Vellalan unspecified in India


Population
Main Language
Largest Religion
Christian
Evangelical
Progress
Progress Gauge
* Data can be from various sources including official census, agencies, and local research. Data from these sources can sometimes differ even by orders of magnitude. Joshua Project attempts to present a conservative, balanced estimate.

Subgroups: 17 (10 largest shown)  Show all

Subgroup Name Population
Pandya 110,000
Pillai 89,000
Kaniyala 59,000
Karalar 47,000
Podikkara 33,000
Achakara 32,000
Omanallur 15,000
Arunattu 14,000
Agamudaiyar 6,300
Tuluva 6,200

Introduction / History

The Vellalan or Vellalar of south India have a long and proud history. They served as the landed aristocracy and as military officers and court officials in the three great Tamil dynasties. They were patrons of literature and the arts. The Vellalars made up the majority of government leaders and administrators in south India during the British period. Lower castes began calling themselves Vellalars and acting like them in order to gain their high status.

Today the Vellalars continue to be agricultural landowners, military officers, businesspersons, Tamil scholars and temple patrons. They are considered by the Indian government to be a forward or more successful caste so they are not eligible for special places in education and public service. The primary language of the Vellalars is Tamil. They also speak other regional languages such as Malayalam, Telugu and Kannada.


Where Are they Located?

All Vellalars originally came from the Indian state of Tamil Nadu. Some migrated to other south Indian states such as Kerala and Karnataka. Some have moved to the island nation of Sri Lanka.


What Are Their Lives Like?

The Vellalars live at the highest levels of south Indian society. They are leaders in business, education and agricultural affairs. They take pride in their ancient Tamil heritage and are leading scholars in Tamil historical studies.

The Vellalars are endogamous, that is they marry within their families and clans. Cousin marriages are common. Sons inherit property from their parents. Many prefer to use their own priests rather than Brahmins in important life ceremonies.
Many Vellalars are vegetarians. Others eat meat but refrain from beef.

Their dead are either cremated or buried.


What Are Their Beliefs?

The vast majority of Vellalars are Hindus. They worship and serve the gods of the Hindu pantheon. Many follow a branch of Hinduism called Saiva Siddhantam. In this Hindu order adherents desire to be enlightened by Lord Shiva or Siva, one of the three main gods of Hinduism. Some Vellalars join monasteries and propagate the teachings of Shiva.

A tiny minority of Vellalars are Christians.


What Are Their Needs?

The Vellalars need to hear the life-changing message of Jesus Christ in a way they can understand. They need to see themselves as sinners in need of the Savior. They need to see Christianity lived out in a real way before them. They need to realize that Shiva will not meet their spiritual needs but Lord Jesus will.


Prayer Points

Pray the Christian Vellalars would grow in the faith and reach out to their brothers and sisters with the gospel.
Pray that God would create a spiritual hunger in the Vellalars that can only be met by the God of the Bible.
Pray that many Vellalars would come humbly to our Savior and that growing churches would be planted in the Vellalar community.


Scripture Prayers for the Vellalan unspecified in India.


References

en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vellalar
http://www.everyculture.com/South-Asia/Vellala-Orientation.html


Profile Source:   David Kugel  

People Name General Vellalan
People Name in Country Vellalan unspecified
Alternate Names Agamudiya; Agamudiyar; Aiyer; Annachi; Ayyangar; Bhuvaisya; Erudanti; Gangeddulu; Gangireddulavandlu; Gangiredlavaru; Isai Vellalar; Iyengar; Iyer; Karalan; Karganta; Karkatha; Karlatja Vellalar; Kattai; Kerrakarar; Kodikalarar; Kongadi; Kongu Vellala Gounder; Kongu Vellalar; Melakkaran; Mudali; Mudaliar; Mudaliyar; Mudaliyar Naicker; Mudliar; Nandiwale; Nanijil Mudali; Nanjanattu Pillai; Natt; Nokkar; Perumal Erudukkaran; Perumal Madukkaran; Perumal Mattukkaran; Pillai; Pille; Puja Gollalu; Puluvan; Punu Gollalu; Saya Pillaimar; Sozhia Vellalar; Telangalu; Tuluva; Vatrilaikaran; Vellala; Vellalar; Vipravinodulu; Virakodi Vellalar; वेल्लालन
Population this Country 2,033,000
Population all Countries 2,064,000
Total Countries 2
Indigenous Yes
Progress Scale 1
Unreached Yes
Frontier People Group No
GSEC 5  (per PeopleGroups.org)
Pioneer Workers Needed 41
PeopleID3 18317
ROP3 Code 113864
Affinity Bloc South Asian Peoples
People Cluster South Asia Forward Caste - other
People Group Vellalan
Ethnic Code CNN25
Total Subgroups 17 (only 15 largest shown)
  Pandya 110,000
  Pillai 89,000
  Kaniyala 59,000
  Karalar 47,000
  Podikkara 33,000
  Achakara 32,000
  Omanallur 15,000
  Arunattu 14,000
  Agamudaiyar 6,300
  Tuluva 6,200
Country India
Region Asia, South
Continent Asia
10/40 Window Yes
National Bible Society Website
Persecution Rank 11  (Open Doors top 50 rank, 1 = highest persecution ranking)
Total States on file 23
Largest States
(only 15 largest shown)
Tamil Nadu
1,839,000
Kerala
374,000
Karnataka
329,000
Puducherry
18,000
Maharashtra
11,000
Andhra Pradesh
6,300
Telangana
5,000
Delhi
2,100
Andaman and Nicobar
900
Chhattisgarh
700
Uttar Pradesh
600
Madhya Pradesh
500
West Bengal
500
Odisha
300
Jharkhand
300
Districts Interactive map, listing and data download
Specialized Website South Asia Peoples
Country India
Region Asia, South
Continent Asia
10/40 Window Yes
National Bible Society Website
Persecution Rank 11  (Open Doors top 50 rank, 1 = highest persecution ranking)
Total States 23  (only 20 largest shown)
  Tamil Nadu 1,839,000
  Kerala 374,000
  Karnataka 329,000
  Puducherry 18,000
  Maharashtra 11,000
  Andhra Pradesh 6,300
  Telangana 5,000
  Delhi 2,100
  Andaman and Nicobar 900
  Chhattisgarh 700
  Uttar Pradesh 600
  Madhya Pradesh 500
  West Bengal 500
  Odisha 300
  Jharkhand 300
Website South Asia Peoples
Primary Religion: Hinduism
Major Religion Percent *
Buddhism
0.00 %
Christianity  (Evangelical Unknown)
3.07 %
Ethnic Religions
0.00 %
Hinduism
96.93 %
Islam
0.00 %
Non-Religious
0.00 %
Other / Small
0.00 %
Unknown
0.00 %
* From latest India census data.
Current Christian values may substantially differ.
Primary Language Tamil (2,158,000 speakers)
Language Code tam   Ethnologue Listing
Language Written Yes   ScriptSource Listing
Total Languages 6
Secondary Languages
Malayalam
320,000
Telugu
73,000
Kannada
35,000
English
1,100
Konkani
300
Primary Language Tamil (2,158,000 speakers)
Language Code tam   Ethnologue Listing
Total Languages 6
Secondary Languages
  Malayalam 320,000
  Telugu 73,000
  Kannada 35,000
  English 1,100
  Konkani 300
People Groups Speaking Tamil

