Agamudayar (Tamil: அகமுடையார்)

agamudayar

Agamudayar (Tamil: அகமுடையார்) also known as Agam Padaiyar is one of the three Mukkulathor castefound in all the Tamil districts'. however, most agamudaiyars are found in Thanjavur, Madurai and Tirunelveli districts." ^[1] They also know as rulers or the crown prince.

There are various derivations of the word "Agamudaiyan" or "Ahamudaiyan". " derived from the root aham, which, in Tamil, has many significations.^[2]In one of these, it means a house, in another earth, and hence it has two meanings, householder and landholder ; the suffix Udeiyar indicating ownership. The word is also used in another form, ahambadiyan, derived from another meaning of the same root, i.e., inside. And, in this derivation, it signifies a particular caste, whose office it was to attend to the business in the interior of the king's palace, or in the pagoda".^[2] " The name," Mr. J. H. Nelson writes, "is said by the Rev. G. U. Pope, in his edition of the Abbe Dubois' work to be derived from aham, a temple, and padi, a step, and to have been given to them in consequence of their serving about the steps of temples. But, independently of the fact that 

Madura pagodas are not approached by fiights of steps, this seems to be a very far-fetched and improbable derivation of the word. Or, perhaps, the name comes from aham in the sense of earth, and pati, master or possessor."^[2][3]

Of the Mukkulathor, the Agamudaiyans are the community most influenced by Brahminism.^[3][4] The ordinary title of the Agamudaiyans is Servaikkaran, but many of them call themselves Pillai.^[4] In Thanjavur district, agamudaiyans are also called "Terkittiyar" or "southerners".^[4]The Agamudaiyans are divided into the following sub-sects: Aivali Nattan, Kottaipattu, Malainadu, Nattumangalam, Rajaboja, Rajakulam, Rajavasal, Kalian,Sani, Maravan, Tuluvan (cf. Tuluva Vellala) and Servaikkaran.^[4]

agamudaiyar

agamudaiyar

கீழத்தூவல் நினைவேந்தல் 2010 - maraththamizhar senai

History of Kallar Community

|' அ'| . கள்ளர் என்றொரு இனமுண்டு, அதற்கென்று ஒரு தனித்தன்மை உண்டு, நன்றி மறவாதவர்கள். கொடுத்த வாக்கினை காப்பாற்றுபவர்கள்.
|'ஆ'|. முதன்முதலில் தென்னிந்தியாவில் குடியேறிய பழங்குடியினர். சோழ மன்னர்கள் வழிவந்தோர். எனவே கள்ளர் இனத்தவர் ஆட்சி பொறுப்பிலும், போர்ப்படையிளும், சோழ மன்னர்களுக்கு பணிபுரிந்தவர்கள்.

    காலப்போக்கில் ஆட்சி மாறி-
    முகமதியர் ஆட்சி,
    விஜய நகர ஆட்சி,
    பாமினி சுல்தான் ஆட்சி,
    முகலாயர் ஆட்சி,
    மராட்டியர் ஆட்சி,
    நாயக்கர் ஆட்சி,
    தக்காண சுல்தான் ஆட்சி கடைசியாக
    ஆங்கிலேயர் ஆட்சி என மாறி மாறி ஆட்சிகள் ஏற்பட்டதினால், இவர்கள் தங்கள் தொழிலாகிய நிர்வாகம், போர்படை தொழில் முதலிய தொழில் நிலைகளை இழக்கும்படிநேறிட்டது. மற்ற வகைத் தொழில் முறையை அறியாததால், வாழ்கையில் பல எதிர்மாறான நிலையை சந்திக்கும் சூழ்நிலை ஏற்பட்டது.

|'இ'|. வளமான நீர் வசதியுள்ள பகுதிகளில் வாழ்ந்தோர் விவசாயத்தை மேற்கொண்டனர். மற்ற வறட்சியான பகுதிகளில் வாழ்ந்தோர் சூழ்நிலைக்கு ஏற்ப தங்கள் வாழ்க்கை நிலையை மாற்றிக் கொண்டனர்.

2. |'அ'|, ஆங்கிலேயர்களையும் அவர்களது ஆட்சியையும் எதிர்த்து சுதந்திரத்திற்காக போரிட்டு, தென்னிந்திய அரசர்கள் தங்களது ஆட்சியை இழந்ததினால், தங்களது படைகளை கலைத்து விட்டனர். தென்னிந்திய அரசர்களின் படையில் போர் வீரர்களாகவும், படை தளபதிகளாகவும், பணிபுரிந்த கள்ளர் குலத்தினர் தங்கள் தொழிலை இழந்தனர். போரையே தங்கள் தொழிலாக கொண்ட கள்ளர் குல மக்கள் தங்கள் தொழிலை இழந்ததினால் பிழைக்க வழியின்றி, வயிற்று பிழைப்பிற்காக பலவிதமானதிருட்டு, கொலை, கொள்ளை முதலிய சமுதாய விரோத செயல்களில் ஈடுபட்டு, நெறிமுறை அற்ற வாழ்க்கையை மேற்கொள்ள நேரிட்டு, குற்றப்பரம்பரை சட்டத் (கைரேகை சட்டம்) தினால் கடுமையாக தண்டிக்கப்பட்டனர். இவற்றில் மிகக் கடுமையானவை குற்றப்பரம்பரை சட்டம் 1911 (Criminal Tribes Act, 1911) குற்றப்பரம்பரை சட்டம், (திருத்தியது), 1924(Criminal Tribes Act, Amended, 1924) 1911 வரை ஒன்றுபட்ட சென்னை ராஜதானியில் (Composite Madras presidency - parts of Kerala, Karanataka, Andhra and the present Tamil Nadu) இருந்து அனைத்து கள்ளர் குலத்தவர் (ஜாதி) ஒன்றாக கருதப்பட்டு, குற்றப்பரம்பரை சட்டத்திற்கு உட்படுத்தப்பட்டனர்.

