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Pallar

The Pallar, also known as Mallar or more recently self-identified as Devendrakula Vellalar, are a Tamil-speaking agricultural community primarily inhabiting the southern districts of Tamil Nadu, India, and parts of northern and eastern Sri Lanka, where they have traditionally cultivated wet rice in fertile lowlands and river valleys.^[1]^[2] Classified as a Scheduled Caste under India's affirmative action framework due to historical marginalization and low ritual status within the Hindu varna system, they constitute approximately 17% of Tamil Nadu's population and represent the state's largest Dalit subgroup, often facing inter-caste tensions with rival communities like the Paraiyar over resources and political representation.^[3]^[2] Community narratives trace their origins to ancient Tamil agriculturalists or even royal lineages linked to dynasties such as the Cheras, Cholas, Pandyas, and Pallavas, though empirical records indicate a shift under later Nayak rule to derogatory nomenclature and land dispossession, reinforcing their servile labor roles.^[4] In recent decades, Pallar-led movements have rejected the broader Dalit ideological framework—often promoted by leftist academics and Ambedkarite groups—in favor of caste-specific assertions of upward mobility, culminating in Tamil Nadu's 2021 recognition of Devendrakula Vellalars as a distinct category separate from other Scheduled Castes for sub-quota benefits, amid competition from national parties seeking their electoral support.^[3]^[4] This identity reclamation reflects causal patterns of intra-subaltern rivalry rather than unified anti-caste solidarity, with Pallars leveraging demographic weight for targeted gains over generic stigmatization.^[4]

Origins

Etymology

The term Pallar derives from the Tamil word pallam, signifying a pit, low-lying terrain, or river valley, which corresponds to the community's longstanding involvement in agriculture within such wetland or lowland environments in southern Tamil Nadu and Sri Lanka.^[3]^[5] This linguistic origin underscores their traditional occupation as cultivators of paddy fields in fertile depressions, as documented in early 20th-century ethnographic accounts.^[5] Historical narratives occasionally equate Pallar with the ancient Mallar designation for agrarian warriors in Sangam literature, positing a pejorative shift imposed during the Nayak era (16th–18th centuries), though the core etymological root remains tied to topographic features rather than martial connotations.^[4]

Historical Antecedents

The Pallar community is historically linked to the ancient Mallars referenced in Sangam literature, composed between approximately 300 BCE and 300 CE, which describes them as cultivators and warriors inhabiting the Marutham tinai, or fertile wetland plains suited for irrigated agriculture. These texts portray Mallars as tillers of the soil who doubled as defenders of the realm, forming the agrarian and martial base of early Tamil polities in regions corresponding to modern Tamil Nadu.^[6]^[7] Etymologically, "Pallar" derives from pallam, denoting low-lying or pit-like terrains, reflecting their longstanding occupation in wetland farming predating colonial records. Prior to the 16th-century Nayak era, when the name reportedly shifted from the honorific "Mallar" (implying strength or youth) to the pejorative "Pallar" amid land dispossession, the group functioned as tenant cultivators known variably as Kadaisiyar in some pre-colonial accounts.^[4]^[8] Mythological traditions, recorded in ethnographic surveys from the early 20th century drawing on oral histories, assert that Devendran (a form of Indra) created the forebears of the Pallars specifically for land cultivation, underscoring their primordial role in Tamil agrarian society. Such origins align with broader South Indian caste lore but lack corroboration in primary archaeological or epigraphic evidence beyond literary allusions.^[5]^[9]

Historical Development

Pre-Colonial Era

The Pallar community traces its pre-colonial roots to the ancient Mallars referenced in Sangam literature, composed between approximately 300 BCE and 300 CE, who occupied the Marutham eco-region of ancient Tamilakam—a fertile alluvial plain ideal for irrigated paddy agriculture. These Mallars are portrayed as cultivators managing wetland fields (pallar meaning "low-lying wet land" in Tamil) and as armed retainers or warriors supporting kings in battles against rivals, reflecting a dual role in agrarian production and defense.^[9]^[6] By the medieval Chola period (c. 850–1279 CE), the community, increasingly termed Pallars, had solidified as panaiyals—hereditary agricultural dependents attached to brahmadeya and devadana lands granted to temples and Brahmins. Inscriptions from this era document their obligations, including plowing, sowing, and harvesting under the oversight of landowners, often without wages beyond subsistence allotments, indicative of a dependent labor system akin to serfdom rather than free tenancy. This status positioned them below dominant agrarian groups like Vellalars, with limited rights to alienate land or migrate, though they contributed to the empire's wet-rice surplus economy.^[10] Social hierarchy further entrenched during the Vijayanagara era (c. 1336–1646 CE), where Pallars' low ritual status became more pronounced amid temple-centered land control, leading to their designation as unclean laborers excluded from certain village spaces and rituals. Community oral traditions and later revisionist interpretations assert Mallar-Pallar continuity with higher ancient prestige, including martial roles and possible petty chieftaincies, but epigraphic and textual evidence primarily substantiates their role as subaltern cultivators subject to exploitation by elites.^[11]^[11]

