Trichinopoly

They must have come from the Tiruchirapalli District Tamil Nadu. Where the Ancestors of T. R. A. Thumboo Chetty lived in this District from a very long time, before coming and settling in Madras around 1800.

Does it mean that the ancestors of Mr. Thumboo Chetty came from the town of Trichinopoly? or was he born in that town? There is a good reason to think that they established themselves near the town of Trichinopoly before coming to Madras. It is very common in south of India, to name a person after well known localities.

There is also a tradition in our Telugu community, where the women gives birth in the native place of the mother, so it could be that Thumboo Chetty was born in Trichinopoly? where Kitheri Ummah (or Catherine) was from?

It is very likely that the ancestors of Mr. Thumboo Chetty lived earlier in that town or near that town. [TR]

Kottapalayam Tiruchirappalli District

It is also said that “Mr . Thumboo Chetty's ancestors by name Kampal Naïdu from Kottapalayam who was a Hindu by religion, was the first in the family to embrace the catholic faith, converted by Saint Francis Xavier himself in 1545. According, to the first Register of Baptism, of the church of Kottapalayam, Mettur district via Thuraiyur, Tiruchirappalli District”.

source : family tree / Xavier de Condappa.

https://sites.google.com/site/kottapalayamchurchhistory/home/xavier-de-condappa

we recently found a Tamil book published in 1929 written by one A. Ponnusamy Naidu, the R. C. School Head Master of Kottapalayam, who has written the full History of The first Saint Mary Magdalene’s Church of Kottapalayam and the Family History of Gowri Koolapathi Kampal Naidu.

A. Ponnusamy Naidu the Head Master of the R.C. School from Kottapalayam writes that Mr. T. R. A. Thumboo Chetty is a descendant of the Family of Kampal Naidu, he writes "Our Koolathipathy Great Man and also from the Mysore Dynasty under the Title of Dewan the late T. A. Thumboo Chettiar, C.I.E. as well as his brother T. R. Dhana Samy Chettiar and their father Rayalou Chettiar are Gowri Koolathipathy Christians attached to the great Kampal Naidu family ".

He says that the Ancestors of T. R. A. Thumboo Chetty were living in the Village called Kottapalayam for the past 300 years, they were the first to establish them self in that Village, before that they Lived in the Town of Madurai. He writes “It was in Madurai that Kampal Naidu family along with 6 brothers and one sister lived. They were well known for ruby and pearl business and were wealthy mirasdhars…Kampal Naidu left Madurai and went into exile in the late 16th century to Uppulipuram and then to Kottapalayam. »

source : Tamil Book. A. Ponnusamy Naidu. History of Mary Magdalene Church Kottapalayam. 1929

Book : https://archive.org/details/History-Church-Of-Mary-Magdalene-Kottapalayam

Translation : https://sites.google.com/site/kottapalayamchurchhistory/

Religion

The first Roman Catholic mission to South India was that led by St. Francis Xavier, who came from Portugal to Goa in 1542 and preached the Gospel in several of the southern districts. He is said to have visited Negapatam; but it is not likely that he ever reached Trichinopoly, which was probably not of much importance then. Towards the end of the sixteenth century the Jesuit Fathers took up the work which Xavier had commenced In 1606 Robert de' Nobili established the famous Madura Mission, and in 1623 he founded a settlement at Trichinopoly.

Extracted from Trichinopoly by F.R. Hemingway.Published 1907 by Superintendent, Govt. Press in Madras

http://www.archive.org/stream/trichinopoly01madr#page/n9/mode/2up

Dated 9th December 1900, Mr. Thumboo Chetty in a brief note:-- My forefathers embraced the Catholic Faith some centuries ago through the instrumentality of the Jesuit Missionaries who, I remarked, wisely tolerated the observance of caste and Hindu social manners and customs, in so far as they were not repugnant to the precepts and tenets of the Christian religion. Southern India, which was the scene of labours of those zealous missionaries, is now inhabited by a very large number of Catholics, the descendants of whole families originally converted, who, notwithstanding the lapse of centuries, have clung to caste and social usages and are in touch with their non-Christian Hindu brethren. (page 258; T. Royaloo Chetty)

Missions in South India : visited and described (1854), Author: Mullens, Joseph, 1820-1879; London Missionary Society. http://archive.org/stream/missionsinsouthi00mull#page/n5/mode/2up

Desayi : Job Title

They could have followed the Vijayanagar expansion south, and settled in these districts. The ancesters of Mr Thumboo Chetty could have acted as the chieftain of a part of the town of Trichinopoly since the father was a Desayi and this appointment is hereditary. [TR]

Thumboo Chetty's father, Desayi Royalu Chetti Garu, was the head of his caste. He was an honourable and upright man, highly respected. (page 1; T. Royaloo Chetty).