'|'ஆ'| தஞ்சாவூர் மாவட்டம், அரித்துவாரமங்கலம் என்ற ஊரில் தோன்றிய தமிழ்ப்பேரறிஞரும், கொடை வள்ளலும், மூதறிஞருமான மதிப்பிற்குரிய திரு. V. கோபாலசாமி ரெகுநாத ராஜாளியார் தன் குல மக்கள் குற்றப்பரம்பரை சட்டம், 1911 ஆல் வார்த்தையால் விவரிக்க முடியாத துன்பத்தை அனுபவித்து வருவதைக் கண்டு கொதித்தெழுந்து, 1911ல் டிசம்பர் திங்களில் மேதகு ஐந்தாம் ஜியார்ஜ் மன்னர் இந்தியாவில் பேரரசராக புது டில்லியில் முடி சூட்டிக் கொள்ள வந்தபொழுது ஒரு மகஜரை அளித்து ஒன்றுபட்ட தஞ்சாவூர், திருச்சிராப்பள்ளி மற்றும் புதுக்கோட்டை மாவட்டங்களில் இருந்த கள்ளர்களுக்கு குற்றப்பரம்பரை சட்டத்திலிருந்து தீவிர நடவடிக்கை தளர்த்தப்பட்டது. இம்மாவட்டங்களில் இருந்த கள்ளர்களே குற்றப்பரம்பரை சட்டத்திலிருந்து விடுபட்ட சீர் பழங்குடியினர் Denotified Kallar Tribe என்பதற்கு பதிலாக ஈசநாட்டுக் கள்ளர்கள் என்று (Esanattu Kallars) அழைக்கப்பட்டனர். அரசு ஆவணங்களிலும் அவ்வாறே ஈசநாட்டு கள்ளர்கள் என்றே குறிக்கப்பட்டனர். தஞ்சை, மதுரை மாவட்டங்களில், ஆங்கிலேயர் ஆட்சிகாலத்தில் 1930 வரை CT Act.   பிரகாரம் கள்ளர் இன மக்களை கைது செய்து சித்ரவதைக்கு உள்ளாகினார்கள் என்று அப்பொழுது இருந்த மாவட்ட ஆட்சியர் Block Burn என்பவர் குறிப்பிட்டுள்ளார். 1939 வரை கள்ளர் சீரமைப்பு பள்ளிகள் தஞ்சை, திருச்சி, மாவட்டங்களில் செயல்பட்டு வந்திருக்கிறது.

|'இ|' எஞ்சியிருந்த மாவட்டங்களில் இருந்த கள்ளர்கள் 15.08.1947 ல் இந்தியா சுதந்திரம் அடைந்தபின்னர் ஒரு பெரிய போராட்டத்திற்கு பிறகு குற்றப்பரம்பரை சட்டப் (Criminal Tribes Act, 1911) பிடியிலிருந்து படிப்படியாக விடுவிக்கப்பட்டனர். இவர்கள் சீர்பழங்குடி கள்ளர் (Denotified Kallar Tribe) என்று அழைக்கப்பட்டனர்.

|'ஈ'|. இவ்வாறு இரத்த உறவு முறைகொண்ட (Kinship) கள்ளர் குல மக்கள் ஈசநாட்டுகள்ளர்கள் (Esanattu) என்றும் சீர்பழங்குடி கள்ளர் (Denotified Kallar Tribe) என்று இருபிரிவினர்களாக்கப்பட்டானர். பெரும்பான்மையான விபரமறியாதோறும், தங்களை மேட்டுகுடி மக்கள் (Upper Caste) என்றும் ஜாதிபாகுபாட்டில் மற்ற இனத்தவர்கள் நடுவில் காட்டிகொண்ட ஒரு சிலர் சூழ்ச்சியினாலும், இப்பெயர்கள் அரசு ஆவணங்களில் நிலைபெற்றுவிட்டன.

3. மேலும் தமிழ்நாடு அரசால் நியமிக்கப்பட்ட முதலாவது (1972) மற்றும் இரண்டாவது (1985) பிற்படுத்தப்பட்டோர் ஆணையங்களால் (First and Second Backward Classes Commissions) கள்ளர் இனம் G.O.No.437 S.W.D. Dated 15.05.1972, G.O.No.1564,1566, 1567 Dated 30.07.1985, G.O.No.242 B.C.W. N.M.P and S.W.D Dated 28.03.1989 -ன்படிகீழ்க்கண்டவாறு, ஒன்றாக இருந்த கள்ளர் ஜாதியினர் சிதறடிக்கப்பட்டனர்.

