{{short description|Hindu agrarian caste in Tamil Nadu, India}} {{About|the Indian Vanniyar community|medieval Sri Lankan chieftaincy title|Vanniar (Chieftain)}} {{pp-extended|small=yes}}<!-- do not remove, see Special:PermaLink/698674019#Palestine-Israel articles 3 (2): Arbitrator views and discussion --> {{Use dmy dates|date=November 2025}} {{Use Indian English|date=November 2025}} [[File:Castes and Tribes of Southern India, Volume 6 - Image 1.jpg|thumb|Vanniyars celebrating Pongal, 1909]]
The '''Vanniyar''', formerly known as the '''Palli''', are a community or ''jāti'' found in the northern part of the Indian state of Tamil Nadu.<ref>{{Cite book|last1=Rudolph|first1=Lloyd I.|author-link1=Lloyd Rudolph|last2=Rudolph|first2=Susanne Hoeber|author-link2=Susanne Hoeber Rudolph|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=7guY1ut-0lwC&pg=PA49|title=The Modernity of Tradition: Political Development in India|date=1967|publisher=University of Chicago Press|isbn=978-0-226-73137-7|pages=49|language=en}}</ref>
The Vanniyars were historically considered a lower caste, although some were peasant-warriors in the 14th century. The Palli, along with the Paraiyar, were largely employed as agricultural labourers during British rule, although some were smallholders and minor landowners.<ref name="Eugene F.Irschick">{{cite book |title= dialogue and History Constructing South India, 1795-1895 |first=Eugene |last=F.Irschick |publisher=University of California |year=2001 |isbn=9780520914322 |url=https://www.google.com/books/edition/Dialogue_and_History/gwEOfHfUFTkC?hl=en&gbpv=1&dq=palli+paraiyar&pg=PP15&printsec=frontcover |page=XIII}}</ref><ref name="Malaysian Historical society">{{cite book |title= Malaysia in History |first=Malaysia |last=Historical society |publisher=University of California |year=1982 | url=https://www.google.com/books/edition/Malaysia_in_History/n6RSIp6xyGYC?hl=en&gbpv=1&bsq=palli+paraiyar&dq=palli+paraiyar&printsec=frontcover |page=50}}</ref><ref name="Indian school of social sciences">{{cite journal |last1=Reddy |first1=Subramanya |title=RYOTWARI SETTLEMENTS AND PEASANT RESISTANCE |journal=Social Sciences |date=1988 |volume=16 |issue=181-182 |page=45 |url=https://dsal.uchicago.edu/cgi-bin/books/socialscientist/query.py?object=47&bookid=HN681.S597_181-82&display_type=page_display#gsc.tab=0 |access-date=27 October 2025|quote=These mirasidars or dominant castes usually had untouchable paraiyar farm servants while Brahmin mirasidars had pallis, a group who were not untouchables. In some areas the pallis (later called Vanikula Kshatriyas) had in course of time became mirasidars themselves.}}</ref><ref name="N.Subrahmanian">{{cite book |title=The Tamils Their History, Culture, and Civilization |first=N |last=Subrahmanian |publisher=Institute of Asian Studies |year=1996 |url=https://www.google.com/books/edition/The_Tamils/UQZuAAAAMAAJ?hl=en&gbpv=1&bsq=palli+paraiyar&dq=palli+paraiyar&printsec=frontcover |page=78}}</ref><ref name="Haruka Yanagisawa">{{cite book |title= A century of change caste and irrigated lands in Tamilnadu, 1860s – 1970s |first=Haruka |last=Yanagisawa |publisher=Manohar |year=1996 |isbn=9788173041594 |url=https://www.google.com/books/edition/A_Century_of_Change/cTeFAAAAIAAJ?hl=en&gbpv=1&bsq=pallis |page=114}}</ref> They have been trying to gain a higher socio-religious standing since the 19th century, using the Sanskritisation process to promote a myth of origin that they are related to the ancient Agnikula deity, born from the flames of a fire sacrifice.<ref name="Isabelle Clark deces">{{cite book | first= Isabelle Clark | last= Deces| year=2007| title= The encounter never ends | page=28| publisher= State University of Newyork| url= https://www.google.co.in/books/edition/The_Encounter_Never_Ends/GIiqagUpgjMC?hl=en&gbpv=1&dq=vanniyar+19th+century&pg=PA28&printsec=frontcover }}</ref>
==Etymology== Several etymologies for ''Vanniyar'' have been suggested. Alf Hiltebeitel suggests that the caste name derives from ''vahni'', a Sanskrit word thought to be the root for the Tamil word ''vanni'' (fire), which is also a Tamil name for an important tree.<ref name="hiltebeitel35"/> The connection to the sage (Jambumuni) leads to further associations with mythological legends.<ref name=":0">{{Cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=VncomfRVVhoC&pg=PA36|title=The cult of Draupadī: Mythologies : from Gingee to Kurukserta|last=Hiltebeitel|first=Alf|date=1991|publisher=Motilal Banarsidass |isbn=9788120810006|pages=36|language=en}}</ref>
