Reddiar
Reddiars also
Reddiyar or
Reddy is caste tile of prominent land owning, farming and mercantile
social group of
Tamil Nadu and abroad. They are found in all walks of life today.
Although they are belived to be derived from various
castes or social groups from
Andhra Pradesh sporting the title
Reddy they are considered as well as self identified as ethnically
Tamil today. They are belived to have moved into
Tamil Nadu with the expansion of
Vijayanagar empire along with other Telugu and
Kannada origin social groups.
Through emigration, there are now many Reddiars in the
Tamil communities of
Malaysia,
Singapore,
South Africa,
Fiji,
Mauritius and
Sri Lanka. Reddiar or Reddy is sometimes used as a surname but they freely intermarry amongst various elements of the Tamil diaspora. The title does not generally mark the person as a Telugu but as an ethnic Tamil along with
Naidu or Naidoo,
Pillai,
Gounder and
Chetty as surnames used in the
Tamil diaspora.
Reddys predominantly speak Telugu and follow Telugu cultural festivals like
Ugadi and follow all other Andhra norms. Where as Reddiars speak primarily in Tamil at home as well as Telugu but identify and follow with fellow Tamils most of the cultural norms of Tamil Nadu or the Tamil community abroad. They celebrate
Thai Pongal, Tamil
New Year and are active in supporting local Temple societies and local political aspirations. Some have become very prominent in
Tamil nationalistic causes and are represented in Tamil literary circles as great patrons and scholars of Tamil language.
Reddiar community in
Kerala is derived from Tamil speaking emigrants from south Tamil Nadu. Some of them speak in a unique dialect of Tamil with a mix of Malayalam and archaic Telugu that was in vogue when they left Tamil Nadu many generations ago.
Most of the population is based in four cities
Trivandrum,
Quilon,
Kottayam and
Allepey. Their roots lie in Tamil villages like Samugarengapuram, Seelathikulam and Pathinalamperi in
Tirunelveli district.
It can be said that Reddiars are clearly not Reddys anymore even though the name may suggest so. They now have a different identity and a culture that is Tamil, young and vibrant.
*
Tamil diaspora*
Reddys
*
Notes on Love in a Tamil family by Margret Trawick, 1992, Berkley Publications
*
Annamalai Reddiyar - A great Tamil poet
* Muthukomarappa Reddiar - Prominent
Pondicherry freedom fighter[
1]
* Venkatasubba Reddiar - Former Cheif Minister of Pondicherry[
2]
* Krishnamurthy Reddiar - Prominent herbal practionaer from sri Lanka[
3]
*Omandur P. Ramaswami Reddiar - Prominent congress leader and Chief Minister of Madras State (1947)[
4]
*
Thiruvanamalai Reddiar Association*
Kerala Reddiar Association