Colonial and Early Post-Independence Era

During the British colonial period in the Madras Presidency, the Pallars primarily worked as agricultural laborers in districts such as Tanjore, Trichinopoly, Madura, and Tinnevelly, cultivating wetland rice fields under systems of hereditary attachment to landowning castes like Vellalars.^[5] These arrangements often resembled de facto slavery, with laborers bound to employers through debt and custom, despite the Indian Slavery Act of 1843 nominally abolishing slavery; colonial records indicate that such practices affected up to 20% of the presidency's population, including Pallar farm workers who sometimes migrated to Ceylon plantations post-abolition to escape local bondage.^[12] British revenue policies, emphasizing fixed assessments on mirasidars (hereditary landowners), exacerbated the exploitation of Pallar laborers, who received minimal wages and faced social exclusion as untouchables, with limited access to education or upward mobility until sporadic missionary interventions in the late 19th century.^[11] Following India's independence in 1947, the Pallars were formally listed as a Scheduled Caste in Tamil Nadu under the Constitution (Scheduled Castes) Order, 1950, granting access to reservations in education, employment, and political representation.^[13] Early post-independence land reforms, including the Tamil Nadu Estates (Abolition and Conversion into Ryotwari) Act of 1948 and subsequent tenancy protections under Chief Minister C. Rajagopalachari and K. Kamaraj, redistributed some intermediary lands but disproportionately aided ryotwari tenants and smallholders rather than landless Pallar laborers, who comprised the majority of the community's workforce and held negligible plots.^[14] This limited agrarian impact perpetuated economic dependence, as ceiling laws like the Tamil Nadu Land Reforms (Fixation of Ceiling on Land) Act of 1961 exempted much dominant-caste holdings through benami transfers, leaving Pallars with ongoing vulnerability to usury and wage exploitation.^[15] Socio-political assertion among Pallars grew in the 1950s amid expanding literacy and SC quotas, fostering resistance to traditional dominance by castes like Thevars, which erupted in violent clashes such as the 1957 Ramnad riots, where at least eight deaths were reported in inter-caste confrontations over labor rights and land disputes.^[16] These events highlighted the incomplete transition from colonial-era hierarchies, with Pallar mobilization often met by retaliation from landed groups, though state interventions via police and reservations began providing nominal protections.^[17]

Contemporary Developments

In recent decades, the Pallar community has pursued efforts to consolidate its identity under the broader Devendrakula Velalar (DKV) umbrella, encompassing seven Scheduled Caste sub-sects including Pallar, Devendrakulathan, Kalladi, Kudumban, Palliyan, Pannadi, and Vathiriyan. This movement emphasizes historical claims to agricultural cultivator status rather than stigmatized laborer roles, rejecting pan-Dalit solidarity in favor of caste-specific advancement. Leaders argue that such reclassification reflects socioeconomic progress, with Pallars achieving prominence in southern Tamil Nadu politics and education through targeted mobilization.^[4]^[11] The Indian Parliament enacted the Constitution (Scheduled Castes) Order (Amendment) Bill on March 19, 2021, formally grouping these sub-sects under the Devendrakula Velalar nomenclature while retaining their Scheduled Caste classification for reservations. Proponents viewed this as a step toward restoring "heritage" dignity, with Tamil Nadu Chief Minister Edappadi K. Palaniswami recommending the change to the central government in December 2020. However, the Union Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment clarified in February 2021 that the communities would not be delisted from the SC category or reclassified as Other Backward Classes, preserving access to quotas amid debates over merit versus affirmative action.^[3]^[18]^[19] Demands for full delisting from the SC list intensified post-2021, led by figures like Indira Krishnan and John Pandian, who contend the community's upward mobility—evidenced by political representation and entrepreneurial gains—renders quotas unnecessary and counterproductive to self-reliance. In April 2024, Pandian reiterated this position, framing delisting as a long-standing goal to affirm economic independence after decades of advocacy. The Bharatiya Janata Party has courted DKV voters, comprising an estimated 3.8 million in Tamil Nadu, through alliances and promises of status elevation, contrasting with traditional Dravidian parties' reliance on caste-based vote banks.^[20]^[3]^[21] Tensions persist with rival castes, including sporadic violence in southern districts, as Pallar/DKV assertions challenge entrenched hierarchies; for instance, inter-caste clashes in 2025 highlighted disputes over land and identity restoration. Despite these frictions, the community's shift from victimhood narratives to proactive identity politics underscores broader trends in caste dynamics, prioritizing internal cohesion over broader Dalit coalitions.^[16]^[4]

Traditional Occupations and Status

The Pallar community has historically been associated with agricultural labor in the rural regions of Tamil Nadu, primarily as landless laborers performing tasks such as plowing, sowing, and harvesting on lands owned by upper-caste landlords.^[2]^[22] In pre-modern times, many Pallars were bound to the land through systems of hereditary servitude, including practices akin to adimai (slavery or forced service), which restricted their mobility and economic autonomy.^[9] Socially, the Pallars occupied a low position in the caste hierarchy, classified outside the traditional varna system as an untouchable or Panchama group, leading to practices of exclusion such as denial of access to common water sources and temples.^[22] This status derived from their association with manual labor deemed impure, though some historical accounts portray them as ancient cultivators tied to fertile lowland areas, predating rigid untouchability norms.^[9] Among Dalit subgroups in Tamil Nadu, Pallars ranked above Paraiyars and Arunthathiyars in internal hierarchies, reflecting relative occupational stability in agriculture over scavenging or leatherwork.^[23] Women within the community traditionally contributed as farm laborers, often alongside men, which reinforced household dependence on seasonal agricultural wages but also exposed them to exploitative conditions under feudal land relations.^[2] While a minority engaged in supplementary roles like toddy tapping in regions extending to Sri Lanka, these did not elevate their overall status, as economic precarity and caste-based discrimination persisted into the colonial era.^[2]