Primary Language:  Tamil

Bible Translation Status  (Years)
Bible-Portions Yes  (1714-1956)
Bible-New Testament Yes  (1715-1998)
Bible-Complete Yes  (1727-2024)
FCBH NT (www.bible.is) Online
YouVersion NT (www.bible.com) Online
Possible Print Bibles
Amazon
World Bibles
Forum Bible Agencies
National Bible Societies
World Bible Finder
Virtual Storehouse
Resource Type Resource Name Source
Audio Recordings Audio Bible teaching Global Recordings Network
Audio Recordings General Ministry Resources General / Other
Audio Recordings Love letter to you from scripture Father's Love Letter
Audio Recordings Online Audio Scripture Talking Bibles
Audio Recordings Recorded oral Bible Oral Bibles
Film / Video Following Jesus video Jesus Film Project
Film / Video God's Story video God's Story
Film / Video Indigitube.tv Video / Animation Create International
Film / Video Jesus Film: view in Tamil Jesus Film Project
Film / Video LUMO film of Gospels Bible Media Group/LUMO
Film / Video Magdalena video Jesus Film Project
Film / Video My Last Day video, anime Jesus Film Project
Film / Video Rivka video Jesus Film Project
Film / Video Story of Jesus for Children Jesus Film Project
Film / Video World Christian Videos World Christian Videos
General Bible for Children Bible for Children
General Bible in text or audio or video Internet Publishing Sevice
General Bible in text or audio or video South Asia Bibles
General Biblical answers to your questions Got Questions Ministry
General Comprehensive list of Tamil Resources General / Other
General Faith Comes By Hearing - Bible in text or audio or video Faith Comes by Hearing
General Faith Comes By Hearing - Bible in text or audio or video Faith Comes by Hearing
General Faith Comes By Hearing - Bible in text or audio or video Faith Comes by Hearing
General Faith Comes By Hearing - Bible in text or audio or video Faith Comes by Hearing
General Faith Comes By Hearing - Bible in text or audio or video Faith Comes by Hearing
General Faith Comes By Hearing - Bible in text or audio or video Faith Comes by Hearing
General Faith Comes By Hearing - Bible in text or audio or video Faith Comes by Hearing
General Faith Comes By Hearing - Bible in text or audio or video Faith Comes by Hearing
General Gospel website in this language General / Other
General Scripture Earth Gospel resources links Scripture Earth
General Voice of the Martyrs resources Voice of the Martyrs
General YouVersion Bible versions in text and/or audio YouVersion Bibles
General Zume Resources Zume Project
General Zume Training Zume Project
Mobile App Android Bible app: Pastors Study Bible Tamil Grace Ministries and Dusty Sandals
Mobile App Android Bible app: Tamil YouVersion Bibles
Mobile App Android Bible App: Tamil Bible (தமிழ் பைபிள்) Indian Revised Version (IRV) Operation Agape
Mobile App Android Bible app: Tamil Study Bible Grace Ministries and Dusty Sandals
Mobile App Android Bible Radio app: Tamil Bible Radio Shalom Design S2dio
Mobile App Download audio Bible app as APK file Faith Comes by Hearing
Mobile App Download audio Bible app as APK file Faith Comes by Hearing
Mobile App Download audio Bible app from Google Play Store Faith Comes by Hearing
Mobile App iOS Bible app: Tamil YouVersion Bibles
Mobile App iOS Bible Radio App: Tamil Bible Radio iOS Revive India
Text / Printed Matter Children and youth resources One Hope
Text / Printed Matter Literacy primer for Tamil Literacy & Evangelism International
Text / Printed Matter Tools for faith conversations Cru
Text / Printed Matter Topical Scripture booklets and Bible studies World Missionary Press
Photo Source Anonymous 
Map Source People Group data: Omid. Map geography: UNESCO / GMI. Map Design: Joshua Project.  
Profile Source David Kugel 
Data Sources Data is compiled from various sources. Learn more.


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