Other etymologies include derivation from the Dravidian ''val'' ("strength"),<ref name="hiltebeitel38"/> or the Sanskrit or Pali ''vana'' ("forest").<ref>{{cite book |first=Subramanian |last=Gopalakrishnan |title=The Nayaks of Sri Lanka, 1739-1815: Political Relations with the British in South India |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=bG1uAAAAMAAJ |year=1988 |publisher=New Era Publications |page=134}}</ref> The term ''Palli'' is widely used to describe them, but is considered to be derogatory.<ref name="hiltebeitel38">{{cite book|title=The cult of Draupadī: Mythologies : from Gingee to Kurukserta |volume=1|first=Alf |last=Hiltebeitel |author-link=Alf Hiltebeitel |publisher=Motilal Banarsidass |year=1991|page=38 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=VncomfRVVhoC&pg=PA38|isbn=9788120810006}}</ref>
==Historical status== Hiltebeitel, who classifies the Vanniyar as Shudra in the Hindu varna system, notes that South Indian society traditionally recognised neither the ''Kshatriya'' (warrior) nor ''Vaishya'' (merchant) varnas, being divided instead between Brahmins on the one hand and Shudras and untouchables on the other. Nonetheless, communities in the region frequently sought to prove a historic higher status, based on myth or occasionally probable history. He notes that "traditions of demotion from a once higher rank are a commonplace of South Indian caste mythologies".<ref>{{cite book|title=The cult of Draupadī: Mythologies : from Gingee to Kurukserta |volume=1|first=Alf |last=Hiltebeitel |author-link=Alf Hiltebeitel |publisher=Motilal Banarsidass |year=1991|pages=33–34 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=VncomfRVVhoC&pg=PA33|isbn=9788120810006}}</ref>
Burton Stein is one of several writers who have described the Vanniyars as "peasant-warriors" in the 14th century, by which time they had risen to "local prominence" in some areas as the Sambuvaraya chiefs.<ref>{{cite book |title=Vijayanagara |series=The New Cambridge History of India |first=Burton |last=Stein |authorlink=Burton Stein |page=54 |publisher=Cambridge University Press |year=1990 |isbn=9780521619257 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=OpxeaYQbGDMC&pg=PA54}}</ref> Researchers Lloyd and Susanne Rudolph note that as early as in 1833, the Vanniyar had ceased to accept their "low caste" status,<ref name="rudolph49" /> also described as being Shudra by Kathleen Gough and others.<ref>{{cite book |first=Jean-Luc|last=Racine|chapter=Caste and Beyond in Tamil Politics|title= Rise of the Plebeians?: The Changing Face of the Indian Legislative Assemblies |editor-first=Christophe |editor-last=Jaffrelot |editor-link=Christophe Jaffrelot |page=447 |chapter-url=https://books.google.com/books?id=tDN0MinxMigC&pg=PA447|isbn=9781136516610 |date=4 May 2012 |publisher=Routledge }}</ref><ref name="gough">{{cite book |title= Rural Society in Southeast India |first=Kathleen |last=Gough |author-link=Kathleen Gough |publisher=Cambridge University press |pages=24, 437 |year=1981 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=GZwD7EqLcAUC&pg=PA24|isbn=9780521040198 }}</ref> Gough, however, documenting her fieldwork of 1951–53, records the Palli and the Vanniyar as separate but similar cultivating castes.<ref name="gough" />{{efn|Aside from distinguishing the Palli and Vanniyar, Gough also distinguishes the Padaiyacchi cultivating caste,<ref name="gough"/> which other scholars consider to be a synonym for Vanniyar.<ref>{{cite book|first=Vijaya |last=Ramaswamy|title=Historical dictionary of the Tamils|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=ALUvDwAAQBAJ&pg=PA264|year=2017|publisher=Rowman & Littlefield|isbn=978-1-53810-685-3|page=264}}</ref>}} Regarding Pallis of Pondicherry, J. B. Prashant More noted, "they seem to take pleasure in considering themselves as belonging to higher castes, though they have been classified traditionally among the eighteen lower castes."<ref>{{Cite book |last=More |first=J. B. P. |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=rK73DwAAQBAJ&dq=Pondicherry+vanniyar&pg=PT35 |title=Pondicherry, Tamil Nadu and South India under French Rule: From François Martin to Dupleix 1674-1754 |date=1 November 2020 |publisher=Routledge |isbn=978-1-000-26372-5 |language=en |author-link=J. B. Prashant More}}</ref>