Devendrakula Velalar Movement

The Devendrakula Velalar Movement represents an effort by members of seven Scheduled Caste sub-groups in Tamil Nadu—Devendrakulathar, Kadaiyan, Kalladi, Kudumbar, Pallan, Pannadi, and Vathiriyar—to consolidate under a unified identity as Devendrakula Vellalar, emphasizing historical ties to agrarian communities rather than stigmatized Dalit categorization.^[24] These groups, comprising approximately 17% of the state's population and concentrated in southern districts like Madurai, historically engaged in cultivation in low-lying fields, with "Pallar" deriving from the Tamil term for such terrain.^[3] Proponents argue this rebranding fosters social mobility by invoking ancient Mallar cultivator heritage linked to Pandya rulers, rejecting broader Dalit ideologies that prioritize caste eradication in favor of reinforcing endogenous caste pride.^[3] Emerging prominently in the 1990s, the movement gained traction through organizations like the Devendrakula Velalar Federation, led by K. Krishnasamy of the Puthiya Tamilagam party, who has advocated for both renaming and potential reclassification from Scheduled Castes to Most Backward Classes to escape perceived inferiority.^[3] Earlier figures, such as C. Pasupathy Pandian, also mobilized for community assertion, sidelining prior Dalit-centric activism.^[21] The initiative draws on claims of pre-colonial respectability as landowners and warriors, contrasting with colonial-era classifications that entrenched untouchability, though such narratives face scholarly scrutiny for selective historical interpretation.^[3] Key milestones include the Tamil Nadu government's formation of a committee in 2019 under IAS officer Hansraj Varma to assess unification, which submitted recommendations on November 28, 2020, endorsing the consolidated nomenclature while preserving Scheduled Caste benefits.^[24] Chief Minister Edappadi K. Palaniswami announced referral to the central government on December 5, 2020, followed by Tamil Nadu Government Order (MS) No. 50 on June 1, 2021, enabling issuance of community certificates under the new name at the state level.^[25] Parliament enacted the Constitution (Scheduled Castes) Order (Amendment) Bill in February 2021, formalizing the change federally without altering reservation status.^[3] Demands for full exclusion from the Scheduled Castes list, voiced by leaders like Krishnasamy and supported by BJP figures including Amit Shah in 2015, remain unresolved and contentious, as relocation to Most Backward Classes could diminish access to dedicated quotas given lower average academic performance—such as 249 marks versus 300 for MBC candidates in 2017-18 NEET admissions.^[26] The Tamil Nadu government has explicitly stated no such removal is planned, prioritizing benefit retention amid opposition from Vellalar associations claiming proprietary rights to the term.^[27] Politically, the movement has aligned with the BJP for electoral leverage in Tamil Nadu, reflecting a shift from Dravidian parties toward Hindutva-compatible caste narratives.^[3]

Rejection of Dalit Identity

Many members of the Pallar community have actively rejected the broader Dalit identity, which encompasses Scheduled Castes associated with historical untouchability and menial labor, in favor of asserting a distinct caste heritage as Devendrakula Vellalars, emphasizing their role as traditional wetland agriculturalists. This shift aims to discard the stigma of inferiority linked to the Dalit label, promoting instead a narrative of ancient pride tied to figures like the deity Indra (Devendra) and historical cultivator communities such as the Mallars. Proponents argue that the Pallars were not originally untouchables but respected farmers who contributed to Tamil kingdoms, a claim rooted in revisionist interpretations of ancient texts and archaeology to foster social mobility and self-respect.^[4]^[28] The movement gained momentum through political advocacy, particularly by Puthiya Tamilagam leader K. Krishnasamy, who has campaigned since the early 2000s for reclassification, viewing the Dalit framework as perpetuating victimhood rather than empowerment. In 2021, the Tamil Nadu government formalized this by issuing an order on June 3 subsuming seven sub-castes—including Pallar, Devendrakulathan, Kadaiyan, and Kalladi—under the unified nomenclature of Devendrakula Vellalar while retaining Scheduled Caste status and reservation benefits. Federally, the Lok Sabha passed the Constitution (Scheduled Castes) Order (Amendment) Bill on March 19, 2021, recognizing this grouping, which affects an estimated 17% of Tamil Nadu's population concentrated in southern districts.^[29]^[25]^[30]^[3] A faction within the community, led by Krishnasamy, has pushed further for complete delisting from the Scheduled Castes category, arguing that Devendrakula Vellalars have achieved socioeconomic progress and no longer require affirmative action tied to untouchability, as evidenced by their demands in public meetings and petitions since 2018. This stance contrasts with pan-Dalit solidarity efforts, as Pallars have historically positioned themselves above other Scheduled Castes like Paraiyars, sometimes enforcing social distinctions internally. Critics, including some Dalit activists, contend that such caste-specific assertions undermine broader anti-caste struggles, but supporters maintain it empowers through targeted identity reclamation rather than subsumption under a homogenized oppressed label.^[21]^[4]^[11]

Cultural Practices

Religious Beliefs and Festivals

The Pallar community, also known as Devendrakula Velalar, primarily follows Hinduism, with core beliefs linking their origins to Devendra (Indra), the Vedic king of the gods, from whom they derive their ethnonym meaning "children of Indra."^[31] This mythological descent informs their cultural identity and reinforces agricultural motifs in worship, as they historically served as wet-rice cultivators tied to temple economies. Devotion centers on the Tamil Hindu pantheon, including deities like Shiva, Vishnu, Murugan, and local village gods (grama devatas), with rituals emphasizing fertility, harvest, and protection—practices shared across Tamil Nadu's agrarian castes but elevated through their claimed divine lineage.^[9] A minority within the community has converted to Christianity, particularly Roman Catholicism and Protestantism, expressing faith through church attendance and sacraments, though this represents a departure from the dominant Hindu framework.^[32] Key festivals blend standard Hindu observances with community-specific rites. The annual Guru Puja for Immanuel Sekaran, a 20th-century Pallar leader born on September 11, 1949, functions as a quasi-religious commemoration, drawing hundreds of thousands for processions, homage rituals, and speeches at sites like Paramakudi in Ramanathapuram district; it has evolved since the 1950s into a major event asserting caste pride, often marked by tensions with rival groups.^[33]^[34] The community also upholds traditional precedence in temple car (ther) festivals, ritually initiating pulls at historic Shaivite sites; for example, Devendrakula Velalar members draw the first chariot in the Nellaiappar Temple's annual procession in Tirunelveli, a custom observed in the 519th edition on July 9, 2024, symbolizing their historical service roles.^[35] Similarly, they conduct the Naattu Navu (seedling planting) harvest ritual and associated festivals at the Meenakshi Temple in Madurai, tying agrarian cycles to divine favor.^[34] These events, rooted in pre-colonial temple patronage, affirm social status amid ongoing caste dynamics.^[36]

