Twenty four Manai Telugu Chettiars
| 24 Manai Telugu Chettiar(24MTC) | |
|---|---|
| Religions | Hinduism |
| Languages | Tamil , Telugu |
| Country | India |
| Populated states | Tamil Nadu, Kerala, Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh, Telangana |
The 24 Manai Telugu Chettiar (24MTC) is a trading community who are predominantly found in the states of Tamil Nadu, Kerala, Karnataka, Gujarat, Andhra Pradesh, Telangana in India, as well as Sri Lanka. As like many Telugu communities migrated from Telugu region and settled in Tamil Nadu, they were also said to be migrated from Telugu region into Tamil Nadu for trade during the Vijayanagara empire.
During the last century, the community underwent various cultural diversities, met difficulties in the patterns of linguistic assimilation, adjustment and other adaptive processes. Bilingualism (Telugu and Tamil) was found difficult among the successive generation children and they failed to speak Telugu language at home and gained proficiency in Tamil.
Occupation[edit]
They are engaged in trade by hawking goods about the towns and villages in Tamil Nadu and Kerala. During 18th century, they were primarily engaged in manufacturing/selling the gunny bags, hence they were identified as Janappan or Saluppan Chetty.
During the British colonial period (early 19th century), they were mostly engaged in trade and agriculture particularly in the city of Madras the sale of various kinds of fruits were largely in their hands moving from their traditional gunny bags, only few were involved in the gunny-bags business at that time and so they have relinquished the name Janappan and thus 24 Manai Telugu Chettiers came into. They were also hawkers of cloths and other goods at that time.
In Modern days, this community is predominantly diversified into money lending business, industry, oil, grocery, metal, commodities and other petty trades.
Origin, Etymology and history[edit]
They were earlier called as Saluppan Chettis, Saluppan and Jannapan a section of Balija caste that developed into a distinct one as per the information sourced from their section of people at that time (British colonial rule) by Edgar Thurston, Superintendent for Madras Government Museum that was released by government press, Madras as a part in the book titled "Castes and Tribes of Southern India" in 1909. They seem to have been called Janappan because they manufactured gunny-bags of hemp (janapa) fibre. In Tamil they are called Saluppan Chettis, Saluppan being the Tamil form of Janappan.
In a note on the Janappans of the North Arcot district Mr. H. A. Stuart states that Janappan is “the name of a caste, which engages in trade by hawking goods about the towns and villages. Originally they were merely manufacturers of gunny-bags out of hemp (janapa, Crotalaria juncea), and so obtained their name. But they are now met with as sweetmeat-sellers, and hawkers of English cloths and other goods. By the time they have obtained to the last honourable profession, they assume to be Balijas. Telugu is their vernacular, and Chetti their usual caste name.
According to their own tradition, they sprung from a yāgam (sacrificial rite) made by Brahma, and their remote ancestor thus produced was, they say, asked by the merchants of the country to invent some means for carrying about their wares. He obtained some seeds from the ashes of Brahma’s yāgam, which he sowed, and the plant which sprang up was the country hemp, which he manufactured into a gunny-bag. The Janapa Chettis are enterprising men in their way, and are much employed at the fairs at Gudiyāttam and other places as cattle-brokers.”
Saluppan or Janappan Chettis had 24 gothras or clans from which the present name "24 manai telugu chetty" or "24 manai telugu chettiars" came from.
Community Sub divisions or clans[edit]
Their 24 Gothras are further divided into groups of sixteen and eight. Usually marriage is forbidden between members of the same group, but permitted between members of the sixteen and eight gōtras.
Among the names of the gōtras as per the historians, are the following
Vasava, Vamme, Mummudi, Pilli Vankaravan Makkiduvan Thallelan Gendagiri Madalavan Piligara Mukkanda Vadiya Thonda Kōla
Present forms of Gothras or clans
16 Veedu:
Mummudiyar, Tharishiyavar, Kolavar, Kanithiyavar, Thillaiyavar, Paluvidhiyar, Chennaiyavar, Mathalaiyavar, Kothavangavar, Rajabhairavar, Vammaiyar, Kappavar, Vachiyavar, Kenthiyavar, Naliviraiyavar, Surayavar, Gandavangavalar
8 Veedu:
Makkadaiyar, Korahaiyar, Marattaiyar, Kavalaiyar, Pillivangavar, Thavalaiyar, Soppiyar, Kottavar, Nalabakshiyavar
Traditions followed[edit]
During the colonial period in their marriage customs, those who lived in the Telugu country followed the Telugu Purānic form, while those who have settled in the Tamil country have adopted some of the marriage rites thereof. There are, however, some points of interest in their marriage ceremonies. On the day fixed for the marriage, those assembled wait silently listening for the chirping of a lizard, which is an auspicious sign. It is said that the match is broken off, if the chirping is not heard. If the rituals proves auspicious, a small bundle of nine to twelve kinds of pulses and grain is given by the bridegroom’s father to the father of the bride. This is preserved, and examined several days after the marriage. If the grain and pulses are in good condition, it is a sign that the newly married couple will have a prosperous career. However these were only followed till the British colonial period (or few decades of post-colonial period) and they have seemed to left these rituals in the last few decades.