==Sanskritisation movement== The Pallis tried to get an order in Pondicherry that by descent they were not a low agricultural caste. In preparation for the 1871 Indian census they petitioned to be recognised as being of the Kshatriya varna.<ref name="rudolph49"/> They formed a number of caste organisations using their preferred name, with the Vanniyakula Kshatriya Maha Sangam appearing in Madras in 1888<ref>{{cite book |last=Chockalingam |first=Joe Arun |title=Constructing Dalit Identity |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=z0JuAAAAMAAJ |year=2007 |publisher=Rawat Publications |isbn=978-81-316-0081-8 |page=43}}</ref> and extending state-wide in 1952.<ref>{{cite book |title=The Politics of Cultural Nationalism in South India |first=Marguerite Ross |last=Barnett |publisher=Princeton University Press |year=2015 |isbn=978-1-40086-718-9 |page=85 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=YFF9BgAAQBAJ&pg=PA85}}</ref> During the late 19th century, oral histories began to assert the Vanniyars' descent from the mythical "fire races", whom Kshatriyas often claimed as ancestors. The creation of new names such as ''Agnikula Kshatriya'' and ''Vannikula Kshatriya'' (Kshatriyas of the fire race) formed part of this process. By 1931, due to their successful politicking (a process known as Sanskritisation), the term ''Palli'' was removed from the Madras census, with the term ''Vanniya Kula Kshatriya'' appearing instead.<ref name="rudolph49">{{cite book |first1=Lloyd I. |last1=Rudolph |author-link1=Lloyd I. Rudolph |last2=Rudolph|first2=Susanne Hoeber|author-link2=Susanne Hoeber Rudolph|title=The Modernity of Tradition: Political Development in India |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=7guY1ut-0lwC&pg=PA49 |year=1984 |publisher=University of Chicago Press |isbn=978-0-226-73137-7 |pages=49–52}}</ref> The reinvention of their history through Sanskritisation, and thus the change in their status implicit in being called Vanniyar rather than Palli, was evidenced in the community adopting such practices as vegetarianism and prohibiting the remarriage of widows,<ref>{{cite book |first=Christophe |last=Jaffrelot |author-link=Christophe Jaffrelot |title=India's Silent Revolution: The Rise of the Lower Castes in North India |publisher=C. Hurst & Co. |year=2003 |isbn=978-1-85065-670-8 |pages=183–184 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=OAkW94DtUMAC&pg=PA183}}</ref> and what Rudolph terms a "radically revisionist history" was supported by claims of descent from the ancient Pallava dynasty.<ref name="rudolph49"/>
According to Hiltebeitel, whilst the mythological claims of origin from the fire lend credence to their demand for being deemed as Kshatriyas, the claims to military origins and Kshatriya identity did not solely rely on myths. He notes that they had historically adopted various titles and terms that signified a self-image of Kshatriya status, including the ''Vanniyar'' name itself, and that
{{blockquote|beyond linguistic indicators ... The Vanniyars' Kshatriya claims are rooted in their history. There is, to begin with, no reason to discount the ... traditions that Vanniyars formed an important part of the Pallava soldiery. And after the Pallava period there is increasing evidence of Vanniyars assuming "Kshatriya" roles and activities.<ref name="hiltebeitel38"/>}}
The caste has also been significant in the practices relating to worship of Draupaudi Amman, together with the Konars and Vellalar Mudaliars, and quite possibly were the instigators of it, with the other two communities being later adopters. The Vanniyar practice of polyandry was perhaps related to their adoption of the cult.<ref>{{Cite journal|last=Soni|first=Sakshi|date=2015|title=Draupadi in Folk Performances and Sculptural Representations|url=http://journals.du.ac.in/humsoc/pdf/SONI%20Draupadi.pdf|journal=Delhi University Journal of Humanities and the Social Sciences|volume=2|pages=25–40}}</ref><ref name="hiltebeitel35">{{cite book|title=The cult of Draupadī: Mythologies : from Gingee to Kurukserta |volume=1|first=Alf |last=Hiltebeitel |author-link=Alf Hiltebeitel |publisher=Motilal Banarsidass |year=1991|page=35 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=VncomfRVVhoC&pg=PA35|isbn=9788120810006}}</ref>