ஈசநாட்டு கள்ளர் கள்ளர் குலத் தொண்டைமான்	பிற்பட்ட வகுப்பினர் (Backward Class)
தொண்டமான்	மிகவும் பிற்பட்ட வகுப்பினர் (Most Backward Class)
கந்தர்வகோட்டை கள்ளர் கூத்தபார் கள்ளர் (கூத்தபால் கள்ளர் அல்ல) பெரியசூரியூர் கள்ளர் பிறமலைக் கள்ளர்	சீர் மரபினர்(Denotified Communities)
செட்டில்மெண்ட் கள்ளர்கள்	எந்தபிரிவிலும் சேர்க்கபடாதவர்கள்

செட்டில்மென்ட் கள்ளர்கள் நான்குவகையாகப் பிரிக்கபட்டுள்ளனர்.

i. அசீஸ் நகர் செட்டில்மெண்ட் (Aziz Nagar Settlement) விழுப்புரம் மாவட்டம்.

ii. பம்மல் செட்டில்மெண்ட் (Pammal Settlement)பல்லாவரம், தாம்பரம் வட்டம், காஞ்சிபுரம் மாவட்டம், இது பசும்பொன் நகர் செட்டில்மெண்ட் என்று இப்பொழுது அழைக்கப்படுகிறது.

iii. பிரிஸ்லி நகர் செட்டில்மெண்ட் (Brezlee Nagar Settlement)பெரம்பூர், ஓட்டேரி, சென்னை மாவட்டம்.

iv. அந்தமான் செட்டில்மெண்ட் (Andaman Settlement)
இது மத்திய அரசு நிர்வாகத்தில் உள்ளது.
இவர்கள் எந்த தொகுப்பிலும் வராமல் நட்டாற்றில் விடப்பட்டுள்ளனர்.

4. 1979 -ல் சீர் பழங்குடியினர் (Denotified Tribe) என்று இருந்த கள்ளர் வகுப்பினரை G.O.No.1310 S.W.D. Dated 30.07.1979 -ன் படி சீர்மரபினர் (Denotified Community) என்று மத்திய அரசின் பரிந்துரைப்படி தமிழக அரசு மாற்றிவிட்டது.
இவையாவும் கள்ளர் ஜாதி மக்களை கலந்து ஆலோசிக்காமல் இழைக்கப்பட்ட அநீதியாகும்.

5. கள்ளர் ஜாதியினரை திருத்தி நல்வழிப்படுத்தி முன்னேற்றம் அடையச் செய்ய வேண்டும் என ஆங்கில அரசு இந்திய சுதந்திரத்துக்கு முன்-
இந்திய அரசுச்சட்டம், 1919 (Government of india Act, 1919) -ன்படி கள்ளர் சீர்திருத்த திட்டத்தை (Kallar Reclamation Scheme, 1920)-ல் அமல்படுத்தியது அதன்படி தஞ்சாவூரிலிருந்து ஆரம்பித்து , ஆழிவாய்க்கால், ஒரத்தநாடு, பாப்பாநாடு, கோணக நாடு, (கோனூர் நாடு) , ஆதனகோட்டை, கந்தர்வகோட்டை பகுதிகளின் வழியே புதுக்கோட்டை, விராலிமலை (புதுகை மாவட்டம்) சென்று கொட்டாம்பட்டி, நத்தம், சிறுமலை, செம்பட்டி, திண்டுக்கல், அழகர் கோவில், அலங்காநல்லூர், நிலக்கோட்டை, சோழவந்தான் மற்றும் உசிலம்பட்டி, வாடிபட்டி, திருமங்கலம், ஆண்டிபட்டி, சேடப்பட்டி, கம்பம், உத்தமபாளையம் ஆகிய பிரமலை கள்ளர் பகுதிகள் மற்றும் திருநெல்வேலி பகுதிகளில் அமுல்படுத்தப்பட்டது. காலபோக்கில் கள்ளர் இனத்தில் வசதிபடைத்தஒரு சில குடும்பங்கள், மற்ற பெரும்பாலான கள்ளர் இன ஏழை மக்களை தங்களின் விவசாய கூலியாகவும், கொத்தடிமைகளாகவும் வைத்திருக்க என்னி, தஞ்சாவூர் மாவட்டத்தில் உள்ள கள்ளர் சீர்திருத்த பள்ளிகளையும் கடன் வழங்கும் சங்கங்களையும், மாணவ விடுதிகளையும், மாவட்ட் உயர்நிலை பள்ளிகளுடன் (District Board High Schools) இணைக்க ஏற்பாடு செய்தனர். பிறகு அவைகள் அரசினர் உயர்நிலைபள்ளிகளாக (Goverment High Schools) மாற்றப்பட்டன. எஞ்சியிருப்பது தஞ்சாவூரில் உள்ள செல்வராஜ் உயர்நிலைப்பள்ளி (Selvaraj High School) கணபதி நகர் மட்டுமே. இதுவும் இப்பொழுது தனியார் பள்ளியாக மாறிவிட்டது. இந்த வசதிபடைத்த ஒரு சில கள்ளர் நிலச்சுவான்தார் குடும்பங்களின் இவ்வகை செயல்களினால் பெரும்பாலான கிராமங்களில் உள்ள ஏழை கள்ளர்கள் சுதந்திரத்துக்கு முன்பும், பின்னும் அடையக்குடிய அரசு கல்வி சலுகைகளையும், மற்ற முன்னேற்ற சலுகைகளையும் இழக்க நேரிட்டது. ஆனால் (Kallar Reclamation Scheme, 1920) -ன் படி ஆரம்பிக்கப்பட்ட பள்ளிகள், பிரமலைப்பகுதிகளான மதுரை, தேனி, திண்டுக்கல், மாவட்டங்களில் உள்ள உசிலம்பட்டி, ஆண்டிப்பட்டி, சேடப்பட்டி, வத்தலக்குண்டு பகுதிகளிலும் உள்ளன. அவை இன்று அரசின் உதவியினை பெறுகின்றன.

