Mudaliar
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Names in other languages
- aaMudaliar
- aceMudaliar
- aeb-latnMudaliar
- afMudaliar
- akMudaliar
- alnMudaliar
- anMudaliar
- angMudaliar
- EnglishMudaliar
Article bodies are English and are not machine-translated. A name in another language is not a translation of the article.
Mudaliar (alternatively spelled: Muthaliar, Mudali, Muthali, Moodley) is a Tamil title and surname. As title, it was historically given to high-ranking officers, administrators and their descendants during the rule of Imperial Cholas. The surname is most prevalent among Tamils from Tamil Nadu and Sri Lanka. Descendants of Tamil migrants also bears variants of the name in countries such as South Africa, Sri Lanka, Malaysia, Singapore and elsewhere in the Tamil diaspora. The title is usually borne by the communities like the Kondaikatti Vellalar, Thuluva Vellalar, Senguntha Kaikolar for serving as ministers, military commanders and soldiers in Chola Empire.
Mudaliar (alternatively spelled: Muthaliar, Mudali, Muthali, Moodley) is a Tamil title and surname. As title, it was historically given to high-ranking officers, administrators and their descendants during the rule of Imperial Cholas. The surname is most prevalent among Tamils from Tamil Nadu and Sri Lanka. Descendants of Tamil migrants also bears variants of the name in countries such as South Africa, Sri Lanka, Malaysia, Singapore and elsewhere in the Tamil diaspora. The title is usually borne by the communities like the Kondaikatti Vellalar, Thuluva Vellalar, Senguntha Kaikolar for serving as ministers, military commanders and soldiers in Chola Empire.
Etymology
The title is derived from the Tamil word muthal or "muthar" meaning first with the suffix yaar denoting people. The title Mudaliar means a person of first rank. The title is used in the same sense as simply meaning headman or chieftain.
History
The term "Mudali" (or "Mudaliar") is an honorific historically associated with the Vellalar caste, specifically Vellalars settled in the northern part of Tamil Nadu, historically known as Thondaimandalam , such as Thondaimandala Vellalars and Thuluva Vellalars, who also known as Arcot Vellalar or Arcot Mudaliar, a forward caste community. This title is also used by the Sengunthar community. Sengunthars, traditionally held a prominent place as skilled weavers and textile merchants in the Tamil region. During the rule of Imperial Cholas, the Sengunthars were warriors and were given the title "Sengunda-Mudali", indicating an evolution in their social status within Tondaimandalam society. Sengundhars are a relatively high ranking caste who rival in status the main agricultural caste, the Vellalars.
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Text derived from https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?oldid=1369868491 under CC BY-SA 4.0; modifications have been made.