1978 - Thondaimandala Shaiva Velalar Community

Title

THE ‘THONDAIMANDALA SHAIVA VELALAR’ COMMUNITY - WHERE THE AVATAR CHOSE TO TAKE BIRTH

Description

Roots of the Shaiva Velalar community

Every dimension of the Avatar’s birth is carefully chosen to accomplish His Divine Mission, creating ShriKailasa - the enlightened civilization and greatest Hindu Nation.

The Avatar took birth in the ‘Thondaimandala Shaiva Velalar’ jati or community. Velalar literally means ‘ruler of the land’. The word Vel means ‘earth’ or ‘land’ and Alar means ‘one who rules’. Velalars were an agrarian community owning marutha nilam (one of the five lands advocated by the Sangam literature). Many Kallars, Maravars and Agamudaya thevars became collectively called ‘Velalars’ during the Pallava Kings’ rule. That is how it started.

They were given different titles such as ‘Gounders’ in Kongu Nadu (Western Tamilnadu), ‘Pillai’ in Chola Nadu (South Eastern Tamilnadu), ‘Pandiya Nadu’ (Southern Tamilnadu) and ‘Mudaliars’ in Thondai Nadu (Eastern Tamilnadu comprising Tiruvannamalai, The Avatar’s birthplace).

The first layer of Velalars are the original homogeneous group of Mudaliyars or Shaiva Velalars who were settled in Tondaimandalam ruled by the Chola King - Karikala Chola, covering what is today known as Chennai, Chingleput, Kanchipuram, Vellore, Cuddalore, Arcot, Vadalore, Thrivannamalai, etc.

Saiva Velalars were called by different names in different places. In Thondaimandalam, they were called “Mudaliars”. In some places they were called “Saiva-Pillaimars” and “Karkarthars”. In some places, they were also called “Chettiars” as they were engaged in business, particularly in jewellery trade.

The great Chola king Karikala Cholan awarded the title of “Mudaliars” (meaning muthanmai (first) citizens) to these community members. Since then they are called “Thondaimandala Mudaliars”.

Attributes of the Shaiva Velalar community

They are strict vegetarians, literate and sophisticated like Brahmins but do not perform priestly duties. They have a rich heritage, tradition and civilization known for their honesty, intelligence, valour, loyalty and administrative ability. They produced ardent Saiva devotees called Nayanmars, such as Sekkizhar, the author of the great Tamil epic Periyapuranam who also hailed from this jati.

Glory of the community

These community members had the privilege of handing over the crown at the time of coronation ceremony (mudi-sootu vizha) of the kings, religious heads etc. This is sung in the old Tamil classical literature “Thirukkaivazhakkam” which states “mangaiyoru bhagarkum, madhavarkum, mannavarkum thunga mudiyai sootumkai (the hands that handover the crown to kings/religious heads at the time of coronation ceremony)”. In the great Tamil classical literature “Kamba Ramayana”, Kavi Chakravarthy Kambar has stated that “the great sage Vashista took the crown from ancestors of Vallal Sadaiappa Mudaliar and crowned the king Rama” (“Vennaiyur Sadayan thangal marabulore kodukka-vangi Vasittaney punainthan mauli”).

Shaiva Velalars - Pontiffs of Shaivite Monasteries

Most significantly, the Matathipathis - ruling Pontiffs of the leading religious temple-monastery entities called Aadheenams - in Tamilnadu like “Kanchipuram Thondaimandala Aadheenam”, “Dharmapuram Aadheenam”, “Thiruvavadudurai Aadheenam”, “Madurai Aadheenam” and so on are drawn from the Shaiva Velalar community. Each of these Aadheenams was a spiritual seat, a Sovereign Samasthāna or Peetha - a Spiritual Kingdom established by Paramaśiva Himself as an “enlightenment eco-system” of ancient Kailasa aeons ago. Under it functioned the various kingdoms.

The Guru or Pontiff who assumed the Seat was the representative of Paramashiva - Primal Hindu God and Hindu Cosmic Principle. He was the Constitutional Head and functioned like the President. The kings were the executive heads and functioned like the Prime Minister.

Even during the times of war, the Guru held the Constitutional authority and the authority of the State Head. He held the entire ecosystem together and when the war was over, whoever won would be coronated as the successor king. Thus, even during the period of war, the civil society never experienced instability in administration.

In the event the king died without a successor, the Guru held the position of the king and maintained the ecosystem. Similarly, if the Guru left the body without a successor, the kings used to hold the monastery until the successor Guru assumed the Seat.

This is the way the enlightenment eco system was kept alive.

Persecution and Revival

However, each mutt or aadheenam degraded in spirit and form with the persistent British and Mughal attacks on Hinduism and its principles.

Today, these Aadheenams are mere memorials of the glory and destruction of Kailasa and therefore Hinduism.

Yet their mechanism is such, they carry the potential to propel Hinduism back to life, through two surviving vital elements of their original existence - 1) the presiding deity of the Aadheenam that radiates the pristine Source energy - Paramashiva, and 2) the Ruling Seat - still alive and occupied by a lineage of Pontiffs.

The Ruling Pontiff accedes the throne as the representative and energy of Paramashiva.

It is Paramashiva’s promise that whenever the ebb of Dharma (virtue) is reached, He Himself will incarnate and restore Dharma for the whole of humanity.

In keeping with the Promise, these Ruling seats have been adorned by many a glorious incarnation such as Devi Meenakshi, the great Tirujnanasambandar, the Divine Sri Adi Shankaracharya, and most recently the great Paramacharya of Kancheepuram, each time delivering to humanity, illustrious eras of revival of Kailasa.

Working for the purpose of revival of Kailasa through birthing in the Shaiva Velalar Community

This explains The Avatar incarnating as a Thondaimandala Shaiva Velalar - the Jati which adorns the Ruling Seat of these ancient Aadheenams.

The Avatar from the age of 10 has been recognised and crowned to the Ruling Seat of several Aadheenams.

Every Pontiff sees Him as the fulfillment of his own aspiration and that of the entire lineage of rulers who have adorned and will ever adorn the Ruling Seat.

The Birth of the Avatar is therefore the most precisely orchestrated Happening in the Cosmos, seamlessly fulfilling all human and divine requirements, to deliver humanity to its original purpose of enlightenment through the revival of Kailasa.

Photos

Savalpoondi, a village in Tiruvannamalai district, 2 km away from Tiruvannamalai town. This is where The Avatar's paternal ancestral family lived as a highly affluent, agricultural family from the respected Shaiva Vellalar community, and from where they came and settled in the heart of Tiruvannamalai in Tiruvoodal street.

This Ganesha temple was owned by The Avatar's paternal ancestral family when they were settled in this village.

Rear of the Ganesha temple in Savalpoondi.

The sacred Arunachala mountain - embodiment of Paramashiva (Primordial Hindu Divinity) - is visible from Savalpoondi.