 6. மேலும் TamilNadu Financial Code Volume I ல் உள்ள
Article 252-|ன்படி, செட்டில்மெண்ட் பகுதியில் உள்ளவர்களுக்கு முன்பணம் ரூ. 200 /- தொழில் சம்மந்தமான, தறி, கச்சாபொருள்கள், வாங்க மற்றும் விவசாயிகள், விதை, கால்நடை வாங்க ஒன்றிலிருந்து 3 ஆண்டுகள் வரை அனுமதிக்கப்பட்டுள்ளனர்.

Article 253-ன்படி ஒன்றுபட்ட மதுரை, இராமநாதபுர மாவட்டங்களில் உள்ள கள்ளர்களுக்கு ஆண்டுக்கு ரூ. 2000 /- முன்பணம், தறி மற்றும் தொழிலுக்கு வேண்டிய கச்சாபொருள்கள், கருவிகள் வாங்க அனுமதிக்கப்பட்டுள்ளனர்
இச்சலுகைகள் மற்ற சாதியினர்க்கு கிடையாது என்பது குறிப்பிடதக்கதாகும்.
தமிழகத்தில் உள்ள விலைவாசி உயர்வினை மனதில் கொண்டு இந்த முன் பணத்தொகையை உயர்த்தி தரும்படி தாழ்மையுடன் வேண்டுகிறோம். தமிழகத்தில் உள்ள அனைத்து கள்ளர்களும் குற்றப்பரம்பரை சட்டத்தினால் பாதிக்கப்பட்டவர்களே.
எனவே, சலுகைக்காக முதற்கட்டமாக கள்ளர் இனத்தவர் அனைவரையும் சீர்மரபினர் (Denotified Community) பட்டியலில் சேர்க்கவும்.
இரண்டாவது கட்டமாக சீர் பழங்குடி பட்டியலில் (Denotified Kallar Tribe) சேர்க்க மத்திய அரசுக்கு மாநில அரசு பரிந்துரை செய்யும்படி கேட்டுகொள்கிறோம்.

ஏற்கனவே சீர்பழங்குடி பட்டியலில் கள்ளர் இன மக்களுக்கு வழங்கப்பட்ட சலுகை மீண்டும் வழங்க வேண்டும்.கள்ளர் இன சமுதாய சீர்கேட்டை சீர்செய்து சீர் மரபினர் பட்டியலில் சேர்க்க இயலும் எனபதை எம்குல மக்கள் எதிர்பார்த்துள்ளனர்.

இப்படிக்கு,

டாக்டர் அ. சீனிவாசன் வன்னியர் M.D.D.C.H
தலைவர்
தமிழ்நாடு கள்ளர் சங்கம்.

Muthuramalingam Thevar

Muthuramalingam Thevar

Ukkirapandi Muthuramalingam Thevar (Tamil: உக்கிரபான்டி முத்துராமலிங்கம் தேவர்) (October 30, 1908 – October 30, 1963), also known as Pasumpon Muthuramalingam Thevar was an Indian politician. He hailed from the Maravar community, the dominant warrior caste group in his home district in southern Tamil Nadu. Thevar became the leader of the All India Forward Bloc in Tamil Nadu, and was national deputy chairman of the party from 1952 onwards. He was elected thrice to parliament.

Childhood and family life

Thevar was born in the village of Pasumpon, Ramnad district. He hailed from a wealthy landlord family. Thevar was the only son of Ukkirapandi Thevar and Indirani. He had one sister, Janaki.
His mother died before his first birthday and his stepmother the next year. From 1910 onwards he was in the custody of his maternal grandmother Parvathiammal in the neighbouring village of Kallupatti. Parvathiammal was furious on Thevar's father for having taken two new wives shortly after the death of his second wife.
During his youth, Thevar was aided by Kuzhanthaisami Pillai. Pillai was a close family friend of Thevar's father. Pillai took responsibility for arranging Thevar's schooling. First he was given private tuition and in June 1917 he began attending classes at an elementary school run by American missionaries in Kamuthi. Later he joined the Pasumalai High School(near Thirupparankundaram) and then he shifted to the Union Christian High School in Madurai.
Thevar would however, not complete his studies. In 1924 he missed his final examinations due to an outbreak of a plague epidemic. The following year he also missed his chance to attend the final examinations, as he returned to Pasumpon to fight a legal battle over issues of inheritance of family property. The case would linger and was not settled until 1927, when the court ruling in Muthuramalingam Thevar's favour.
Thevar's father, Ukkirapandi Thevar, died on June 6, 1939

Anti-CTA struggle

One particular issue would have a special impact on Thevar's political career. Since 1920 the Criminal Tribes Act had been enacted by the government of the Madras Presidency and began to be implemented in the Madurai, Ramnad and Tirunelveli districts. After his entry into politics, Thevar began to mobilize resistance to the CTA. He toured villages in the affected areas and led protest rallies for the rights of the individuals registered under the CTA. In 1929 the Maravars of 19 villages in Appanad were forced to registered under the CTA. Thevar led a massive campaign in the villages, urging the people to defy the CTA. The authorities partially withdrew, and reduced the number of CTA registrations in the concerned areas from around 2000 to just 341.
In 1934 Thevar organised a convention at Abhiram, which urged the authorities to repeal the CTA. A committee consisting of Thevar, Dr. P. Varadarajulu Naidu, Perumal Thevar, Sasivarna Thevar and Navaneethakrishna Thevar was appointed by the convention to carry on the efforts to persuade the government to revoke the Act.
The CTA was, however, not revoked. On the contrary, its implementation was widened. Thevar again led agitations and awareness-raising campaigns against the Act. At the time the Justice Party was governing the Madras presidency, and their refusal to revoke the law created a strong animosity on Thevar's behalf towards the Justicites.


