Literary, archeological sources trace the origin of the Vellalars to a group of royal house chieftains called Vel or Velir.
Kongu Vellalar | Thuluva Vellalar | Vellalar | Kongu vellalar |
The Velir-Velar-Velalar groups constituted the ruling and the land-owning classes in the Tamil country since the beginning of recorded history and betray no trace whatever of an indo-Aryan linguistic ancestry.
Tuluva Vellalar is a community of Vellalars who had immigrated from Tulunad, a part of the modern district of South Canara, as warriors of King Veera Ballala III.