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THIGLAS
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THIGLA OR VANNIKULA KSHATRIYA is the name given to hindu believers who claim to be decendents of pandavas. Thiglas are people native to Tamil Country. They are found mostly in Bangalore and surrounding areas. ETYMOLOGY The word "THIGLA" is a relatively new name and was not used in any medieval works or scriptures. The word "VANNIKULA KSHATRIYAS" would therefore be the right word to describe them, though all of them could be called as PALLIS. The word THIGALA means people who are carriers of fire “Thi”. ORIGIN Though Vaishnavite deities have been worshipped in the Tamil country since the beginning THIGLAS believe that they are the decendents of Pandavas and that their origin as a seperate community dates from the time Pandavas lived. The community traces its philosophical origins to the divine outpourings of Nammazhwar and other Azhwars (Sri Vaishnava Saints from Southern India) introduced the philosophy of Azhwars into temple worship and claimed that the mystic insights of the Azhwars were the same truths enshrined in the Vedas, and created a group of people whose identity as servants of Narayana focussed on the fact that all sentient beings were 'equal' being children of the same Supreme Being, and that outward bodily differences in terms of varna and caste were unimportant in terms of one's relationship to the Supreme. Edgar Thurston, in his work Castes and Tribes of Southern India explains that the Pallis were uppercaste next to the brahmans and were given the name VANNIKULA KSHATRIYAS DEMOGRAPHICS THIGLAS are natives of Tamil Country, they are distributed evenly in Bangalore and its outskirts,krishnagiri and someparts of Andrapradesh. The THIGLAS have significantly shaped the townships of Bangalore. LANGUAGE The thiglas speak ancient tamil and speech resembles similar to iyengari tamil. ETHNIC ROOTS They considered to be ethnically Tamil. The Thigalas have the same ethnic root as that of the Iyengars except that they are not followers of ramanuja and have strong vaishnavite traditions. SUBSECTS The thigalas are dividen into two groups depending upon their rituals Mull MANUSHARU NAMDHARI PHILOSOPHY Many THIGLAS accept Govinda / Vishnu as the Supreme Being (Paramatma), and subscribe to a monotheistic philosophy of a Supreme Being who is the primal, substantive and supportive cause of the manifest and unmanifest universe. The THIGALAS have their main deity draupathy amman as their garma devathai.The THIGLAS believe that the godess decends to the earth every year. RELIGIOUS OBSERVANCES Karaga Festival The grama devathai Draupadi Amman is invoked in the chaitra masa of the hindu calender and the Karaga festival celebrated in Bangalore. The rituals have their origin in the Mahabharata, particularly in the vastrakshepa (stripping) of Draupadi, the exile of the Pandavas and the death of Draupadi's sons at the hands of Ashwathama. After all these trials and tribulations, she emerged as a symbol of strong and ideal womanhood. The dance of the Karaga Carrier and that of the Veera Kumaras is eye catching and enthrilling. WEDDINGS Vedic marriage. Marriages are usually within the community THALGICHKUR CEREMONY Ceremony for initiation into veerakumaras. LIFESTYLE AND CULTURE Traditional dress of thiglas is the same as that of other South Indians. During religious ceremonies, THIGALA men clothe themselves in a pancha and an angavastram. They wear a colourful traditional headgear known as petai. POLITICS Many thiglas have tried their luck in politics but most of the thigalas are uneducated and come from very poor socio economic background hence politics is only for a handful of the people notable is MR. Ramesh who went on to become the Mayor or Bangalore THIGALAS TODAY Thiglas today have diversified into a variety of fields—their strengths particularly evident in the fields of law, mass media, business, science, engineering, mathematics and computer science. However, even today, a few Thiglas continue their vocation of gardening and agriculture. CRITICISM Although the thiglas claim to be decendants of Pandavas they are more a confused lot not knowing whether to speak their mother language or speak the language of the state, poverty and illliteracy have made them bow their heads and listen to the dictats of the now major community of karnataka the vokaligas FAMOUS THIGALAS P.R. RAMESH former mayor of Bangalore 
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