Few stories behind their clans/gothras[edit]
As per the book Castes and Tribes of Southern India, The Janappans of the Telugu country (current Andhra Pradesh) were also claiming that they have only twenty-four gōtras at that time of information sourcing. Some of these are totemistic in character. Thus, members of the Kappala (frog) gōtra owe their name to a tradition that on one occasion, when some of the family were fishing, they caught a haul of big frogs instead of fish. Consequently, members of this gōtra do not injure frogs. Members of the Thonda or Thonda Mahā Rishi gōtra abstain from using the fruit or leaves of the thonda plant (Cephalandra indica). The fruits of this plant are among the commonest of native vegetables. In like manner, members of the Mukkanda sept may not use the fruit of Momordica Charantia. Those of the Vamme gōtra abstain from eating the fish called bombadai, because, when some of their ancestors went to fetch water in the marriage pot, they found a number of this fish in the water collected in the pot. So, too, in the Kōla gōtra, the eating of the fish called kōlasi is forbidden.
Other Mythology Stories/Claims[edit]
Some sections of 24MTC people also claim that they are the descendants of Kasi king Pritheeshwar according to mythological evidences. That King Pritheeshwar got 24 children(16 men, 8 women) after praying to Goddess Kanchi Kamakshi. Pritheeshwar married their men children with Gantharva Kula women, and his women children with Gantharva Kula men. . Mumudiyaar Suriyanar, who ruled kanchipuram under the Cholas, also claimed to be from this community, but unproved. The other orgin says about Valanjiyar who were the royal cheiftains under cholas were the old name of this community. Under rajendra chola these Valanjiyar setty commanders were sent to chalukya country to expand chola country. During the heavy collapse of chola kingdom in Tamil country made them to lose contact and settled in chalukya country.This also not backed by any proof.
Different names of the community[edit]
This community is also known by different names like 24 Manai Telugu Chettiar, 24 Manai Telugu Chetty, 24 Manai Telugu Shetty, 24 Mane Telugu Chettiar, 24 Mane Telugu Chetty, 24 Mane Telugu Shetty, Gonichetty, Goniga, Gonigamane, Janapachetty, Janapan, Janapar, Janapasetty, Janapashetty, Sadhu Chetty, Sadhu Chetty, Sadhu Setty, Sadhu Shetty, Sadu Setty, Salapar, Salaparu, Sanapar, Sanaparu, Telugu Chettiar, Telugu Chetty, Telugu Setty, Telugu Shetty, Telungu Chettiar, Telungu Chetty and Telungupatti Chetty.
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See also[edit]
References[edit]
- ^ https://www.gutenberg.org/cache/epub/42992/pg42992-images.html#xd21e9244src
- ^ https://en.wikisource.org/wiki/Castes_and_Tribes_of_Southern_India/Janappan
- ^ https://www.dtnext.in/tamilnadu/2021/05/16/key-castes-get-place-in-stalins-cabinet-but-6-dists-missing
- ^ https://www.wisdomlib.org/definition/makkiduvan
- ^ https://oxfordre.com/asianhistory/display/10.1093/acrefore/9780190277727.001.0001/acrefore-9780190277727-e-606#:~:text=These%20merchant%20communities%20spanned%20different,and%20Khojas%20in%20western%20India.
- ^ https://www.wisdomlib.org/definition/gendagiri
- ^ https://www.wisdomlib.org/definition/piligara
- ^ https://www.wisdomlib.org/definition/mukkanda
- ^ https://www.wisdomlib.org/definition/vadiya
- ^ https://www.wisdomlib.org/definition/vasava
- ^ https://www.wisdomlib.org/definition/mummudi