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JOURNAL, R.A.S, (CEYLON). [VOL. XXI. 



commentary on " Tolkappiam " writes about them as follows, 

 namely : — 



" The Velalas 1 consist of two classes, namely, c Uluthu- 

 viththunpor ' (i.e., those who get their fields ploughed by 

 others, or in other words, who possess the means to employ 

 labour in the cultivation of their fields), and ' XJluthunpor ' 

 • (i.e., those who ploughed their fields themselves, or those 

 who are not rich enough to employ labour in ploughing, &c, 

 their fields). Of these, the former, i.e., Uluthu viththunpor , 

 belonged originally to Pidavur, Alundur, Nangur, Navur, 

 Alancheri, Perunchikkal, Vallam, Kilar, and other cities 

 of the Chola country, and were employed by the reigning 

 monarchs as governors of provinces and districts, and 

 commanders of their armies ; and they were entitled to 

 high privileges, being known as 6 Vel ' and c Arasu,' and 

 honoured with the title of ' Kavithi ' in the Pandiyan 

 country, and being born of the families of the petty kings and 

 nobles, they had the privilege of giving their daughters in 

 marriage to the paramount rulers of the country." Moreover, 

 " invading the enemy's country, repelling attacks made on 

 their own country by the enemy, and acting as peace envoys, 

 were amongst the privileges of the Velalas." And further, in 

 his comments on another sutra of " Tolkappiam," he ascribes 

 the following six duties to the Velalas, namely, " teaching, 

 giving, ploughing, tending cattle, engaging in trade, and 

 loyalty to the king." It may be observed that tending 

 cattle and engaging in commerce are here included amongst 

 the six duties of the Velalas. The facts above noticed make 



1 " The Tamils are, like the Romans of old, a nation of yeomen," 

 and like them, hold agriculture in the highest esteem. " The* world 

 wheels behind the plough, says the Tamil sage Tiruvalluvar," of all 

 work, therefore, " ploughing is the chief." The Portuguese historian 

 of India, F. Sousa, writing of the social divisions of his time (17th 

 century), says: "The most renowned families are the Rajahs, an 

 ingenious people, who would rather lose their lives than their arms in 

 battle, and the Brahmans, who contend with the Rajahs for pre- 

 cedence. The Chetties are the richest merchants. The Vellalar or the 

 country people are held in such esteem that kings marry their daughters 

 to them." — Vide "Report on Ceylon Census, 1901," by P. Aruna- 

 chalam, M.A., C.C.S., vol. I,, p. 197, paras. 47 and 49.— V. J. T. 



