Reddiar

Reddiar
Total population
700,000
Regions with significant populations
 India
Languages
Tamil
Religion
Hinduism
Related ethnic groups
Reddy, Kapu

Reddiar (also spelt as Reddiyar) is a Tamil speaking caste title of farming and mercantile social group of Tamil Nadu, Kerala and Sri Lanka.

Reddiars, Reddy, Reddappa are considered and believed to come from the same origins and they spread across the lands of Southern and Central India. Political scientist Christophe Jaffrelot notes that, Reddiyars are the landlord caste originated from Telugu Country[1] and said they are patrons/Financial supporters of local temples in Tamil Region and initially and The origin of the Reddys (Reddiars) has been linked to the Rashtrakutas and till date the Reddys in India are spread across the same area of Rasthrakuta dynasty, although opinions vary. The names have been believed to be derived according to their regions they spread. Reddy ayyagaru(iygaru-Head) in AndhraPradesh and Telangana, Reddiar (Reddy+ar)in Tamil Nadu and Kerala. Reddie, Reddappa (Reddy + appa- signifying respect) in Karnataka and Rayalaseema.

The Panta Reddiars, The Kanjam Reddiars, The Muduguveraya Reddiars moved from Andhra region in the search of rich black soil regions for cultivation and settled near Pondicherry. (In People of India/Indian Communities, Oxford University Press).

The Migration of the Reddys/Reddiars to areas of Chennai, Kanchipuram, Vellore and Northern Tamil Nadu is assumed to occur during the Reddy dynasty expansion till Kanchipuram areas.[2]

Origins

Anavota Reddy (1335-1364 CE) of Reddy dynasty extended the dominion of the kingdom to Rajahmundry on the north, Kanchi on the south and Srisailam on the west. In a battle at Vallioor, Reddiapuram army defeated Travancore army in the 14th century.[3] In an information Board at the entrance of the Vallioor Murugan Temple it is stated that 14th century vallioor War - Reddiapuram army defeated Travancore Army at vallioor Battle. After this war Reddiyars settled at Samugarengapuram, Seelathikulam and all over Tirunelveli Region in the 14th century.

Tamiraparani Battle

A mural at the Tiruppudaimaruthur temple in Tirunelveli district in Tamil Nadu, shows the emissaries of the Vijayanagara king Achyutadeva Raya serving an ultimatum to the Travancore ruler Bhoothala Veera Udaya Marthanda Varma to pay tributes to him and return the Pandya territory to Sri Vallabhan. It also depicts the "Tamiraparani battle" between the armies of Achyutadeva Raya and Bhoothala Varma.[4] They are believed moved into Tamil Nadu with the expansion of Vijayanagar empire along with other Telugu and Kannada origin social groups. They have their origin in Vannipuranam.

They migrated from Andhra Pradesh and Orissa to Tamil Nadu particularly to Madurai District at the period of Thirumalai Nayakkar rule.

Amongst the Tamil Sanjeeve Reddy diaspora

Water colour painting - Kondavidu fort, Reddy Kingdom.

Through emigration, there are now many Reddiars in the Tamil communities of United States, South Africa, Singapore, Australia, United Kingdom. Reddiar or Reddy is sometimes used as a surname but they freely intermarry amongst various elements of the Tamil diaspora. The title does not generally mark the person as a Telugu but as an ethnic Tamil along with Naidu or Naidoo, Pillai, Gounder and Chetty as surnames used in the Tamil diaspora. See distinction between Reddy and Reddiars.

Current status

In India, Reddiars are classified as Forward caste.[5][6][7][8][9] In Tamil Nadu, Reddiars are classified as Forward Caste by the British.[10][11] For example, the first chief minister of Tamil Nadu (Madras Presidency in 1920) was a Reddiar.[12][13][14] Today, Reddiars are generally classified as Forward Caste in Tamil Nadu.[5][6][15][8][11][16] For example, a Member of Parliament in Rajya Sabha in 2006 distinguished between Reddiars who are generally classified as forward castes in Tamil Nadu and Koda Reddys who are classified as Scheduled Tribes in Tamil Nadu.[5] Similarly, the Madras High Court in 2015 considered this distinction between Reddiars who are generally classified as forward castes and konda reddys who are classified as Scheduled Tribes as dispositive a writ petition in a reservation case in Tamil Nadu.[16] After Independence, some sub-castes among Reddiars in Tamil Nadu such a Ganjam Reddys have been included in the Backward Class list by the state government.[17][11] Some sub-castes like Ganjam Reddys from Tamil Nadu have now sought classification as backwards caste in the central government list.[18] Konda Reddys are classified as Scheduled Tribes.[19][20] Some reddiars are classified as Backward caste, in Kerala where they migrated to in early 1900 (excludes Malabar district where Reddiars are classified as forward).[21][22] For example, Reddiars in Malabar excluding Ganjam Reddys are classified as forward.[23] Reddiars in other districts are classified as backward since 1993.[24] Some Reddiars in Kerala are considered protected minorities, who need better educational access due to merchantile roots of Reddiars in Kerala and lack of significant land ownership, except in Malabar district of Kerala.[25] There is a separate section of Reddiars called Konda Reddy who were considered Shudras in British surveys, who follow tribal customs.[16][5] Recently, Konda Reddys in Odissa have been pressing for inclusion in the Scheduled Tribes list.[26]

Reddy versus Reddiars

Though The Origin is thought tobe same with little arguments, Reddys predominantly speak Telugu and follow Telugu cultural festivals like Ugadi and follow all other Andhra norms. Whereas Reddiars who came to the Tamil region speak both Tamil for business and Telugu at home and identify and follow Telugu cultural norms. They also celebrate Thai Pongal, Tamil New Year and Ugadi. For survival and to maintain their Dravidian lineage, they are active in supporting local Temple societies and local political aspirations. Some have become very prominent in Dravidian nationalistic causes and are represented in Tamil literary circles as great patrons and scholars of Tamil language.