Community Rituals and Figures

The Pallar community, also identifying as Devendrakula Velalar, maintains Hindu religious practices centered on agrarian deities and local temple traditions, with a belief in descent from Devendran, the god associated with the fertile Marutam landscape in ancient Tamil literature. This mythological origin underscores rituals invoking agricultural prosperity, such as initiating temple car processions (therotsavam) at historic sites including the Madurai Meenakshi Temple, where community members traditionally lead the harvesting festival and chariot pulling to honor deities like Meenakshi.^[34] These processions, involving thousands of participants pulling massive wooden chariots carrying temple idols, symbolize communal devotion and historical ties to temple service, though participation has occasionally sparked inter-caste tensions.^[11] A distinctive contemporary ritual is the annual commemoration of Immanuel Sekaran (1921–1957), a community leader and Indian Army veteran who founded organizations advocating for Pallar education, land rights, and social equality in Ramanathapuram district. Sekaran, murdered amid 1957 caste riots between Pallars and Maravars, is venerated through Guru Pooja ceremonies on September 11, drawing large gatherings for prayers, speeches, and processions that emphasize resistance to oppression and caste pride.^[37]^[38] These events, organized by groups like the Devendrakula Vellalar Sangam, reinforce internal solidarity but have led to clashes, as in the 2011 Paramakudi violence where police intervention during a Sekaran memorial escalated into riots killing six Pallars.^[39] Marriage rituals follow endogamous patterns with a preference for cross-cousin unions, reflecting kinship ties in rural Tamil Nadu; ceremonies involve Hindu rites like tying the thaali (mangalsutra) and feasts, often with community elders overseeing to preserve sub-caste links such as Kalladi or Kudumban.^[31] Some traditions include ritual reenactments venerating Devendrakula couples as Shiva and Parvati, drawing from Shaivite lore like the Sundarar episode in Tevaram hymns, performed in select temples to affirm elevated ritual roles.^[40] Death customs entail cremation with offerings to ancestors and Devendran, followed by purification rites, though specifics vary by locality and are less documented than public festivals. These practices blend folk Hinduism with assertions of historical precedence, countering lower-caste stigmatization through active temple involvement.^[11]

Demographics and Geography

Population Distribution

The Pallar community is primarily distributed across the Indian state of Tamil Nadu, forming a notable subgroup within the Scheduled Castes. They constitute approximately 17% of Tamil Nadu's Scheduled Caste population, which comprises about 20% of the state's total residents according to the 2011 census, equating to an estimated 2.5 million individuals nationwide, with the vast majority residing in Tamil Nadu.^[41]^[2] Smaller numbers are found in adjacent states such as Kerala and Karnataka, where they maintain agricultural livelihoods similar to those in Tamil Nadu.^[2] Within Tamil Nadu, the Pallars have a widespread presence in 28 of the state's 33 districts, though concentrations are highest in the southern regions, including Tirunelveli, Thoothukudi, Virudhunagar, and Madurai, where they often form a substantial portion of local Scheduled Caste demographics.^[3]^[16] This geographic focus aligns with historical patterns of agrarian settlement and migration, with lesser densities in central and northern districts. Official census data aggregates Scheduled Castes without sub-caste breakdowns, leading to reliance on community estimates and secondary analyses for precise figures, which vary slightly but consistently indicate southern Tamil Nadu as the core area of distribution.

Sub-Castes and Internal Divisions

The Pallar community, increasingly identifying as Devendrakula Velalar, encompasses several historically distinct sub-castes primarily engaged in agriculture and sharing Scheduled Caste status in Tamil Nadu. In a June 3, 2021, government order, the Tamil Nadu administration formalized the unification of seven sub-castes—Devendrakulathan, Kadaiyan, Kalladi, Kudumban, Pallan, Pannadi, and Valaiyan—under the common term Devendrakula Velalar for issuing community certificates, aiming to streamline administrative recognition while preserving subgroup identities in practice.^[25] This grouping reflects efforts to consolidate a fragmented community numbering over 5 million in Tamil Nadu as of the 2011 census, where Pallars constitute a significant portion of southern districts' Dalit population.^[42] These sub-castes exhibit regional and occupational nuances, with groups like Kudumban and Pallan often concentrated in southern Tamil Nadu's agrarian belts, practicing tenant farming and palmyra-related crafts, while others such as Kalladi and Valaiyan trace ties to fishing or weaving in coastal areas.^[41] Endogamous marriages predominate within sub-castes, reinforcing internal divisions despite the nominal unification, as evidenced by localized identities like Veeranattu Pallar in villages such as Keelakottai, where subgroup loyalties influence social alliances and conflicts.^[42] Historical ethnographies have variably classified additional subgroups, such as Kudumbar, Kaaladi, and Kadayar, as Pallar affiliates based on shared titles and livelihoods, though these remain debated in revisionist caste narratives.^[11] Tensions arise from uneven acceptance of the Devendrakula Velalar label, with some sub-castes resisting it to retain distinct historical claims—such as Pallan's association with ancient Mallar rulers—potentially exacerbating fragmentation in political mobilization and resource allocation under reservation quotas.^[41] Despite this, the 2021 order has facilitated broader community assertion, though empirical data on inter-sub-caste interactions remain limited, with studies indicating persistent hierarchies mirroring broader Dalit caste dynamics in Tamil Nadu.^[43]

