The Vellalar (also called Velalar (வேளாளர்) and Karalar)[1][2] are a group of castes predominantly found in Tamil Nadu, a state in southern India.
They are ruling and land-owning classes in the Tamil country since the beginning of recorded history and have historically played a significant role in the region’s agricultural and social structure.
The adoption of Vellala honorifics was not limited to peasant groups; in Tondaimandalam, the Sengundar weavers took on the title Segunda-Mudali, the Yadava pastoralists identified as Pillai, the people of the Vanniyar group who assumed the title Gounder, and wealthy Paravar fishermen assumed the honorific Chetty.
[a] This phenomenon was part of a broader process of social mobility, often termed Sanskritisation, which reflected the widespread belief in the superior landed legacy and status of the Vellalars.
In recent times, several other communities have adopted the name "Vellalar" due to its association with landownership and high social status.