In addition to domestic slavery, there were a number of agricultural labour relationships. According to Ravi Ahuja, Paraiyar or Vanniyar farmhands sometimes called {{Transliteration|ta|pannaiyals}} were collectively bound to their home village soil. Vanniyar mobility was severely restricted but the powers exercised by their masters were also limited – such slaves could not be expelled or transferred to another village, even if the masters left the region themselves. Dharma Kumar argues that the term slavery does not adequately describe the many forms of bondage existing within the traditional agrarian society. Caste involved a number of slavery-like criteria, such as restriction of freedom, forced labour and ownership.<ref>{{cite book | url=https://archive.org/details/slaveryabolition00majo| url-access=registration| title= Slavery, Abolitionism and Empire in India, 1772–1843| publisher= Oxford University Press | work= History | date= 2012 | author= Andrea Major |pages=[https://archive.org/details/slaveryabolition00majo/page/33 33]| isbn=978-1-84631-758-3}}</ref>
==Current status== Rudolph noted that, although "necessarily tentative" because of being based on figures from the 1931 census, the Vanniyars in the 1980s constituted around 10% of the population of Tamil Nadu, being particularly prevalent in the northernmost districts of Chingelput, North Arcot, South Arcot and Salem, where they formed around 25% of the population.<ref name="rudolph49"/> Vanniyar/Palli constituted 30% of the population of Pondicherry in the nineteenth century.<ref>{{Cite book |last1=Mathew |first1=K. S. |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=BXtuAAAAMAAJ&q=Pondicherry+vanniyar |title=Indo-French Relations |last2=Stephen |first2=S. Jeyaseela |date=1999 |publisher=Pragati Publications |isbn=978-81-7307-061-7 |pages=154 |language=en}}</ref>
Most Vanniyars remain either marginal farmers cultivating small areas of land or landless labourers. However, it was reported in 2003 that they were being hurt significantly by the rising debt crisis engulfing Tamil Nadu agriculture, and many now worked as day labourers in Bengaluru and Chennai.<ref>{{Cite journal|last=N.|first=Nakeeran|date=13 September 2003|title=Women's Work, Status and Fertility: Land, Caste and Gender in a South Indian Village|url=https://www.epw.in/journal/2003/37/special-articles/womens-work-status-and-fertility.html|journal=Economic and Political Weekly|volume=38|issue=37|pages=3931–3939}}</ref>
Due to their population size and concentration, the Vanniyars wield significant political clout in northern Tamil Nadu. The Pattali Makkal Katchi (PMK) is a political party formed by S. Ramadoss from the Vanniyar Sangam, a caste association. It has been known on occasion for its violent protests against Dalits and draws its support base from Vanniyars.<ref>{{cite news |work=The Telegraph |title=Senior Ramadoss arrested |date=1 May 2013 |url=https://www.telegraphindia.com/1130501/jsp/nation/story_16846810.jsp |access-date=27 May 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180612141706/https://www.telegraphindia.com/1130501/jsp/nation/story_16846810.jsp|archive-date=12 June 2018}}</ref> The Vanniyars, who previously were of the Backward Class category, were re-designated as a Most Backward Caste after successful agitations by them in the 1980s intended to unlock more favourable education and employment entitlements from the state government under its reservation system.<ref>{{cite web|last=Gorringe|first=Hugo|year=2012|title=Caste and politics in Tamil Nadu|url=http://www.india-seminar.com/2012/633/633_hugo_gorringe.htm|publisher=India Seminar}}</ref> In 2020, the PMK launched an agitation to obtain a 20% reservation entitlement for Vanniyars and forced the Tamil Nadu government to institute a caste census.<ref>{{Cite news|date=2 December 2020|title=PMK agitation in support of reservation for Vanniyars paralyses traffic|language=en-IN|work=The Hindu|url=https://www.thehindu.com/news/national/tamil-nadu/pmk-agitation-in-support-of-reservation-for-vanniyars-paralyses-traffic/article33226064.ece|issn=0971-751X}}</ref>