Political Engagement

Electoral Participation

The Pallar community, concentrated in southern Tamil Nadu, exerts considerable influence as a voting bloc in several assembly and parliamentary constituencies, including Tirunelveli, Thoothukkudi, Tenkasi, Nagercoil, Colachel, Ramanathapuram, and Vilavancode, where their numbers can determine electoral outcomes. In these areas, Pallars often align with parties offering concessions on issues like sub-caste reclassification and protection from inter-caste violence, reflecting their assertive political mobilization since the 1990s. For instance, in the 2016 Tamil Nadu assembly elections, the narrow 601-vote margin in Tirunelveli highlighted the community's decisive role amid close contests between Dravidian majors.^[16] The Puthiya Tamilagam (PT), founded in 1999 by K. Krishnasamy to represent Pallar interests, has participated in multiple elections but achieved limited direct success, often functioning as a kingmaker through alliances rather than independent contests. PT secured a foothold in southern districts like Ottapidaram, where it allied with the AIADMK in 2011, potentially capturing up to one-third of Pallar votes in targeted seats. However, the party's vote share remained marginal statewide, at around 0.09% in broader tallies, underscoring reliance on major parties for amplification.^[42]^[44] In recent cycles, such as the 2021 assembly elections, national parties like the BJP have courted Pallars by endorsing the unification of seven sub-castes—Devendrakulathan, Kudumban, Pannadi, Kaladi, Kadayan, Pallan, and Vathiriyar—under the "Devendrakula Vellalar" nomenclature to prioritize intra-community reservations, prompting potential vote shifts from DMK-led fronts in southern pockets. Despite this, internal divisions persist, with significant opposition (up to 90% in some local surveys) to the reclassification due to fears of diluting Scheduled Caste benefits and straining ties with other Dalit groups. Such strategic wooing has led to fragmented support, with educated Pallar youth showing openness to BJP roles like district secretaries, while traditional loyalties to Dravidian alliances endure in delta regions.^[16]^[42]

Alliances and Strategies

The Pallar community, increasingly identifying as Devendrakula Vellalars, has pursued political strategies focused on asserting a distinct caste identity separate from the broader Dalit framework, emphasizing historical revisionism and demands for official reclassification to enhance social mobility. This approach rejects pan-Dalit solidarity in favor of sub-caste-specific empowerment, including campaigns since the mid-2010s to amend the Scheduled Castes list by specifying Devendrakula Vellalar as a standalone entry. In October 2020, the Tamil Nadu government under AIADMK passed a resolution recommending such changes to the central government, culminating in a February 18, 2021, Constitution (Scheduled Castes) Order (Amendment) Bill that listed 76 sub-castes explicitly, including Devendrakula Vellalar (alongside Adi Dravida, Adi Karnataka, and others previously under a consolidated entry), aiming to protect intra-SC quotas amid population growth concerns.^[45] Electorally, the community leverages its demographic concentration—estimated at over 3 million, predominantly in southern Tamil Nadu districts like Tirunelveli, Thoothukudi, and Ramanathapuram—to secure alliances and seat negotiations. The Viduthalai Chiruthaigal Katchi (VCK), drawing primary support from Pallars since its founding in 1999 as a successor to the Dalit Panthers movement, has allied with the DMK-led Secular Progressive Alliance since 2016, contesting 5-10 seats per assembly election and winning representation, such as 4 seats in 2021 with a 3.89% vote share. However, ideological tensions arise, as VCK's Ambedkarite focus on anti-caste radicalism clashes with Devendrakula factions' preference for upward mobility without delisting from reservations entirely, leading some community members to explore ties with BJP, which backed the 2021 amendments and targeted southern consolidation in 2019 Lok Sabha polls.^[46]^[47]^[41] These strategies also involve cultural and historical mobilization, such as promoting myths of ancient agriculturalist origins (e.g., as "Mallar" cultivators in Sangam literature) to claim proximity to Vellalar status, while navigating intra-community divisions that weaken unified bargaining—evident in opposition from VCK leaders to full SC exclusion, fearing quota dilution for remaining Dalit groups. In the 2024 Lok Sabha elections, VCK's DMK alliance secured key southern seats, but persistent demands for separate identity highlight a pragmatic shift toward issue-based pacts over ideological purity.^[11]^[4]

Controversies

Inter-Caste Conflicts

Inter-caste conflicts involving the Pallar community have predominantly occurred in southern districts of Tamil Nadu, such as Ramanathapuram, Madurai, Virudhunagar, and Tirunelveli, pitting Pallars against the Thevar caste in disputes over land access, political representation, and social dominance.^[48] These clashes stem from historical Thevar control over agrarian resources and Pallar assertions of autonomy through education, reservations, and economic migration, often provoking retaliatory violence including arson and murders.^[48] Between August 1995 and October 1998 alone, such conflicts resulted in at least 251 deaths.^[48] The 1957 Mudukulathur riots marked an early escalation, triggered by the murder of Pallar leader Immanuel Sekaran on September 11, 1957, amid tensions with Thevar figure Muthuramalinga Thevar, leading to widespread clashes that killed approximately 50 Pallars.^[49] Subsequent violence in the 1990s included the June 30, 1997, Melavalavu massacre, where Thevars killed six Pallars, including the elected panchayat president, in retaliation for Dalit control of a reserved constituency.^[48] In Kodiyankulam on August 31, 1995, police raids amid riots destroyed Pallar land documents, exacerbating displacement.^[49] The September 2011 Paramakudi clashes arose during Pallar protests for Sekaran's death anniversary, culminating in police firing that killed seven Pallars and injured dozens, with evidence of custodial torture on victims.^[50] ^[51] Inter-caste marriages frequently ignite violence, as seen in recurrent "honor" killings where Pallars face attacks from Thevars over relationships crossing caste lines.^[52] Recent patterns include retaliatory beheadings in 2021, with four deaths in September—two Thevars and two Pallars—in Tirunelveli and Dindigul districts, prompting statewide "Operation Disarm" that arrested 3,325 individuals and seized 111 knives and seven illegal guns.^[49] Police complicity with dominant castes has compounded issues, including biased raids on Pallar settlements and failure to curb illicit economies like arrack distillation that exploit Pallar labor.^[48] Despite periodic interventions, underlying caste hierarchies sustain cycles of vendetta killings and property destruction.^[49]

