Edit request on 25 June 2013 Please change etymology to origin please change Historical Status to Historical References Please change TITLES NAMES AND SUBCATES to CASTE TITLES Please change SRILANKA to DEMOGRAPHIC SPREAD Please add kadavas thondaiman sambuvarayar Origin The name Vanniyar is derived from the Tamil word Vanni which means fire or Agni in Sanskrit It also means Valour or Strength They were originally known as Pallis in South India to called as Padaiyachis The word Palli means village Padaiyachi means commandant of the group or army At Sirkazhi Vaideeswaran Temple Inscriptions about Vanniyar Puranam are observed It denotes that at ancient times there were two Asuras known as Vatapi and Mahi who worshipped Brahma and obtained immunity from death and subsequently they garrisoned the Earth At the request of Gods and Lords Jambuva Mahamuni or Sambu Jambu Maharishi performed a Yagam or sacrifice by his yogic powers Soon armed horsemen sprung from the flames named VanniRaya they undertook twelve expeditions and destroyed the Asuras and freed the Earth Their leader then assumed the government of the country under the name Rudra Vanniya Maharaja or Veera Vanniyan who had five sons the Ancestors of Vanniyar Caste This Tradition alludes to the destruction of the city of Vatapi by Narasimhavarman the King of Pallis or Pallavas Historical References The Vanniar caste has close to 92 subcastes among them The titles are awarded to them based on their contribution to the society The Titles Indicating Authority Bravery and Superiority assumed by them are Padaiyachi Head of an Army Goundan Gounder Naicker Nayakar Kandar Sambuvarayas Kadavarayas Kalingarayas Mazhavarayas Samattiyars Udaiyars Varma Kondiyars Nainars Sozhaganars Munaiarayas and Kachirayas to name a few Some say that they belong to Chennai and as such they should be called as Chembians and the caste history is well known from the Mahabhartha epic at the moment of the birth of Draupathi from Agni kunda Caste titles The Vanniyars are officially classed belonging to Vanniakula Kshatriya caste in Tamil Nadu 1 Depending upon the location and status the members of the Vanniyar caste use titles such as Padayatchi Gounder Naicker or Nayagar Reddiar Kander Kandar Palli and many other titles in Tamil Nadu Vanniar Gounder Reddiar Padayatchi etc in pondicherry in Karnataka they are called Tigala Thigala or Thigilaru with a common suffix of Gowda Hebbar or Hebbe and Nayakar In Andhra Pradesh Vanniars are usually known as Palli Agnikula Kshatriya Vanniyakula Kshatriya Vanne Kapu or Vanne Reddy In Kerala they are called Vaniya pillai Vaniya nair and Reddiar There are 92 different names or sub caste sub titles given for Vannia Kula Kshatriya community List of Vanniyar subcaste Tamil Nadu Vanniakula Kshatriya including Vanniyar Vanniya Vannia Gounder Gownder Gounder or Kander Padayachi Palli and Agnikula Kshatriya Naicker Nayakar Reddiar Rayar Mazhavarayar Kalingarayar Pondicherry Agnikula Kshatriya Pallekapu Palloreddi Vannekapu Vannereddi Reddiar Tigala Tigla Vanniyakula Khatriya including Vanniar or Vanniyar Gounder Kondar or Vannia Gounder and Vannikandar other than Vella Gounder belonging to Vanniyakula Kshatriya Caste Andhra pradesh Agnikulakshatriya Palli Vadabalija Bestha Jalari Gangavar Gangaputra Goondla Vanyakulakshtriya Vannekapu Vannereddi Reddiar Pallikapu Pallireddi Nayyala Pattapu Vanniar Vannikula Kshatriya Karnataka Tigala Thigala thelagaru dharmarajukappu VahnikulaKshatriya Vanniya Vanniyar Reddi Gowdaru halli Gowdaru Gounder Gownder Kander Shanbhukula Kshatriya AgnikulaKshatriya Dharmaraja Kapu Kerala Vaniar Vanniar Reddiar Vaniya Nair vaniya pillai Orissa Palli Pallia Agnikula Kshatriya Demographic spread The Vanniyar caste live in an area where three South Indian states of Tamil Nadu Andhra and Karnataka intersects In these latter two Indian states they are in sizeable mass primarily due to migration of other sects from outside and vice versa In Tamil Nadu the Vanniar live predominantly in the north east central and parts of north western These areas cover more than 13 districts and traditionaly called as the Vanniar Belt It comprises the following districts in Tamilnadu Chennai Kancheepuram Villupuram Cuddalore Nagapattinam northern Thanjavur Ariyalur Perambalur northern Trichy Tiruvallur Vellore Tiruvannamalai Dharmapuri Krishnagiri Salem parts of Namakkal and northern Erode Vanniyars con