Prominent Reddiars

See also

References

  1. ↑ Jaffrelot, Christophe; Kumar, Sanjay (2012-05-04). Rise of the Plebeians?: The Changing Face of the Indian Legislative Assemblies. Routledge. ISBN 9781136516610.
  2. ↑ Sheldon I. Pollock (2003). Literary cultures in history: reconstructions from South Asia. University of California Press. pp. 385–. ISBN 978-0-520-22821-4. Retrieved 8 July 2011.
  3. ↑ Shungoonny Menon, P (1998). History of Travancore from the earliest times. Madras: Asian Educational Services. p. 523. ISBN 9788120601697.
  4. ↑ SUBRAMANIAN, T.S (10 September 2011). "Do Tamil Nadu temple murals portray Tamiraparani battle?". TheHindu. Chennai, India. Retrieved 10 September 2011.
  5. 1 2 3 4 Parliamentary Debates Official Report, Volume 208, Issues 5-6 (1ST ed.). Council of States Secretariat, Indian Parliament Rajya Shaba. 2006. p. 310. Retrieved 28 April 2017.
  6. 1 2 Mencher, Joan (2013). Life as a Dalit: Views from the Bottom on Caste in India (1ST ed.). SAGE Publications India. p. 88. ISBN 9788132111238.
  7. ↑ Barnett, Marguerite Ross (2015-03-08). The Politics of Cultural Nationalism in South India. Princeton University Press. ISBN 9781400867189.
  8. 1 2 Sreenivas, Mytheli (2008). Wives, Widows, and Concubines: The Conjugal Family Ideal in Colonial India (1ST ed.). Indiana University Press. p. 144. ISBN 9780253351180. Retrieved 28 April 2017.
  9. ↑ "Always on the Reddy". Outlook. Retrieved 28 April 2017.
  10. ↑ Ross Barnett, Marguerite. The Politics of Cultural Nationalism in South India (1 ed.). p. 49. ISBN 978-0691616865. Retrieved 24 April 2017.
  11. 1 2 3 "Who's who in Tamil Nadu elections: KN Nehru". Retrieved 24 April 2017.
  12. ↑ "A. Subbarayalu Reddiar". Retrieved 24 April 2017.
  13. ↑ "Chief Ministers of Tamil Nadu since 1920". Tamilnadu Legislative Assembly. Tamilnadu Legislative Assembly. Retrieved 4 June 2017.
  14. ↑ cahoon, ben. "Provinces of British India". www.worldstatesmen.org. Retrieved 2018-05-25.
  15. ↑ Barnett, Marguerite Ross (2015-03-08). The Politics of Cultural Nationalism in South India. Princeton University Press. ISBN 9781400867189.
  16. 1 2 3 "S. THARMARAJ Vs. THE UNION OF INDIA AND ORS". Chennai High Court.
  17. ↑ "List of Backward Classes approved by Government of Tamil Nadu". Tamil Nadu State Government. Retrieved 28 April 2017.
  18. ↑ "Include Reddy Community In Other Backward Communities".
  19. ↑ "S. THARMARAJ Vs. THE UNION OF INDIA AND ORS". Chennai High Court.
  20. ↑ "THE CONSTITUTION (SCHEDULED TRIBES) ORDER (SECOND AMENDMENT) BILL, 2011" (PDF). Indian Constitution Schedule Tribes Order. Retrieved 28 April 2017.
  21. ↑ "KERALA STATE & SUBORDINATE SERVICES RULES PART I SCHEDULE III- OTHER BACKWARD CLASSES IN THE KERALA STATE" (PDF). Kerala State. Retrieved 4 June 2017.
  22. ↑ "LIST OF OTHER BACKWARD CLASSES IN KERALA STATE". Kerala Public Services Commission. Retrieved 4 June 2017.
  23. ↑ "KERALA STATE & SUBORDINATE SERVICES RULES PART I SCHEDULE III- OTHER BACKWARD CLASSES IN THE KERALA STATE" (PDF). Kerala State. Retrieved 4 June 2017.
  24. ↑ "KERALA STATE & SUBORDINATE SERVICES RULES PART I SCHEDULE III- OTHER BACKWARD CLASSES IN THE KERALA STATE" (PDF). Kerala State. Retrieved 4 June 2017.
  25. ↑ "KERALA STATE & SUBORDINATE SERVICES RULES PART I SCHEDULE III- OTHER BACKWARD CLASSES IN THE KERALA STATE" (PDF). Kerala State. Retrieved 4 June 2017.
  26. ↑ "ST status plea for Konda Reddys". The Telegraph. Retrieved 28 April 2017.
  27. ↑ "The Hindu : Other States / Pondicherry News : Venkatasubba Reddiar remembered". www.hinduonnet.com. Retrieved 2018-05-25.
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