Mudaliar (alternatively spelled: Muthaliar, Mudali, Muthali, or Moodley ) is a Tamil title and surname. As title, it was historically given to high-ranking military officers and their descendants during the Chola empire rule. The surname is most prevalent among Tamils from Tamil Nadu and Sri Lanka. Descendants of Tamil colonial migrants also bears variants of the name in countries such as South Africa, and elsewhere in the Tamil diaspora.
The title was primarily used by the communities like the Thuluva Vellalar, Sengunthar, Kondaikatti Vellalar. Other communities adopted it as means to present themselves as superior to the social status which they actually held.
Etymology
The title is derived from the Tamil word muthal or "muthar" meaning first with the suffix yaar denoting people. The title is used in the same sense as simply meaning headman.
Thuluva Vellala
Thuluva Vellala (Thondaimandala Tuluva Vellalar), also known as Agamudaya Mudaliars and Arcot Mudaliars, is a caste found in northern Tamil Nadu, southern Andhra Pradesh. They were originally significant landowners. An early Tamil tradition states that a king known as Ādonda Chakravarthi, a feudatory of Karikala Chola brought a large number of agriculturists (now known as the Tuluva Vellalas) from the Tulu areas in order to reclaim forest lands for cultivation in Thondaimandalam during late 2nd century CE. Tuluva Vellalars are progressive and prosperous in the society. They are considerably advanced in the matter of education and the community was eagerly involved in business, Government and Non- governmental institutions.
Senguntha Kaikola Mudaliar
Senguntha Kaikola Mudaliar is a caste commonly found in the Indian state of Tamil Nadu, Andhra Pradesh and also in some other parts of South India and the neighboring country Sri Lanka. In Andhra Pradesh, they are called as Kaikala or Karikala Bhaktulu, who consider the Chola emperor Karikala Choludu as their hero. They were traditional weavers by occupation and warriors by ancient heritage. They were part of the Chola army as Kaikola regiment and were dominant during the rule of medieval Chola dynasty, holding commander and minister positions in the court. In the olden days in India, the Sengunthars were warriors and were given the title Mudaliar for their bravery. In early thirteenth century, after the fall of Chola empire large number of Kaikolars migrated to Kongu Nadu from Tondaimandalam and started doing weaving as their full time profession. At present, most of the textile businesses in Tamil Nadu are owned by Senguntha Mudaliars.
Kondaikatti Vellala
Kondaikatti Vellalar or Thondaimandala Mudaliar is a Tamil caste in south India. Historically, they were a caste of non-cultivating land-holders and some of them were administrators under various south Indian dynasties particularly Chola dynasty. Their original homeland was Thondaimandalam and from there they spread to other areas in south India and northeastern parts of Sri Lanka. Since they historically used the Mudaliar title, they are sometimes referred to as Thondaimandala Mudaliar.