Reclassification Demands and Implications

Sections of the Pallar community, particularly leaders advocating for the unified identity of Devendrakula Vellalar, have demanded reclassification from their current Scheduled Caste (SC) status to a more dignified nomenclature, encompassing seven sub-castes including Pallar, Kudumban, and Devendrakulathar.^[53] This push, rooted in historical grievances over stigmatizing labels imposed during colonial and post-independence periods, seeks to group these communities under Devendrakula Vellalar to foster social upliftment and reduce caste-based discrimination.^[54] In February 2021, the Indian Parliament introduced the Constitution (Scheduled Castes) Order (Amendment) Bill, 2021, to formally recognize this grouping while retaining SC benefits, though it did not address full delisting.^[55] More radical demands for outright exclusion from the SC list have emerged, led by figures like PT leader K. Krishnasamy, who argue that continued SC classification perpetuates stigma and that the community was erroneously downgraded from Backward Classes (BC) status post-independence.^[56] In September 2020, the Puthiya Tamilagam party organized hunger strikes across 10,000 locations in Tamil Nadu to press for delisting six communities, including Pallar variants, claiming it would enable destigmatization and self-reliance.^[56] Proponents contend this reclassification would align with the community's agricultural and entrepreneurial advancements in southern Tamil Nadu districts like Tirunelveli and Thoothukudi.^[42] However, these demands face internal opposition, with many Pallars wary of forfeiting SC entitlements such as the 18% reservation quota in Tamil Nadu for education, employment, and political seats, which have facilitated upward mobility for dominant SC groups like Pallars over less advantaged ones.^[57] Delisting could relegate them to OBC status or general category, potentially slashing access to targeted welfare schemes and exacerbating economic disparities, as SC benefits include substantial budgetary allocations exceeding thousands of crores annually.^[54] Critics, including other Dalit subgroups, view exclusion bids as self-serving, arguing they undermine collective SC solidarity amid ongoing demands for intra-SC sub-quotas, validated by the Supreme Court's August 1, 2024, ruling permitting states to subdivide SC reservations for equitable distribution—directly challenging Pallar dominance in benefit accrual.^[58] ^[57] Politically, reclassification efforts have fueled divisions, with parties like the BJP leveraging the Devendrakula Vellalar narrative to court Pallar votes in southern Tamil Nadu since 2021, while risking alienation from broader Dalit coalitions favoring sub-quotas for Arunthathiyars (allocated 3% within the 18% SC quota).^[42] Administrative hurdles persist, as any SC list alteration requires constitutional amendment and empirical justification via caste census data, potentially triggering litigation and unrest similar to past quota agitations.^[55] If enacted, exclusion could redistribute resources but might hinder the community's progress, given Pallars' relative socio-economic edge over other SCs, as evidenced by higher representation in government jobs and education in the region.^[59]

