Saiva Vellalar
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Saiva Vellalar is a Tamil community in the Indian state of Tamil Nadu and the country of Sri Lanka. Vellalas in Tamilnadu are concerned.
Background
Saiva Vellalars (Saiva Mudaliars and Pillais). They are vegetarian, literate and sophisticated like Brahmins except priestly duties but also were major landowners, feudal lords and powerful in Tamil Nadu. They could be comparable like Rajputs or Thakurs of Northern India and were village administrators like Kayasthas of Central and Eastern India.
Sub groups
There are a number of sub-castes/clans among them like Thondaimandala Vellalar, Karkatha Vellalar, Tirunelveli Saiva vellalar, Yazhpana Saiva Vellalar, Veerakodi Vellalar etc., and most of them intermarry these days. All original Saiva Vellalar groups are placed under Forward caste category by Government of Tamil Nadu.