1936 District Board election

Infuriated over the attitude of the Justice Party government towards the CTA, Thevar came to the conclusion that the communities affected by the Act had to be mobilized by the Congress. After returning from a trip to Burma in 1936, he began to work to strengthen the Congress in the southern areas of the Presidency. He contested the election to the Ramnad District Board from the Muthukulathur constituency, defeating his Justice Party opponent. This was Thevar's first experience of being a candidate in an election.
After the election Thevar made a bid to be elected the president of the District Board. So did P.S. Kumarasamy, the Raja of Rajapalyam. Conflict erupted within the local Congress organisation over the issue. S. Satyamurthi, on behalf of the Tamil Nadu Congress Committee, intervened to preserve the unity of the Congress. Thevar was convinced to withdraw his candidature for president, and presented a motion nominating Kumarasamy as president.
When the Congress Socialist Party began to mobilize in the Madras Presidency in 1936, Thevar joined their ranks.
1937 provincial election

Ahead of the 1937 elections to the assembly of the Madras Presidency, Thevar enlisted youths from the Mukkulathor communities to work for the Congress. His activities created worries for the Justice Party government, which forbade him to travel outside of the Ramnad district and to make speeches in public.
In February 1937 Thevar contested the assembly election himself, as a candidate in the Ramathapuram constituency. He had a powerful opponent, the Raja of Ramnad. However, Thevar won a landslide victory with 11 942 votes against 6 057 for the Raja.
Following the election the Congress formed a government in the Presidency. Thevar had high hopes that the new Congress ministry would revoke the Criminal Tribes Act. But the new Chief minister, C. Rajagopalachari, did not fulfil those hopes.

As a trade unionist

During the late 1930s, Thevar got increasingly involved in labour activities. He formed and led the Pasumalai Mahalaskshmi Mill Workers' Union, the Meenakshi Mill Workers' Union and the Madura Knitting Company Labour Union. During a prolonged strike of the Pasumalai Mahalaskshmi Mill Workers' Union, demanding the reinstatement of a section of fired trade unionists, Thevar was jailed for seven months from October 15, 1938. In the end, the management of the Mahalakshmi Mills accepted the demands of the union. In the same period a strike was led by Thevar at the Madura Knitting Company.
In 1945, he would become the founding president of the TVS Thozhaili Sangam.

Tripuri session of the Congress and formation of the Forward Bloc

Thevar attended the 52nd annual session of the Indian National Congress, held in Tripuri in March 1939. At this meeting the presidency of Subhas Chandra Bose was challenged by Pattabhi Sitaramayya. Sitaramayya had the active support of Gandhi. Bose was re-elected as the Congress President. Thevar strongly supported Bose in the intra-Congress dispute.Thevar mobilised all south India votes for Bose.
However, due to the manoeuvrings of the Gandhi-led clique in the Congress Working Committee, Bose found himself forced to resign from the Congress Presidency. He then launched the Forward Bloc on June 22, calling for the unification of all leftwing elements into a united organisation within the Congress. Thevar, who was disillusioned by the official Congress leadership which had not revoked the CTA, joined the Forward Bloc. When Bose visited Madurai on September 6, Thevar organised a massive rally as his reception.
In jail

The growing popularity in Thevar as a leader of elements opposing the official Congress leadership in Tamil Nadu troubled the Congress-led government. Thevar was also increasingly associated with labour militancy. A criminal case, the so-called Madura Security Case, was proceeded against him. He was banned from leaving Madurai. When travelling to his birthplace, Pasumpon, in September 1940 he was apprehended and jailed for 18 months at the Central Jail in Tiruchirapalli. His capture sparked wide condemnation in Tamil Nadu.
Soon after his release he was again arrest, now under the Defence of India Rules. He was released from prison only on September 5, 1945.
After release from jail

In 1945 C. Rajagopalachari tried to make a comeback within the Congress organisation in Tamil Nadu. He had the support of Gandhi and Sardar Patel, but the majority of in the Tamil Nadu Congress Committee opposed him. A conference was held in Tirupparankundram, in which the leadership should be elected. Chaos broke about during the conference, as warring factions confronted each other. Thevar interrupted the disputes and passed a motion reelecting Kamaraj as the TNCC President.
Elections to the assembly of the Madras Presidency were again held in March 1946. Thevar contested from the Mudukulathur constituency, and was elected unopposed. Soon thereafter, the CTA was repealed.
In February 1948 the Congress expelled all dissenting fractions, including the Forward Bloc. The Forward Bloc became an independent opposition party, and Thevar became its president of its Tamil Nadu state unit (a position he would hold for the rest of his life).
On January 23, 1949, in connection with birthday anniversary celebrations of Subhas Chandra Bose, Thevar publicly announced that Bose was alive and that he had met him. Soon thereafter Thevar disappeared without any explanation. He returned to public life in October 1950. Rumours claimed that he had travelled to Korea and China during this period.
On the national level the Forward Bloc had been suffering from internal ideological divisions. In 1948 two separate Forward Blocs had emerged, a 'Forward Bloc (Marxist)' (out of which the Forward Bloc of today emerged) and a 'Forward Bloc (Ruiker)' (led by R.S. Ruiker). On June 23, 1951, the two parties reunified at a meeting in Calcutta. A central committee was announced for the united party, which included Thevar as one of its members.
1952 general election

In January 1952 the first general elections in independent India were held. The Forward Bloc contested with the aim of forming non-Congress governments at the Centre as well as in the states. Election were held simultaneously to the Lok Sabha as well as to the legislative assemblies of the states. Thevar contested the Aruppukottai constituency in the Lok Sabha election and the Mudukulathur constituency in the assembly election. He won in both cases. After the election, he decided to vacate his Lok Sabha seat and concentrate his efforts to the Madras legislative assembly.
After the election, Congress lacked a majority of its own in the Madras legislative assembly. Thevar cooperated with the communists in trying to form a non-Congress governing coalition. However, the governor intervened and made C. Rajagopalachari of the Congress the Chief Minister.