==Notable people== * S. S. Ramasami Padayatchiyar, a politician and founder of Tamil Nadu Toilers' Party<ref>{{cite book | title=Viramma: life of an untouchable|author=John L. Varianno, Jean-Luc Racine and Viramma Josianne Racine | date=1997| publisher=Verso| isbn=978-1859848173|page=293}}</ref> * Nagappan Padayatchi, an Indian South African Satyagraha martyr<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://forbesindia.com/printcontent/27662|title = Forbes India Magazine - Print}}</ref> * Vazhappady K. Ramamurthy, politician and founder of Tamizhaga Rajiv Congress<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/former-union-minister-vazhapadi-dead/articleshow/26487766.cms|title=Former Union minister Vazhapadi dead|work=The Times of India |date=27 October 2002|via=The Economic Times - The Times of India}}</ref> * Chengalvaraya Naicker, a philanthropist<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.ptleecncet.org/Profile/frmAboutHistory.aspx |title=P.T.LEE Chengalvaraya Naicker College of Engineering and Technology-Kanchipuram |publisher=Ptleecncet.org |accessdate=4 November 2013 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150201064947/http://www.ptleecncet.org/Profile/frmAboutHistory.aspx |archive-date=1 February 2015 |url-status=dead }}</ref> * M. A. Manickavelu Naicker, politician of the INC and founder of Commonweal Party<ref name="modernity_of_traditionp56">{{cite book | title=The Modernity of Tradition: political development in India| url=https://archive.org/details/modernityoftradi00rudo| url-access=registration| first1=Lloyd I.|last1=Rudolph|author-link1 = Lloyd Rudolph|first2=Susanne Hoeber|last2=Rudolph|author-link2=Susanne Hoeber Rudolph| year=1969| pages=[https://archive.org/details/modernityoftradi00rudo/page/56 56]| publisher=University of Chicago| isbn=0-226-73137-5}}</ref> * Radhakrishna Padayachi, a South African cabinet minister and activist<ref>{{Cite web |date=3 November 2010 |title=Why Padayachie is the right choice |url=https://techcentral.co.za/why-padayachie-is-the-right-choice/183069/ |access-date=3 July 2024 |website=TechCentral |language=en-US}}</ref> * Anbumani Ramadoss, politician and former Union Minister of Health and Family Welfare<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.india.gov.in/my-government/indian-parliament/anbumani-ramadoss|title=Anbumani Ramadoss|website=India.gov.in|date=1 September 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171226131243/https://www.india.gov.in/my-government/indian-parliament/anbumani-ramadoss|archive-date=26 December 2017|url-status=dead}}</ref> * N. Rangaswamy, Chief Minister of the Union Territory of Puducherry<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.oneindia.com/feature/puducherry-assembly-elections-2016-know-your-leader-profile-2038136.html|title= N Rangasamy|website=www.oneindia.com|date= 11 March 2016|access-date=25 November 2019}}</ref> * Kaduvetti Guru, politician and President of Vanniyar Sangam<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.dtnext.in/news/tamilnadu/tension-in-kaduvetti-as-gurus-kin-attacked |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211122060826/https://www.dtnext.in/News/TamilNadu/2020/05/28034158/1232613/Tension-in-Kaduvetti-as-Gurus-kin-attacked.vpf |url-status=live |archive-date=22 November 2021 |title=Tension in Kaduvetti as Guru's kin attacked |website=DTNext.in |access-date=16 February 2022}}</ref> * Veerappan, bandit turned domestic terrorist<ref>{{Cite news |date=6 August 2000 |title=Caste politics may bail out Veerappan |work=The Times of India |url=https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/india/caste-politics-may-bail-out-veerappan/articleshow/1849977436.cms |access-date=23 June 2023 |issn=0971-8257 |quote=A backward caste Vanniyar, Veerappan's Robin Hood status in the Vanniyar belt of north and west Tamil Nadu could explain why various parties and leaders are anxious to appease him.}}</ref>
==References== '''Notes''' {{notelist}} '''Citations''' {{reflist}}
==Further reading== *{{cite book |first1=Geert |last1=de Neve |first2=Henrike |last2=Donner |title=The Meaning of the Local: Politics of Place in Urban India |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=N4BW5e8reosC|isbn=9780203967645 |date=8 February 2007 |publisher=Taylor & Francis }} *{{cite book |first=A. R. |last=Venkatachalapathy |chapter="More Kshatriya than thou!" Debating caste and ritual ranking in colonial Tamilnadu |title=Ritual, Caste and Religion in Colonial South India |editor1-first=Michael |editor1-last=Bergunder |editor2-first=Heiko |editor2-last=Frese |editor3-first=Ulrike |editor3-last=Schröder |publisher=Primus Books |year=2011 |isbn=9789380607214 |chapter-url=https://books.google.com/books?id=OcEM2IsnA1AC&pg=PA275}}
{{Social class}}
Category:Vanniyar Category:Social groups of Tamil Nadu Category:Indian castes Category:Dravidian peoples Category:South Indian communities