References

[1]
PALLAR Definition & Meaning - Merriam-Webster
The meaning of PALLAR is a member of a caste of the Tamil Nadu region of India whose traditional occupation is agriculture.
[2]
Pallan (Hindu traditions) in India people group profile - Joshua Project
Pallar people are also called Kudumban. They are a scheduled caste, which means they have low status in India's Hindu culture.
[3]
Who are Devendrakula Vellalars and why BJP is wooing them in ...
Mar 19, 2021 · Hindu Pallars, who have a presence in 28 of Tamil Nadu's 33 districts and are 17% of the population, want to be classified as Devendrakula Vellalars.
[4]
From Mallar to Pallar and Back: The Ideology of Devendrakula ...
Devendrakula Velalars are an exception to the rule. They reject Dalit ideology. Instead, they prefer to strengthen their caste identity and move up the social ...<|separator|>
[5]
Castes and Tribes of Southern India/Pallan - Wikisource
Aug 9, 2025 · The Pallans are said by some to have sprung from the intercourse of a Sudra and a Brāhman woman. Others say Dēvendra created them for the ...
[6]
Historical Outline of Pallars Who Once Ruled Tamil Country
Mar 11, 2025 · The word “Pallar' means workers of wetlands (low lands). In the Sangam literature, they were called Mallards. The word Mallar means warrior and ...
[7]
[PDF] SANGAM PERIOD: LITERARY AND HISTORICAL ... - IJRAR
Thus the Mallars settled in Tamil. Nadu and Sri Lanka, while the Malavars came to live in Kerala, western Tamil Nadu, eastern Andhra Pradesh and southern. Sri ...
[8]
Scholars who claim Pallars are Mallars - Devendra Kula Vellalar
Nov 2, 2019 · The word Pallar refers to Mallar, the agricultural population of Marutam region. They are known as Devendra Kula Vellalar. ... The valiant people, ...Missing: etymology | Show results with:etymology
[9]
[PDF] Journal of Religious Culture - Goethe University Frankfurt
Genesis of Pallars. The Pallar caste is said to be the ancient community of Tamil Nadu. The people of this caste are considered to be the great cultivators ...
[10]
(PDF) Slavery and Dependency in Southern India - Academia.edu
The paper explores the historical context of slavery and labor dependency in Southern India, focusing on the Tamil region from the medieval period to the ...
[11]
Constructing a caste in the past: Revisionist histories and ...
Feb 22, 2022 · Colonial accounts of the Kudumbar, Kaaladi, and Kadayar and their relationship to the Pallars provide further evidence of economic diversity ...
[12]
[PDF] Agrarian Slavery in Tamil Country during the Colonial Period
Oct 10, 2015 · The main aim of this paper is to describe the practice of slavery in agriculture in Tamilnadu during the British Colonial. Period. Keywords: ...Missing: laborers | Show results with:laborers
[13]
[PDF] Constitution (Scheduled Castes) Order, 1950
The Constitution (Scheduled Castes) Order, 1950, defines Scheduled Castes as specified in the Schedule, based on Article 341 of the Constitution, but not for ...
[14]
[PDF] LAND REFORMS IN TAMIL NADU (1947-1969) -A STUDY
A serious of land reforms Act enacted during the Congress ministry saved the tenants and agricultural labourersin the eye of the government but their struggle ...
[15]
Decline of landlordism - Frontline - The Hindu
Aug 17, 2018 · Further, the Tamil Nadu Land Reforms (Fixation of Ceiling of Land) Act, 1961, allowed a family with five members to hold no more than 30 ...Missing: impact | Show results with:impact
[16]
Will Pallars, long victims of oppression, now embrace the BJP in TN?
Mar 20, 2021 · “In the past, the sources of livelihood of Pallars were derived from their slave labour. These slaves could be bought and sold between palaces ...
[17]
Hidden Apartheid | Caste Discrimination against India's ...
Feb 12, 2007 · Prior to 1997 Mangapuram was home to 3,000 higher-caste Thevar and 250 Pallar (Dalit) families. On March 7, 1996, Thevars attacked Pallars ...
[18]
Devendra Kula Vellalar will remain in SC list: Ministry - The Hindu
Feb 16, 2021 · The communities would not be de-listed from the SC list and made OBCs, said the Ministry, responding to some media reports.Missing: contemporary | Show results with:contemporary
[19]
Constitution (Scheduled Castes) Order (Amendment) Bill 2021
It groups seven Scheduled Caste sub-sects in Tamil Nadu under the heritage name 'Devendrakula Velalar' (DKV). These castes existed as separate entries. Any ...
[20]
Devendrakula Vellalars should be removed from SC list as they don ...
Apr 3, 2024 · Mr. John Pandian said the removal of Devendrakula Vellalar community from the SC list was their decades-old demand.Missing: contemporary | Show results with:contemporary
[21]
This Community In Tamil Nadu Wants To Be Taken Out Of The SC List
Dec 6, 2020 · The Devendrakula Vellalars have broken the vicious cycle of victimhood and have emerged as representatives of what Dr. Ambedkar envisioned for Indian society.<|control11|><|separator|>
[22]
[PDF] WIDER Working Paper 2017/132 Are caste categories misleading?
Jun 3, 2017 · Kapadia (1995), for example, finds that among the Pallar of Tamil Nadu—a highly impoverished, landless SC who perform largely agricultural ...
[23]
Co-existence among sub classes of Dalits
There are three major sub-classes among Dalits in Tamil Nadu and they are known as Pallar, Paraiyar and Aruntahthiyar. Here Pallar is the dominating class. Next ...
[24]
Devendrakula Vellalar move: CM Palaniswami thanked
Dec 11, 2020 · The committee recommended to the State government that all seven be called as Devendrakula Vellalar.Missing: Velalar Movement
[25]
TN govt issues order on devendrakula velalar | Chennai News
Jun 3, 2021 · The Tamil Nadu government has issued an order bringing the sub-castes of Scheduled Castes -- devendrakulathan, kadaiyan, kalladi, kudumban, pallan, pannadi and ...
[26]
Demand to exclude Devendra Kula Vellalars from Scheduled Caste ...
Pallar, Kudumbar, Pannadi, Kaalaadi, Kadayar, ...<|separator|>
[27]
Amid row, govt says no plan to remove Devendrakula Vellalars from ...
Feb 15, 2021 · The Tamil Nadu government recommended only merger of the seven groups into one as Devendrakula Vellalar and no proposal for removing the ...
[28]
Devendra Kula Vellalars were wetland farmers, not untouchables ...
May 6, 2018 · The Puthiya Tamilagam leader's plan to push for exclusion of the Devendra Kula Vellalar community from the Scheduled Caste list at a meet on Sunday has sparked ...
[29]
Krishnasamy to hold protest seeking separate recognition for ...
Sep 23, 2020 · Puthiya Tamilagam founder K. Krishnasamy on Tuesday said his party had decided to launch simultaneous one-day protests by fasting on October ...Missing: Pallars | Show results with:Pallars
[30]
Lok Sabha passes bill to place seven castes under Devendrakula ...
Mar 19, 2021 · The Lok Sabha on Friday passed The Constitution (Scheduled Castes) Order (Amendment) Bill, 2021, that seeks to put seven castes under one nomenclature of “ ...
[31]
Pallan (Hindu traditions) in Sri Lanka people group profile
The Pallan people believe they are descended from the Hindu god Devendran or Indra, the king of the gods. The Pallan practice Hinduism, the ancient religion of ...