Split in the Forward Bloc

In 1955, internal divisions reappeared with the Forward Bloc. The Indian National Congress had adopted Socialism as its guiding principle at a session in Madras. Some leaders within the Forward Bloc, like the chairman Mohan Singh and Sheel Bandra Yagee, now argued that the time had come for the Forward Bloc to merge with the Congress. This proposal did however not win much support in other sections of the party leadership. Singh-Yagee unilaterally declared the party merged into the Congress.
An extraordinary central committee meeting was convened in Nagpur May 11-15, 1955. Singh, Yagee and their followers were expelled from the party. Hemanth Kumar Bose was elected chairman of the party, Haldulkar the general secretary and Thevar the deputy chairman of the party. Thevar would hold that post until his death.1957 general election

In December 1955 Thevar travelled to Burma for the second time, during which he took part in political and religious activities organised by the All Burma Tamil Nadu Association. He returned on February 18, 1956 and began to prepare for the coming general election.
A new dynamic in the efforts to build a non-Congress front had emerged in the Madras State(which had been reorganised in 1956). The Congress had been divided and C. Rajagopalachari had formed a new party, the Congress Reform Committee (CRC). Thevar now made peace with his former enemy C. Rajagopalachari, and the Forward Bloc and the CRC worked together to defeat Kamaraj and the Congress rule in the state.
In the election Thevar again contested both the Aruppukottai constituency in the Lok Sabha election and the Mudukulathur constituency in the assembly election. He won both seats, but this time he decided to vacate the assembly seat.

Ramnad riots

A by-election was held in the Mudukulathur assembly constituency on July 1, 1957, as Thevar had resigned from his assembly seat. The election was won by D.V. Sasivarna Thevar of the Forward Bloc. The situation in the area was tense on the day that the results were released, and there was a sizeable presence of police forces in place. Clashes between Maravars, who largely supported the Forward Bloc, and pro-Congress Dalits began in a few villages soon after the election result was acknowledged. Gradually the violence spread to more and more villages, and by August the riots had spread throughout the entire district. Several persons were killed and thousands of houses were torched.
Thevar himself travelled to Delhi on July 17 to attend the session of the Lok Sabha. He returned on September 9. On September 10 he took part in a 'Peace Conference' together with T. V. Sasivarna Thevar and Velu (a Dalit legislative assembly member of the Forward Bloc). From the Congress side six Dalits took part. There was also a delegate from the Nadar caste. The conference concluded that the three castes should live in harmony.
Emmanuel, the leader of the Congress Dalits at the Peace Conference was killed the following day. On September 28, a few days after the clashes had ceased, Thevar was arrested by the police under the Preventive Detention Act. Thevar's was apprehended directly after holding a speech at the conference of the Indian National Democratic Congress (the new name taken by the Congress Reform Committee). Thevar was taken to the Jail. Pudukkottai court was hearing that case. He was later accused of having masterminded the murder of Emmanuel.
The Forward Bloc and its allies condemned Thevar's arrest as a political vendetta, engineered by the Congress. A 'Thevar Committee' was step up by the INDC. Thevar was acquitted of all charges and released in January 1959.

Final years

After being released from prison Thevar began mobilising for the Madurai municipal elections, held in March 1959. An alliance of the Forward Bloc, Communist Party of India, Indian National Democratic Congress and Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam was formed. The alliance won the elections, and for the first time Congress lost its hold over the city administration.
Following the election, Thevar health deteriorated and he largely withdrew from public life. He was nominated for the 1962 Lok Sabha election. However he only attended a single campaign meeting, which also was attended by C. Rajagopalachari (who now had merged with his INDC with the Swatantra Party). Thevar was reelected, but due to health reasons he was unable to travel to the parliament in Delhi. U. Muthuralingam Thevar died on October 30, 1963, on his 55th birthday.A bye-election for the Aruppukottai Lok Sabha constituency seat vacated by his death was held in 1964, in which the Forward Bloc was defeated for the first time.


Legacy

The pillars of Thevar's political thought were spiritualism, nationalism, anti-communism, anti-imperialism and non-Congressism (wanting to created a non-Congress political alternative). Although committed to the construction of a federal socialist India, Thevar rejected Marxism-Leninism as a foreign concept and he opposed the trade policy of the Soviet Union as discriminatory towards countries like India. But first and foremost, his animosity towards the communists was due to the rejection of the Indian communists of Subhas Chandra Bose (who they had called a 'quisling'). His relationship to Marxism was further complicated by his spiritualistic orientation.
As an Indian nationalist, Thevar condemned the Dravidar Kazhagam its successor DMK for stimulating separatism and parochialism. Moreover he distrusted the Atheist element of the Dravidian political discourse.
After his death, the Forward Bloc entered into a period of decline in Tamil Nadu. The party leadership was overtaken by Thevar's discipleP.K. Mookiah Thevar. The party organisation became ridden by splits and disputes. In this situation, the major chunk of the Maravar vote-bank of the Forward Bloc was overtaken by the Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam and the All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam.
Several official honours have been given to Thevar. In 1968 the Pasumpon Muthuramalinga Thevar College was founded in Usilampatti by the then DMK-led state government. His biography was included in the high school textbooks in Tamil Nadu. In 1971 his cemetery in Pasumpon was converted into an official memorial. A life-size portrait of Thevar was installed in the Tamil Nadu assembly in 1980. In 1984, after the bifurcation of the Ramnad District the 'Pasumpon Muthuramalingam District' was created. Greenways Road and Chamiers Road, two important arterial roads in Chennai, were renamed after Thevar, and currently there is a statue of Thevar where his eponymous road intersects with Anna Salai.
U. Muthuramalingam Thevar is revered as a hero of the Thevar/Maravar community. Thevar was become an icon in the political life in southern Tamil Nadu. Many political parties seeking the support from that community at the time of elections will make pay their respect to him. But at the same time his legacy is not entirely uncontroversial. At times violence between Thevars and Dalits flare up in the area, and desecrations of monuments of Thevar have taken place.

