Original sentence: Rudolph notes that as early as in 1833, the Vanniyar, who were then known as Pallis, had ceased to accept their "low caste" status, and tried to get an order in Pondicherry that by descent they were not a low agricultural caste
Edited sentence: Alf Hiltebeitel, who classifies the Vanniyar as Shudra, notes that South Indian society traditionally recognised neither the Kshatriya (warrior) nor Vaishya varnas of Hindu society, being divided instead between Brahmins on the one hand and Shudras and untouchables on the other.He notes that "traditions of demotion from a once higher rank are a commonplace of South Indian caste mythologies".Nonetheless, communities in the region frequently sought to prove a historic higher status, based on myth or occasionally probable history.Rudolph notes that as early as in 1833, the Vanniyar, who were then known as Pallis, had ceased to accept their "low caste" status, also described being Shudra by Christophe Jaffrelot and Kathleen Gough.They tried to get an order in Pondicherry that by descent they were not a low agricultural caste