Isai Velalar

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{| style="width:100%; background:transparent; text-align:center;"
!style="background:#dacaa5;"| <big>[[Isai Vellalar]]<big><tr>
!style="background:#dacaa5;"| <small>Caste groups of [[India]]<small></tr>
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[[File:Veena Dhanammal 1.jpg|120px]][[File:Karunanidhi.jpg|120px]]<br>
[[Veena Dhanammal]][[M. Karunanidhi]]
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!colspan="2" style="background:#e7dcc3;"| '''Occupation'''</tr>
| [[Artists]] and [[Musicians]]
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{| style="width:100%; background:transparent; text-align:center;"
!colspan="2" style="background:#e7dcc3;"| '''Titles <small>(in Regions)<small>'''</tr>
| [[Pillai]] ‡ ||align="right"| <small>[[Tamil Nadu]]<small></tr>
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<small>‡ Also used by other Social groups</small>
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!colspan="2" style="background:#e7dcc3;"| '''Population'''</tr>
| 58,327 (2009){{Citation needed|date=May 2011}}
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!colspan="2" style="background:#e7dcc3;"| '''Languages'''</tr>
| [[Tamil language|Tamil]] </tr>
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!colspan="2" style="background:#e7dcc3;"| '''Religion'''</tr>
| [[Image:Om.svg|15px]] [[Hinduism]] </tr>
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!colspan="2" style="background:#e7dcc3;"| '''Similar Social groups'''</tr>
| [[Maaran]] of [[Kerala]]</br> [[Devadiga]] of [[Karnataka]]</tr>
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'''Isai Velalar'''([[Tamil language|Tamil]]: '''இசை வேளாளர்''') is a caste from the [[Indian state]] of [[Tamil Nadu]]. They are also known as Melakkarar. Isai Vellalars predominantly use the title of [[Pillai]], with some using the title of [[Mudaliar]].

==Origin of name==
[[File:Gajasamharamurti.JPG|thumb|left|100px|Gajasamharamurti]]

The name "Isai Velalar" is derived from the Tamil words Isai meaning Music and Vellalar meaning Cultivator. Therefore Isai Velalar is a person one who cultivates or creates the music.{{Citation needed|date=May 2011}} Isai Velalar is a community of [[Hindu]] [[temple]] [[musicians]] hailing from the [[Thanjavur]], [[Tiruvarur]] and [[Trichy]] Districts of Tamil Nadu. The origin of Nattuvanars' arts tradition dates back about 2,000 years ago at the village of [[Vazhuvoor]], which has a [[Shiva|Siva temple]], the presiding deity worshipped as Gajasamharamurti.

==Art skills of Nattuvanar==
Isai Velalar who were skilled in Nattuvangam are known as Nattuvanars. They trained women of different communities in performing [[Temple dance|Sadir]] from which the modern day [[Bharatanatyam]] has evolved. They trained the women to dance at temples as part of the daily and festive rites. Their greatest strength is playing the mellow [[Nadaswaram|Nagaswaram]].<ref name="hon">[http://www.hinduonnet.com/folio/fo9812/98120060.htm Hinduonnet.com]</ref> During the period of Cholas, around 11th century they were appointed as Dance gurus to teach Bharatanatyam to the Chola princess [[Kundavai Pirattiyar|Kundavai]].{{Citation needed|date=May 2011}}

==List of Isai Velalar==
===Historical personalities===
*[[Muthu Thandavar]]
*[[Arunagirinathar]]

===Modern personalities===
====Social reformers====
*[[Moovalur Ramamirtham]]

====Politics====
*[[M. Karunanidhi]], Former Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu and head of [[Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam |DMK]]
*[[M. K. Azhagiri]], Union Minister for Chemicals and Fertilizers and MP of [[Madurai (Lok Sabha constituency)|Madurai]]
*[[M. K. Stalin]], Former Deputy Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu and MLA of [[Kolathur (Chennai) (State Assembly Constituency)|Kolathur]]
*[[M. K. Kanimozhi]], Rajya Sabha MP
*[[Murasoli Maran]], former Union Minister and DMK Leader
*[[Dayanidhi Maran]], Union Minister for Textiles and MP of [[Chennai Central (Lok Sabha constituency)|Chennai Central constituency]]

====Classical arts====
*[[Thanjavur Quartet]]
*Guru Kittappa Pillai<ref name="hon"/><ref>[http://beta.thehindu.com/arts/dance/article54639.ece Beta.thehindu.com]</ref>
*Vazhuvoor Ramiah Pillai<ref name="hon"/>
*[[Thiruvarur Bakthavathsalam]]
*[[Veena Dhanammal]]
*[[Namagiripettai Krishnan]]
*[[Balasaraswati]]
*[[T. Ranganathan]]
*[[T. Viswanathan]]
*[[T. Muktha]]
*[[T. Brinda]]

====Film industry====
*[[T. R. Rajakumari]] - Tamil film actress
*[[T. R. Papa]] - Tamil film music director
*[[T. A. Mathuram]]- Tamil actress
*[[A. V. M. Rajan]] - Tamil actor
*[[E. V. Saroja]] - Tamil actress and dancer
*[[M. K. Muthu]] - Tamil film actor and singer
*[[C. S. Jayaraman]] - playback singer in Tamil films
*[[Sripriya]] - Tamil film actress
*[[Manikka Vinayagam]] - Tamil playback singer
*[[Udhayanidhi Stalin]] - Tamil film producer
*[[Dhayanidhi Alagiri]] - Tamil film producer
*[[Arulnithi]] - Tamil film actor

====Media====
*[[Kalanidhi Maran]] - Chairman and Managing Director, [[Sun Network]]

====People with Isai Vellalar ancestry or heritage====
*[[Muthulakshmi Reddi]], social reformer
*[[MS Subbulakshmi]], Carnatic singer
*[[M. L. Vasanthakumari]], Carnatic singers
*[[Srividya]], Film actress

==See also==
*[[Pandanallur style]]
*[[Vazhuvoor|Vazhuvoor art]]

==References==
{{reflist}}

[[Category:Indian castes]]
[[Category:Social groups of Tamil Nadu]]
[[Category:Tamil society]]
[[Category:Social groups of India]]

[[ta:இசை வேளாளர்]]