THIRU S.D.SOMASUNDARAM

 S.D.SOMASUNDARAM

THIRU S.D.SOMASUNDARAM , popularly known as S.D.S, A veteran political leader and able administrator, served as a Cabinet Minister in the State Government. Hailing from an agriculturist thanjavur kallar family, Thiru Somasundaram was an active social worker and was associated with various social organizations.Thiru S.D.S did his engineering (B.E mechanical ) from annamalai university. He was a great athelete , a football player during his college days and marathon race winner representing tamil nadu . After his graduation, s.d.s worked as an assistant engineer in public works department.

Thiru s.d.s began his political career as an activist of the dravida kazhagam in 1947 and joined the dmk when the late c n annadurai floated the party in 1949. He was first elected to parliament from the thanjavur lok sabha constitutency in tamil nadu in 1967 after defeating former president R.V. Venkataraman. He was re-elected from the same constituency in 1971 and 1977.

He was one of the first to come out of the DMK along with MGR and was considered by the AIADMK middle and lower-level workers as a simple man who mixed with them easily and had a fairly clean record. MGR took the activities of SDS very much close to heart. He resigned his MP post in 1977 and was nominated to the now-defunct legislative council.

THIRU S.D.S was an able parliamentarian and served as a Member of the Joint Committee on Salaries and Allowances of Members of Parliament during 1971-72, Committee on Private Members’ Bills and Resolutions during 1973-74; House Committee in 1977 and General Purposes Committee during 1977-78.. He was the first person to question dr mgr about the widespread corruptions during his term as chief minister. As a result of differences , that existed between him and mgr, he decided to quit AIADMK and floated his own party “ namathoo thamizhgam".

Later he quickly folded his new party and returned to the AIADMK, to be in dr .j. Jayalalitha's camp and served as revenue minister from 1991-1996.he was pioneer in conducting 8th tamil world conference at thanjavur during his tenure as revenue minister. Due to differences of opinion with dr.j.jayalalitha, he quitted aiadmk and floated another party called “ puratchi thalaivar aiadmk”.

Thiru S.D. Somasundaram passed away on 6th December, 2001 at Chennai, at the age of 71.

-maraththam izhar senai , thamizhar nadu

THE HISTORY OF SIVAGANGAI

PALACE OF SIVAGANGA

The Kingdom of Ramnad originally Comprised of the territories of Ramnad, Sivaganga and Pudukottai of today. Regunatha Sethupathy alias Kilavan Sethupathy, the 7th King of Ramnad reigned between 1674 and 1710. Kilavan Sethupathy, came to know of the bravery and valour of Peria Oodaya Thevar of Nalukottai, 4 Kilometres from Sholapuram near Sivaganga.

The King assigned to Peria Oodaya Thevar of Nalukottai a portion of land sufficient to maintain 1000 armed men. Vijaya Regunatha Sethupathy became the 8th King of Ramnad in 1710 after the death of Kilavan Sethupathy. The King gave in marriage his daughter AKILANDESWARI NACHIAR, to Sasivarna Thevar, the son of Nalukottai Peria Oodaya Thevar. The King gave Sasivarna Thevar lands as dowry, free of taxation, sufficient to maintain 1,000 men. He placed him in charge of the fortresses of Piranmalai, Tiruppathur, Sholapuram and Tiruppuvanam as well as the harbour of Thondi. Meanwhile Bhavani Sankaran, the son of Kilavan Sethupathy conquered Ramnad territory and arrested Sundareswara Regunatha Sethupathy, the 9th King of Ramnad. Bhavani Sankaran proclaimed himself as the Rajah of Ramnad. He became the 10th king of Ramnad and he reigned from 1726 to 1729. He quarrelled with Sasivarna Peria Oodaya Thevar of Nalukottai and drove him out of his Nalukottai palayam. Kattaya Thevan, the brother of the late Sundareswara Regunatha Sethupathy fled from Ramnad and sought refuge with the Rajah of Tanjore Tuljaji. While Sasivarna Thevar was passing through the jungles of Kalayarkoi, he met a Gnani (sage) named Sattappiah, who was performing Thapas (meditation) under a jambool tree near a spring called `SIVAGANGA' . The deposed king prostrated himself before him and narrated all the previous incidents of his life. The Gnani whispered a certain mantra in his ears (Mantra Opadesam) and advised him to go to Tanjore and kill a ferocious tiger which was kept by the Rajah especially to test the bravery of men. Sasivarna Thevar went to Tanjore. There he became acquainted with Kattaya Thevan a refugee like himself. Satisfied with the good behaviour of Sasivarma Thevar and Kattaya Thevan, the Rajah of Tanjore wanted to help them to regain the States again, ordered his DALAVOY to go with a large army to invade Bhavani Sankaran. Sasivarna Thevar and Kattaya Thevan at once proceeded to Ramnad with a large army furnished by the king of Tanjore. They defeated Bhavani Sankaran at the battle of Uraiyur and captured Ramnad in 1730. Thus Kattaya Thevan became the 11th King of Ramnad.

