Valakkai _Edakkai war in Tamilagam during Cholo period

Valakkai _Edakkai war in Tamilagam during Cholo period

From the Period of Chola kingdom to 18 th century ,there was
frequent caste war between two caste groups called Valakkaiyar
(Right hand wing) ,Edikkaiyar(Left hand wing).The caste groups stood
right side of court of chola king called as Valakkaiyar and the caste
group stood left side of the court called as Edaikkayar. Each Caste
group consists of 98 castes.

Valakkaiyar group consists of Vellalar, Komuti, Pallar,
okkalikar of Karnataka, Reddy of Andhra Pradesh and other castes .This
group was waging war under the leadership of Brahmin Caste

Edakkaiyar group consists of Chettiar, Vanniar, Parayar,
Sakkaliar, Panchalars of Karnataka, Panchanulukus of Andhra Pradesh and
other castes. This group was waging war under the leadership of
Viswakarma caste.

Basis of the grouping of the castes is generally nativity of
area of tamilagam.
The valakkaiyar are generally the native of the area and their primary
occupation is Agriculture. The Edakkaiyar are generally the migrated
people for occupations and for business. Their primary occupation is
Agriculture allied Industrial activities. (Source Malayala manorama
year book 2003 page250-251)

According to Sir Walter Elliot, the fights between these two
caste groups were continuance of the conflicts between of Hinduism and
Buddhism.

Each group has separate temple, separate campus for performing
their religious rituals, separate Devadashi (Call girls), separate
Dancers (source Nilakanda shastri).
Viswakarma caste established their right to wear holy thread (poonool)
by showing evidence from Rig-Veda during 2 nd year of the period of
Kolathunga cholan I .The clashes between these two groups aggravated
this time. Temples of each group were damaged. Raja Mallachandra
sathurvedi mangalam war burned. The residential areas were robbed.

The Vallakkaiar had more powerful during Chola kingdom. The
Edakkaiyar had more powerful during Vijayanagara Kingdom and Pallava
period. Some castes of these groups changed the legacy from time to
time and locality to locality. But the enmity between ViswaBrahmin
(Viswakarma) and Brahmin continued till today.

For example, a case was filed in High court of Chennai against
using Achari as surname of the viswakarma caste of Tamilnadu. The
Honourable court dismissed the request and permit to use Achari as
surname to those belongs to Viswakarma community.

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