Chettiar
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The Chettiars also Chetty, Chetti, Setty, Chitty, Shetty and Shettigar is a title, commonly used by people of South Indian origin in India and abroad. It is usually derived from trading social groups
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Origin of the word
It is commonly belived to be derived from the title for traders in Prakrit, namely Shresta. However, not all agree with its Indo-Aryan lingusitic origins and think root of the word could be of Dravidian linguistic originTemplate:Ref.
Similar title usage in South Asia
A similar title Seth is used amongst Gujarati speakers. In Kannada and Tulu it is Shetty, Shettar and Shettigar. In Sinhalese it is Hetty. In Nepal amongst Newari residents of Kathmandu it is Shresta.
Primary usage of title
As noted many castes of different ethnic origins use the title today. The foremost one in Tamil nadu is Natukotai Chetties who are ethinically Tamil and originally hailed from Nattukotai region.
Other castes in Tamil Nadu using this are ethnic minority Telugu speaking Ayira Vysyas' a subsect of Komati Settys from Andhra Pradesh and also 24 Manai Telugu Chettiars.
Usage among various castes
Though typical Chetty is conceived to be a trader, various social groups(non-merchant) sport this surname. In Tulu Nadu, Shettys are part of landed castes.
In Karnataka and Kerala, Shettigar, Chettiar or Chetty is used by members belonging to weavers' caste. However, most of Chetties are supposed be part of Edagai caste which included many depressed or lower castes.
Old records even talk about porters also being identified as ChettiesTemplate:Ref. Probably, Chetty encompassed a broad social spectrum previously, before caste system narrowed it down.
Most of the non-Tamil castes use it as an affix to their profession specific names. Telugus use it as in Komati Setty where Komati represents a name of the group and Setty represents trading. Kannada and Malayali weavers use it as in Devanga Chetty or Sali Chetty, where Devanga and Sali represent the name of the group.
Other castes using the title
- Kongu Chettiar
- Kuruhini Chetty
- Moundadan Chetty
- Sozhia Chetty
- Telugupatty ChettyTemplate:Ref
See also
External links
- Caste and Capitalism in Colonial India : The Nattukottai Chettiars, A Research by David W. Rudner submitted to University of California
- Nagarathar History Researched and Compiled by PL. Chidambaram
- OBITUARY REFERENCES (R.Ramanathan Chettiar)Available in the Indian Parliament website 20th December 1995
- Classic Chettinad: Home Alone by Outlook traveler Dt: JUL 2004
- Centenary celebrations of Dr Sir Rajah Muttiah Chettiar by "Daily life" Dt , Nov 25
- History of a trading community by "The Hindu" Dt 06/08/2002
- Life Sketch of SIR M.Ct. Muthiah Chettiar 1887-1929 in Hindu high school
- Rituals & Customs - Tamil Chettiar on Shaadi online
- A note about Chettiar origin Saiva neri website
- Sri Lankan Nagarathar Genealogy Website
- They leverage on easy access to credit by financial express Dt April 12,2004
- History of Chettiars Researched
References
- Template:Note Rajeswary Brown (1993) Chettiar capital and Southeast Asian credit networks in the inter-war period. In G. Austin and K. Sugihara, eds. Local Suppliers of Credit in the Third World, 1750-1960. (New York: St. Martin's Press).
- Template:Note David Rudner (1989) Banker's Trust and the Culture of Banking among the Nattukottai Chettiars of Colonial South India. Modern Asian Studies 23 (3), 417-458.
- Template:Note Heiko Schrader (1996) Chettiar Finance in Colonial Asia. Zeitschrift fur Ethnologie 121, 101-126.
- Template:Note Tamil Nadu List of Most Backward Classes (G.O. Ms. No. 100 BC and MBCW Dept dated 24-11-97)sv:Chettiar