[32]
Pallan (Christian traditions) in India - Joshua Project
What Are Their Beliefs? Most Pallan Christians belong to Roman Catholic and Protestant denominations. Their faith is expressed through regular church attendance ...
[33]
Immanuel Sekaran guru puja peaceful - The Hindu
Sep 11, 2018 · Immanuel Sekaran guru puja passed off peacefully in Madurai and Virudhunagar districts on Tuesday with volunteers, who proceeded to ...Missing: Pallar | Show results with:Pallar
[34]
The paramakudi conflict – analysing the caste conflicts
Oct 6, 2011 · In tamilnadu, the pallars and kallars (one of mukkulathor community) were both classified as criminal tribes. Muthu ramalinga devar fought ...<|separator|>
[35]
Lakhs of devotees turn up for 519th Nellaiappar car festival in TN
Jul 9, 2025 · TIRUNELVELI: The 519th annual car procession of the Nellaiappar-Gandhimathi Ambal temple was held on Tuesday with lakhs of devotees taking turns ...Missing: practices | Show results with:practices
[36]
Religious Beliefs and Social Hierarchy in Tamiḻ Nāḍu, India - jstor
Most of the Harijans in Village A deny the belief, as did this laborer of Pallar caste: ... Village A thinks that "faith in the festivals is decreasing; also ...
[37]
The continuing relevance of Immanuel Sekaran - The Indian Express
Sep 19, 2023 · A Dalit icon whose death anniversary was observed by the ruling DMK last week, Sekaran's was a life of quiet but profound resistance.<|separator|>
[38]
Freedom fighter, Dalit icon: Remembering Tamil Nadu's Immanuel ...
Sep 11, 2016 · He joined the Army as a havildar major in 1945, before returning to his home district of Ramanathapuram as a youth Congress leader.
[39]
Remembering Immanuel Sekaran: Brave Dalit leader who lost his ...
Sep 1, 2016 · Remembering Immanuel Sekaran: Brave Dalit leader who lost his life to savarna brutality. On September 11 every year, the man who fought to ...
[40]
This community in Tamil Nadu wants to give up its Scheduled Caste ...
Jan 7, 2021 · The Devendra Kula Vellalars were also called Mallars or Pallars until a few decades ago. In the pre-colonial Tamil Nadu, they were the ...
[41]
BJP tries to consolidate caste wooing Devendrakula Vellalar - Scroll.in
Apr 13, 2019 · The community has a key presence in 28 of Tamil Nadu's 33 districts, with the vast majority of members living in the southern districts.Missing: Velalar | Show results with:Velalar
[42]
In TN's deep south, marginalised Pallars wooed by BJP stay divided
Mar 16, 2021 · However, in Keelakottai there were two sub-castes of Pallars who dominated the village namely, Veeranattu Pallar and Devendrakula Pallar. The ...Missing: early | Show results with:early
[43]
'Dalits among Dalits': Why TN introduced internal reservation for an ...
Aug 1, 2024 · Three main divisions Dalits in Tamil Nadu are split into three main castes – Pallar, Paraiyar, and Arunthathiyar. Although all of them face ...
[44]
[PDF] legislature and election - Government of Tamil Nadu
Puthiya Tamilagam (PT). 36. 0. 39611. 0.09 0.90. 24. Viduthalai Chiruthaigal ... 30.2 GENERAL ELECTION TO TAMIL NADU LEGISLATIVE ASSEMBLY BY. CONSTITUENCIES ...Missing: performance | Show results with:performance
[45]
Central government modifies SC list in Tamil Nadu,' Devendra ...
Feb 16, 2021 · Nearly a decade long unrelenting battle of Tamil Nadu Devendra Kula Vellalar borne fruits with Prime Minister Modi led government moving a bill<|separator|>
[46]
VCK: A Dalit party that changed the political landscape of Tamil Nadu
Apr 15, 2024 · In 1990, the Madurai-based political movement was transformed into a political party and rechristened Viduthalai Chiruthaigal Katchi (VCK). The ...<|separator|>
[47]
Explained: A primer on Dalit politics in Tamil Nadu
Apr 3, 2021 · ... Viduthalai Chiruthaigal Katchi, the VCK led by Thirumavalavan. Pallars and associated castes who are now termed as Devendra Kula Vellalar ...<|control11|><|separator|>
[48]
Broken People: Caste Violence Against India's “Untouchables ...
Caste clashes in the southern state of Tamil Nadu have predominantly involved two communities: the Thevars (a backward caste) and the Pallars (or Dalits).
[49]
Beheadings & Caste Wars in South Tamil Nadu: Pallar vs Thevar ...
Oct 1, 2021 · Pallars have been militantly resisting Thevar aggression since the pre-Independence era. In southern Tamil Nadu clashes have been common ...Missing: post- | Show results with:post-<|separator|>
[50]
14 years after Paramakudi riots, CBI refuses to disclose status of ...
Aug 17, 2025 · Fourteen years after seven persons belonging to the Scheduled Caste were killed and many others injured in police firing and the violence that ...Missing: clash | Show results with:clash
[51]
What actually happened in Paramakudi and how it happened
Sep 26, 2011 · On September 11th the police killed six among the several Dalits who had assembled in Paramakudi to observe the 54th death anniversary of their leader, ...Missing: details | Show results with:details
[52]
Dalit Hacking: The Horrors of Inter-Caste Marriage in TN - The Quint
Mar 15, 2016 · The clash between Thevars and Pallars in Tamil Nadu is an old one. The conflict increased with time as Thevar hegemony was challenged with the ...
[53]
Tamil Nadu 'Dalit Party' spearheads demand for de-listing 6 castes ...
Oct 26, 2019 · The Puthiya Tamilagam (PT), a 'Dalit party' in Tamil Nadu, has been spearheading the demand to delist six communities from the list of Scheduled Castes.
[54]
An 'exclusion' demand that engenders several questions - The Hindu
Oct 16, 2017 · The case of Pallars Being in the Scheduled Caste list not only gives the reservation right, but also enormous budgetary rights which runs to ...Missing: reclassification | Show results with:reclassification<|separator|>
[55]
Constitution (Scheduled Castes) Order (Amendment) Bill 2021
There were caste clashes between the Mukkulathors, an Other Backward Classes (OBC) community, and the Pallars, in the latter half of 1990s. This was over the ...
[56]
TN party announces hunger strike at 10,000 places demanding ...
Sep 22, 2020 · TN party announces hunger strike at 10,000 places demanding removal of community from SC list. Devendra Kula Vellalars were stigmatised with ' ...Missing: reclassification | Show results with:reclassification
[57]
Internal quota stirs Dalit pot in Tamil Nadu | Chennai News
Nov 21, 2024 · A recent Supreme Court order upholding sub classification of scheduled castes and validating 3% reservation for arunthathiyars within the 18 % quota for ...
[58]
Supreme Court order on SC sub-quotas: DMK hails it as 'nod to ...
Aug 2, 2024 · Tamil Nadu Chief Minister MK Stalin called the Supreme Court order on Thursday saying states can sub-classify Scheduled Castes (SCs) for the purpose of ...
[59]
SC Sub-Quota Verdict: Revisiting the Long-Drawn Struggle for ...
Aug 3, 2024 · The demand for sub-categorisation has gained momentum in Karnataka, as communities, particularly the Madigas, strive to secure their rightful ...Missing: reclassification | Show results with:reclassification