Vellalar

== English == === Etymology === From Tamil வேளாளர் (vēḷāḷar). Vellalar denotes landlords and the ruling classes. வேள் (vēḷ, “land, velir class, petty chiefs, and rulers”) + ஆளர் (āḷar, “lord, authority, the one belonging to”). === Noun === Vellalar (plural Vellalars) A member of a non-homogenous group of castes in the Indian states of Tamil Nadu and Kerala and northeastern parts of Sri Lanka, traditionally associated with the landed gentry and agriculture. ==== See also ==== kshatriya Vaishya === Further reading === Digital Dictionaries of South Asia The origin of the vellalas(1) Journal studies of Tamil (2) Ancient Indian History and Civilization(3)