2nd RAJAH-MUTHU VADUGANATHA PERIA OODAYA THEVAR(1750 - 72). Sasivarna Peria Oodaya Thevar died in or about the year 1750. He was succeeded by his only son Muthu Vaduganatha Peria Oodaya Thevar. He was the second Rajah of Sivaganga. His wife Rani Velu Nachiar acted as "friend, Philosopher and guide" to him. Tandavaraya Pillai was the able minister of Sivaganga country. Muthu Vaduganatha Peria Oodaya Thevar granted commercial facilities to the Dutch only after the English rejected a similar offer, made to Colonel Heron. Further the aim of the English was to oblige the ruler of Sivaganga to serve the Nawab or to pay tribute to him or to dissuade them from establishing relations with foreign powers like the Dutch. A two pronged offensive was made by the English. Joseph Smith from the east and Benjour from the west invaded Sivaganga Palayam in June 1772. The country was full of bushes of cockspur thorn, though there were villages and open spaces here and there. Rajah Muthu Vaduganatha Thevar, in anticipation of the invasion, erected barriers on the roads, dug trenches and established posts in the woods of Kalayarkoil. On the 21st of June of 1772 the detatchment of Smith and Benjour effected a junction and occupied the town of Sivaganga. The next day, the English forces marched to Kalsayarkoil and captured the posts of Keeranoor and Sholapuram. Now, Benjour continuing the operations came into conflict with the main body of the troops of Sivaganga on the 25th June 1772. Muthu Vaduganatha Rajah with many of his followers fell dead in that heroic battle. The heroic activities shown in the battle field by Velu Nachiar is praised by the Historians. The widow queen Velu Nachiar and daughter Vellachi Nachiar with Tandavaraya Pillai fled to Virupakshi in Dindigul. Later they were joined by the two able Servaigarars Vellai Marudu and Chinna Marudhu.

Ist RAJAH SASIVARNA THEVAR (1730 - 1750 ) Kattaya Thevan divided Ramnad into five parts and retained three for himself. He granted the two parts to Sasivarna Thevar of Nalukottai conferring on him the title of "Rajah Muthu Vijaya Regunatha Peria Oodaya Thevar".

3rd RANI VELU NACHIAR (1772 - 1780) Rani Velu Nachiar and her daughter Vellachi Nachiar lived under the protection of Hyder Ali at Virupakshi near Dindigul. Frustrated by the joining of forces against him, the Nawab ordered that Velu Nachiar and Marudhu Brothers were permitted to return to Sivaganga and rule the country subject to payment of Kist to the Nawab. Abiding by this Order, Rani Velu Nachiar accompanied by Marudu brothers and Vellachi Nachiar entered Sivaganga. An agreement was reached where by Rani Velu Nachiar was permitted to govern the Sivaganga Country and Chinna Marudu, the younger was appointed her minister and the elder Vellai Marudu as the Commander-in-chief. Thus the widow Queen Velu Nachiar succeeded her husband in 1780.
The Queen Velu Nachiar granted powers to Marudhu Brothers to administer the country in 1780. Velu Nachiar died a few years later, but the exact date of her death is not known (it was about 1790).

Marudu brothers are the sons of Udayar Servai alias Mookiah Palaniappan Servai and Anandayer alias Ponnathal.The Marudu Brothers served under Muthu Vaduganatha Thevar. Later they were elevated to the position of Commanders. Boomerangs are peculiar to India. Two forms of this weapons are used in India. These weapons are commonly made of wood. It is cresent-shaped on end being heavier than the other and the outer edge is sharpened. Their name in Tamil is VALARI stick. It is said that Marudu Brothers were experts in the art of throwing the valari stick. It is said that Marudus used Valari in the POLIGAR wars against the English. The Marudu brothers with 12,000 armed men surrounded Sivaganga and plundered the Nawab's territories. The Nawab on the 10th of March 1789 appealed to the Madras Council for aid. On 29th April 1789, the British forces attacked Kollangudi. It was defeated by a large body of Marudu's troops. He was in close association with Veera Pandiya Kattabomman of Panchalankurichi. Kattabomman held frequent consultations with Marudhus. After the execution of Kattabomman in 17th October 1799 at Kayattar, Chinna Marudhu gave asylum to Kattabomman's brother Oomadurai (dumb brother). He issued an epoch-making Jumboo Deweepa proclamation to the people in the island of Jamboo the peninsular South India to fight against the English whether they were Hindus, Mussalamans or Christians. At last the Marudhu Pandiyars fell a victim to the cause of liberating the motherland from the English supremacy. Marudu Pandiyan the popular leader of the rebels, together with his gallant brother Vellai Marudu were executed on the ruins of fort at Tiruppathur in SIVAGANGA District on 24th October 1801. They showed their determination and spirit at the outset of the final struggle of 1801 by setting their handsome village Siruvayal on fire to prevent its being made use of by the English forces.

Marudu brothers were not only warriers and noted for bravery, but they were very great Administrators. During the period from 1783 to 1801, they worked for the welfare of the people and the Sivaganga Seemai was reported as fertile. They constructed many notable temples (i.e Kalayarkoil) Ooranis and Tanks .