Seedling planting festival

Apart from the temple car initiation at the Perur Pateeswarar Temple, the Seedling Planting festival (Tamil: நாற்று நடவு திருவிழா) has been celebrated by the community along the banks of Noyyal River. The festival is conducted in the month of Aani. The ritual forms a part of Indra festival. The festival has its reference from the "Perur Puranam" by Kachiappa Munivar.

Indra Vizha

Indra Vizha (Tamil: இந்திர விழா), was a historical Hindu festival that was celebrated in Tamilakam during the Sangam period (2nd century BCE – 3rd century CE). It was celebrated in honour of Vendhan (Indra), the deity associated with the Marutham landscape. In the contemporary period, the festivities associated with the agricultural Indra Vila are primarily associated with the occasion of Bhogi Pongal, the day dedicated to Indra, and preserving all the elements of the seasonal festival. Locally, the Indra Vila is conducted at the Kamatchi Amman temple at the Kallimadai locality near Singanallur in Coimbatore every year. The Venkudai (White umbrella) festival, depicting the white umbrella and the Airavata of Indra, is conducted every year at Rajapalayam, in commemoration of the ancient Indra Vila.

Demographics

As per the 2011 Census of India, the community constitutes 4% of the population of Tamilnadu.

Notable People

• Dr. Guruswami Siddhan, Tamil research scholar and political leader.
• Veeran Sundaralinga Kudumbanar, 18th century general and Freedom Fighter
• Immanuvel Sekaran, a freedom fighter, civil rights activist, former soldier and a party worker for the Indian National Congress
• Periya Kaladi, 17th century general and Freedom Fighter
• M. Arunachalam, Former Union Minister of India
• K. Krishnasamy, Politician, Former M.L.A and founder of Puthiya Tamilagam
• Thiagarajan, Actor
• Vikram, Actor
• Pasupathy Pandian, Politician and leader of Tamil Nadu Devendra Kula Velalar Kootamaippu
• John Pandian, Politician and founder of Tamizhaga Makkal Munnetra Kazhagam

See also

• Pallu
• Mukkoodar Pallu
• Pallar (Subcaste)
• Devendrar Jayanti
• 1957 Ramnad riots
• 1995 Kodiyankulam violence
• Paramakudi Riots
• 1999 Srivaikundam Truck Accident

References

1. "Clarification of M/o Social Justice & Empowerment regarding news item on delisting of Devendra Kula Velalar community from SC community". Press Information Bureau.
2. "Puthiya Tamilagam spearheads demand for de-listing 6 castes from SC list". Hindustan Times. Chennai. 26 October 2019. Retrieved 20 April 2024.
3. "Panel to examine caste name plea". The New Indian Express. Chennai. 17 May 2012. Retrieved 20 April 2024.
4. "Rename six Scheduled Castes as Devendrakula Velalar: Krishnasamy". The New Indian Express. Chennai. 7 October 2020. Retrieved 20 April 2024.
5. "PT goes on hunger strike demanding regrouping of Devendra Kula Velalar". The New Indian Express. Chennai. 7 October 2020. Retrieved 20 April 2024.
6. "Government thanked for Devendrakula announcement". Daily Thanthi. Chennai. 6 December 2020. Retrieved 20 April 2024.
7. "Announce seven Scheduled Castes as Devendrakula Velalars immediately, says INC Tamilnadu President Alagiri". The Hindu. Chennai. 7 July 2020. Retrieved 20 April 2024.
8. "Villagers in Nanguneri boycott Bypolls". The Times of India. Chennai. 16 October 2019. Retrieved 20 April 2024.
9. "Devendrakula Velalars boycott Nanguneri by-election en masse". The New Indian Express. Chennai. 21 October 2019. Retrieved 20 April 2024.
10. "DMK again fails to make inroads in Kongu region". The New Indian Express. Chennai. 5 May 2021. Retrieved 11 April 2024.
11. "Devendrakula Velalar votes crucial in Tamil Nadu's Tenkasi". The New Indian Express. Chennai. 25 March 2019. Retrieved 20 April 2024.
12. "G.O. released on certificates for Devendrakula Velalars". News Today. Chennai. 3 June 2021. Retrieved 20 April 2024.
13. "Tamil Nadu Assembly Elections Loyalties of DevendrakulaVelalars spread out". The Hindu. Chennai. 20 March 2021. Retrieved 20 April 2024.
14. "List of Scheduled Castes | Department of Social Justice and Empowerment - Government of India".
15. /https://socialjustice.gov.in/public/ckeditor/upload/93101672829095.pdf
16. "Devendrakula Vellalars should be removed from SC list as they don't need quota, says John Pandian". The Hindu. Chennai. 3 April 2024. Retrieved 20 April 2024.
17. "PMK Manifesto agitates for deslisting of Devendrakula Velalar to OBC list". Deccan Chronicle. Chennai. 28 March 2024. Retrieved 20 April 2024.
18. "Temple Car Festival at Perur Pateeswarar Temple in Coimbatore". Maalai Malar. 19 March 2019. Retrieved 31 March 2021.
19. "Temple Car Festival at Koniamman Temple in Coimbatore". Lokal App. 14 February 2023. Retrieved 14 February 2023.
20. "Andal car festival-2022". Vikatan News. 28 June 2018. Retrieved 16 February 2022.
21. "Andal car festival-2022". Kotravai News. 29 October 2020. Retrieved 16 February 2022.
22. "Grandeur marks float fest in Madurai". Times Of India. 9 February 2020. Retrieved 29 March 2021.
23. "Thenthiruperai car festival-2022". Maalaimalar. 26 March 2022. Retrieved 14 May 2022.
24. "BrahmotsavamFestival". Dinakaran. 1 March 2022. Retrieved 11 December 2022.
25. "பேரூர்ப்புராணம் - பகுதி-3 - கச்சியப்ப முனிவர்" (in Tamil). Retrieved 22 July 2024.
26. "Ani Utsava sapling planting festival 2023". Daily Thanthi. Coimbatore. 25 June 2023. Retrieved 20 April 2024.
27. RAMANUJAN, S. R. (13 August 2014). THE LORD OF VENGADAM. PartridgeIndia. p. 22. ISBN 978-1-4828-3462-8.
28. Studies, Faculty of Oriental. Neolithic Cattle-Keepers of South India. CUP Archive. p. 133.
29. Garrett, John (9 November 2022). A Classical Dictionary of India. BoD – Books on Demand. p. 458. ISBN 978-3-368-13131-9.
30. "Kallimadai Indra Festival". Dinamalar. 16 January 2015. Retrieved 22 April 2022.
31. "White Umbrella festival". Dinamani. 15 April 2022. Retrieved 23 April 2022.
32. https://censusindia.gov.in/nada/index.php/catalog/1130

• Social groups of Tamil Nadu
• Indian castes