What is vellala Pillai in Kerala?
Saiva vellala or Saiva Pillai is a Forward Caste according to both TN and KL Government. Most of the rulers were from this caste. Saiva Pillai or Saiva Vellalar is Kshatriya who migrated with Rishi Agastya during Treta Yug along with Brahmins.
What is Pillai caste in Kerala?
Pillai, meaning Prince, is a title of nobility which can either refer to a ruling chief, members of the nobility, or junior princes of the royal family historically ranked immediately below the king. The oldest lineages of Pillais include not only Kshatriyas but also brahmins who took up the sword.
What is the caste of Pillai?
Tamil inscriptions define the direct meaning of Pillai as “Child of King” (prince), denoting nobility. The title occur both as a single name or as a suffix to the name. This title has been in traditional use by the communities such as the, Koviyars, Karaiyars, Nairs and the Vellalars.
Is Yadav a Pillai?
Kuppusamy Pillai, Thana Pillai (Advocate), Krishnasamy Pillai, Kesava Pillai. Then many Tamil Yadavas used Pillai instead of yadav. Pillai is a Tamil speaking community hailing from the elite caste of landlords called Vellalars.
Are Kerala Pillai Brahmins?
Yes. Kerala Pillais are Brahmins. There are both Kshatriyas and Brahmins. There are various subcategories in Nair Pillais like Valiyathan, kaimal, thampi, kartha, menon, menoki, kurup and unnithan.
Is Pillai higher than Nair?
Menon, Pillai, Nambiar,etc are titular surnames and not subcastes. Highest ranking Nair subcaste is Samanthan and Kiriyath. Menon surname is given to any proper Nair who has done literary or military service to the kingdom.
Are Saiva Pillai Brahmins?
Saiva pillais are Brahmins ,who became kshathriyas (by sword) .
Is Pillai and Nair same?
No. They are not Brahmins. Pillai can be considered as an honorific surname conferred to some subsects among Nairs, a forward caste. In Kerala, Pillais are a subset of Nairs just like Unnithan, Valiyathan, Kaimal, Thampi, Kartha, Menoki, Menon, Panickar, Kurup, Nambiar etc.
Is Pillai A Nair?
Malayali Pillais are not Brahmins, they are part of the Nair community. Pillai is a title in Travancore (South Kerala) such as Menon, Kartha, Panikkar, etc. , in Central Kerala and Malabar areas among the Nair community.
What is vellalar caste?
Vellalar is a generic Tamil term used primarily by various castes who traditionally pursued agriculture as a profession in the Indian states of Tamil Nadu, Kerala and northeastern parts of Sri Lanka.
Is Saiva Pillai vegetarian?
The Saiva Vellalars are strictly vegetarians. People of the community are considered very much conservative. A very few of them were converted during the late eighteenth and nineteenth centuries to Christianity and retained the caste name ‘Saiva Pillai’.
Is Vellalar a BC?
The caste title, ‘Vellalar’, refers to people who performed agriculture as profession traditionally. So far, the title has been used by over 26 castes out of 180 listed under MBC/BC. For the first time, the castes listed under SC are to be assigned the title ‘Vellalar’.