Vellala caste is last name of many people in Indian subcontinent. Vellala caste definition is The great cultivating caste of the Tamil country to whom by general consent the first place in social esteem among the Tamil Sudra castes is awarded. They have a strength of more than 2 millions in India; in the Central Provinces there were in 1911 about 700 in Chanda Nagpur and other Districts. In the Madras Census Report of 1901 Mr. Francis gives an interesting description of the structure of the caste and its numerous territorial occupational and other subdivisions. He shows also how groups from lower castes continually succeed in obtaining admission into the Vellala community in the following passage: Instances of members of other castes who have assumed the name and position of Vellalas are the Vettuva Vellalas who are really Vettuvans; the Puluva Vellalas who are only Puluvans; the Illam Vellalas who are Panikkans; the Karaiturai (lord of the shore) Vellalas who are Karaiyans; the Karukamattai (palmyra leaf stem) Vellalas who are Balijas; the Guha (Ramas boatman) Vellalas who are Sembadavans; and the Irkuli Vellalas who are Vannans. The children of dancing girls also often call themselves Mudali and claim in time to be Vellalas and even Paraiyans assume the title of Pillai and trust to its eventually enabling them to pass themselves off as members of the caste. The Vellalas will not touch the plough with their own hands. Some of them abstain from flesh and liquor and prohibit the remarriage of widows with a view to raising their social status.. Vellala caste is one of the many castes subcastes of India.
India has thousands of castes and subcastes, they are in existence and practice since the Vedic times. They were created to solve the problem of division of labor. Vellala caste name could indicate the type of work people belonging to the Vellala caste do or did in earlier times. Many last names in India indicate the place the person originally belongs to. All castes sub castes are primarily divided into 4 categories:
1.Brahmins – The learned or priestly class
2.Khastriyas – The warrior class or those with governing functions
3.Vaishyas – The trader, agriculturalists or cattle rearers class
4.Shudra – The class that serves other three categories
Vellala caste belongs to one of the above 4 categories. Indian caste system is the best system to solve the problem of division of labor. In earlier times there was no rigidity in caste system. Indian caste system is still the best solution for the problem of division of labor, the only change that is needed as per changed times is that rather than having a vertical hierarchical system with Brahmins on top and Shudras at bottom, it would be good to have a horizontal socialist system with Brahmins, Khastriyas, Vaishyas and Shudras all at same level.
The caste system of India is in ruins at present. It is also cause of bloody quarrels in certain parts of the rural India. People of backward castes have reservations in government jobs, this facility is widely misused in India. Many of the backward caste people have become rich and still use the facility for their benefit. Many in India believe reservation in jobs should be given on the basis of poverty rather than caste because there are many poors in upper castes as well.
Many foreginers and followers of Abrahmic religions criticize the Indian caste system because of bad material condition of lower castes but if they observe in an unbiased way they would find that there are many in upper castes with bad material conditions. The problem lies in power not in castes, power can corrupt anyone be it from upper caste or lower caste.
Secondly I have seen Abrahmic religions especially Muslims and Christians claiming that they have no caste system – It is an utter lie. All cultures, all countries, all religions have caste system in one form or the other. Christians have different churches depending on the region or language or skin color of people. Muslims have a priestly class that tries to control everything. Arab Muslims before the oil boom were so much divided among tribes that if you drank water from a well of a different tribe you could be shot dead. Tribal divisions still exists among Muslims. You can also see the caste system in a different form in your corporate companies. I had seen different food and drinking facilities for people at different levels.
Vellala caste is also known as Vellala Gotra.
Caste situation is quiet different in urban India, people in urban areas especially youngsters don’t bother about castes. Inter caste, inter religious, inter lingual marriages are quiet common in urban India. Inter caste, inter religious and inter lingual marriages in rural areas attract severe criticism and many times people are expelled from community for not marrying as per religious and caste rules.
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