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KAMMA PEOPLE LIVING IN TAMILNADU

Kammavars:

The Kamma caste are popular caste in andhra pradesh and has significant population in Tamilnadu. Infact 80% of the chief ministers of Andhra pradesh so far ruled were kammavars. There are popularly called as Vadugar Community in Tamilnadu. The villages kammavars settled in Tamilnadu are called as Vadugapalayam. They were recruited by many nayaka rulers as their commanders which led to the increase in population of kammavars in Tamilnadu.The name vaduga was obtained since they were considered people who came from north in kongnadu.

Origins: 

Kamma people can be traced to their historic origin in the place of kammanadu. Kammanadu is a historical place found in Andhra Pradesh which got its name by the river gundalakamma river. The people originated from this kammanadu place are referred by their caste as kammavars both in Andhra and Tamilnadu.
The kammavars are initially small landlords and rulers of kammanadu with their own sovereignty. There are recorded proofs in Andhra Ikshavaku kingdom were kammavars had a dominant position in the ruling. Later when pallavas captured the kammanadu area the kammavars were made landlords serving the pallava dynasty.

Military warriors to Agricultural lords:

Later when the cholas captured these regions during the 7 th century, the place was ruled by telugu chodas having konidena as their capital place.
Around 1300's reddy dynasty made their own way and captured most of the areas from local rulers and established a strong Reddy kingdom.
By this time the kammavars who were historically a warrior clan had been pushed out of their military positions since they were considered to be a threat for reddy kingdom to exist. This plunder of once warrior clan made the kamma people to adopt agriculture as their main duty to survive themselves from their enemies.

Migration of people of kamma kula to Tamilnadu

During all this time the while South India was witnessing the aggressions of Muslim rulers of North trying to pay their way deep south. The Mighty Chalukyan and Chola dynasty were now nearly extinct due to their inner fighting and Pandiyan Kingdom of Madurai emerged as a dominant power in South India.
After the death of Maravarman Kulasekhara Pandiyan his two sons Veera and Sundara Pandiyan soon started fighting themselves which led to a great confusion.Using this opportunity Sundara pandiyan invited Malik kafur to help him restore the throne but Malik kafur had other plans he swifty entered Pandiyan country devasted all their temples and looted a great amount of wealth.
This sudden invasion led to a devastating effect on Pandiyan country,The weakened pandiyan kingdom now suffered very frequent raids from muslim rulers too often. Hence to protect the country Sundara Pandiyan now pleaded Harihara I the founder of Vijayanagara Kingdom which then was started growing in the area as a Hindu kingdom opposing the Muslim rulers.
Harihara I soon helped Sundara Pandiyan by arming the local people of Kammanadu and its surrounding areas to resist Islamic invasion.
The harihara I soon sent some of the kammanadu warriors to vellore present day tamilnadu and appointed them as local landlords with the motive of protecting the pandiyan kingdom from Islamic invasions.
This Vellore kamma people are referred as Royas of Vellore whose descendant was the famous Ravilla Veera Mallapa Naidu who was a able commander of Emperor Krisnadeva Rayalu of Vijayanagara Kingdom. The descendants of Ravilla Veera Mallapa Naidu later became the zamins of Ilayarasanandal. 

Economic Role of Kammas in Tamilnadu:

The Kamma kula people who were agricultural landlords slowly started concentrating on business during the 19th century.Many foremost business man are from kamma kula in Tamilnadu.
The notable Business persons:
GD Naidu Of GD group
PS Govindasamy Naidu of PSG Group
Ramasamy Naidu of JeyaVilas Group
G Bhakthavachalam of KG Hospitals
Soundarajan of Suguna Group
LMW Group

Politicical Role of Kammas in Tamilnadu

In Tamilnadu nearly 80-90% of politicians of Telugu speaking are of Kamma Kula. The most notable political people are
1) VAIKO Founder MDMK
2) Kadambur Raju
3) Arcot N. Veerasamy
4) E Madhusudhanan
5) TKM Chinnayya
6) A Govindaswamy
7) V Ramaiah
8) P Mohan
9) AV Velu 
10) B V Ramana
11) K V Subbaiah

Famous Celebrities of Kammas in Tamilnadu

1) Vimal
2) Naraine Karthikeyan
3) Sneha


Sources:
1 R. Rangesa Nayudu, Kammavar Kula Charitram. Translation of Kothabavayya’s Kammavarily     charitra in Telugu (K. Peria Nayudu; Coimbatore, not dated} p. 168
2 Arokivasamv History of Kongu Country (Coimbatore, 1964), p>. t,t
3 Edgar Thurston, Castes and Tribes of Southern India. Vol.IIL (Madras : Government ofMadras,         1909), p.97
4 W. Francis, Manual ofNorth Arcot District, {Madras.l 885), p. 145.
5 F.R. Hemingway, Manual of Godavari District, (Madras.1880) p.265. 
6 Edgar Thurston, Qp.cit. o.97
7 Rev. J. Cain, Indian Antiquity, Vol. III., 1879, p.180.
8 Edgar Thurston, Oo.cit.. p.98
9)H A Stuart. North Arcot District Gazetteer, 
10) R Rangesa Nayudu, Kamniavar Kula Caritram. 
11)Inscription ofPharol Nayak, Kokathiya King 1070 A.D. not dated, located at Warrangal, SII Vol. 1V„ No. 1325
12)Inscriptions dt.1424, Western side well of Avinashiyappan temple, Avinashi, SII, vol. VIII,

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