PICHIGUNTALA @ PINCHKUNTAR @ MUDAVANDI
VARDHANAKAPU @ VAMSHARAJ @ HELAVA
GENEALOGICAL NOMADIC TRIBES
IN TAMILNADU & PONDICHERRY
Phone : +91 6303097347 / 9010621504 / E-mail : dr.ramakrishnal@gmail.com
The "Picchai or Pinchikuntar" are migrants from the Telugu speaking areas of Srisailm Andra Pradesh who work as “servants to Kudianavars or cultivators – a name commonly assumed by Vellalas or Pallis. The legend or the story on these Pinchkunar goes that a certain Vellala had a hundred and two children, of whom only one was a female. Of the males, one was a lame, and his hundred brothers made a rule that one would provide him with one kolagam (pot) of grain and one fanam (a coin / money) each year. They got him married to a Telugu woman of a different caste, and the musicians who attended the ceremony were paid nothing, the brothers alleging that, as the bridegroom was a cripple, the musicians should officiate from charitable motives. The descendants of this married pair, having no caste of their own, became known as Picchi or Pinchikuntars (beggars, or lame). They are treated as Kudipinnai (inferior) by Vellalas, and to the present day receive their prescribed miras (fee) from the Vellala descendants of the hundred brothers, to whom, on marriage and other festivals, they do service by relating the genealogies of such Vellalas as they are acquainted with. Some serve the Vellalas in the fields, and other live by begging - Courtesy: Salem Manual (Tamilnadu).
The Pichai or Pinchikuntar or the Mudavandi or the Kudipinnai which are the dependent tribal groups living scattered all over the parts of Tamilnadu. They have good connectivity with their ancestral brotherhood and the relative communities such as Pichiguntla, Pichiguntala, Pichigunta, Helava, Helavi, Helwi, Vamshraj, Kunti Malla Reddy, Helova, Helawar, etc., in Karnataka, Andra Pradesh, Telenagana, Pondichery, Kerala, Maharastra, Goa, Orissa and parts of northern India. As per the available data and records, these Pinchikunter and their allied groups in Tamilnadu are living with assigned castes like Thotti Naicker, Gavara, Naidu, Naicker, Bhatraj, etc. Their population is around 1,00,000 (one lakh) as on 2024-25; mostly noted in the districts like Krishnagiri, Dharmapuri, Erode, Chennai, Madurai, Theni, Dindigal, Salem, etc. Their presence is also noted in Podicherry and adjoining districts in Kerala State. These people basically beloning to Nomadic Genealogical Tribes originated from Srisailm in Andhra Pradesh during the times of religious revelutions in 13th century from the Rashtrakuta and Kakatiya kingdoms. The presence of Pichiguntalas in Tamilnadu is recorded in the Tamilnadu Gazetteer - 1906. These people do live in association with the Vellala and other cultivating communities in Tamilnadu. The population and literacy level is very low. Most of them are landless and do work as agricultural helpers, construction workers, artisons, masons, etc.
These Pichikunter or Pichiguntala or Vamshraj Tribes are originally the brotherhood and dependents of Reddy Community. Their First Father or the first ancestor is known as Kunti Malla Reddy of Srisailam who served the Reddy rulers as an Advisor in the matters of recording the family histories, vamshavali / genealogical, etc., and was accepted as a Kula Guru for the Reddy Community (Dr.L.Ramakrishna & N.M.Dhanya, 2012). These people speak Telugu language at home and hide their caste name and shy away from general public, for the reasons that their caste name Pichiguntala or Pinchikuntar means to a Lame Beggar.
The Report on Estimated Population by Castes, 8, Madras, by the Officer of the Registrar General, Ministry of Home Affairs, Government of India, 1951, has recorded the existence of Pichiguntalas / Helavas in Madras State, as Others Castes (Non-SC/ST/Higher), in Table IV-Population of Orther Castes in the Censes of 1911-1931 and estimated population in 1951 (Hindus) in Madras State, in Page 13, whereas it has recorded some of the equivalent caste names such as Holeva, Paniyan, etc., shown in the Table below:
|
Population
of Other Castes in the Censuses of 1911-1931 and estimated population in 1951
– (i) HINDUS - MADRAS |
|||||
|
Name of
Caste |
Population
in |
Estimated
Population |
Remarks |
||
|
1911 |
1921 |
1931 |
1951 |
||
|
1 |
2 |
3 |
4 |
5 |
6 |
|
Sl. No.243
Picchigunta |
897 |
7874 |
* |
11060 |
-- |
Even though their presence in Tamilandu and Pondicherry is Recorded in the Government Gazetteer of Tamilandu, 1906 and thereafter. Both the Government of Tamilnadu and Pondicherry are failed to include their caste name in the Caste List of Government of Tamilnadu and Government of Pondicherry till this day.
Hence, these Pichiguntala @ Pichkuntar @ Vamshraj @ Helava Tribes in Tamilnadu and Pondicherry are neglected, unrecognised and met injustice by the Governments. The State and Central Governments and its Backward Classes Commissions, failed to observe, recognise and record the existence of Pichiguntala @ Pinchkuntar Tribes in Tamilnadu, Pondicherry, Kerala and Goa; and injustice met to these people for centuries
Dr. L. Ramakrishna
Founder - Vamsharaj Foundation
24/04/2025
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