" The word Desayi means of the country. For almost every taluk in the North Arcot district there is a headman, called the Desayi Chetti, who may be said in a manner to correspond to a Justice of the Peace. The headmen belong to the Kavarai or Balija caste, their family name being Dhanapala a common name among the Kavarais which may be interpreted as ' the protector of wealth". In former days they had very great influences, and all castes belonging to the right-hand faction would obey the Desayi Chetti.

Extracted from Castes and tribes of southern India. Author: Thurston, Edgar, 1855-1935; Rangachari, K.

http://archive.org/stream/castestribesofso02thuriala#page/n5/mode/2up

Rayalu

The earlier kings of this dynasty had conquered all Southern India before the end of the 14th century ; but they left many of the original kings (e.g., the last Pandyas) undisturbed for a time ; in the 16th century they had their deputies (called Nayaks) at Madura (from about 1540). Tanjore and Gingee (Sinji). In the 17th century these Nayaks acted as independent sovereigns.

The Vijaya-nagara kings are always styled, not Rajas, but Rayas 1 , though the meaning is identical. Raya in Tamil is pluralised as Rayar, in Telugu as Rayalu, and the plural, as is usual in the Dravidian languages, is used honorifically for the singular.

Extracted from "A political and general history of the District of Tinnevelly, in the Presidency of Madras, from the earliest period to its cession to the English Government in A. D. 1801." Published 1881 by Printed by E. Keys, at the Government Press in Madras . http://www.archive.org/stream/apoliticalandge00caldgoog#page/n4/mode/2up

1 The Rayas of Vijaya-nagara having long been the greatest paramount power in Southern India, Rayar is used in the Tamil New Testament as the equivalent of “Caesar” with the meaning of emperor.

The founders of Vijaya-nagara were Telugus and made Telugu the language of administration throughout their dominions. The district of country in which they established themselves (Hampi), though not a portion of Mysore, was a portion of the Kannada country or country in which Canarese was spoken. Right in the heart of this Canarese district a new Telugu dynasty- set up a Telugu court, supported by a Telugu army, and sending forth Telugu colonies and expeditions into all parts of the south. This explains the position occupied by the Telugu lieutenants of Vijaya-nagara at Madura, and also in part the position occupied by Telugu Poligars and settlers throughout the Trichinopoly, Madura, and Tirunevelly Districts. It was during the reign of Krishna Rayar (Rayalu) that Vijaya-nagara rose to its greatest importance. He reigned from 1508 to 1530. It is certain at least that his reign fell between these two dates. The state of Vijaya-nagara was the most powerful Hindu state that ever existed south of the Krishna, and Krishna Rayar (Rayalu) has the reputation of having been the ablest, most enlightened, and most successful of the rulers of that state. He is celebrated as having been a magnificent patron of telugu literature. About 1520 the Muhammadans sustained from him a severe defeat, in consequence of which they were kept in check for a considerable period. After his time the kingdom began to decline.

Trichinopoly by F.R. Hemingway.Published 1907 by Superintendent, Govt. Press in Madras .http://www.archive.org/stream/trichinopoly01madr#page/n9/mode/2up

It must be observed, that each of these princes is spoken of by the title of Rayaru, the Karnataka plural of Raya. This same word with the Rylu, or Rayalu of the Telingas, contracted by Mussulmans into Ryl, and commonly applied exclusively to the kings of Vijayanagara and the princes of all the great dynasties that have governed karnata are commonly called Rayaru by its native inhabitants. However, In the south, every person of very high rank is spoken of in the plural number .

Source : A Journey from Madras Through the Countries of Mysore, Canara, and Malabar: Performed Under the Orders of the Most Noble the Marquis Wellesley, Governor General of India, for the Express Purpose of Investigating the State of Agriculture, Arts, and Commerce ... in the Dominions of the Rajah of Mysore, and the Countries Acquired by the Honorable East India Company ...Higginbotham and Company, 1870

Madraspatnam

The English East India Company established itself at Madraspatnam as a favourable location for trade in 1639. The presence of the English traders quickly attracted Beeri Chettiars, the pre-eminent trading caste of Tamil north, who were members of the left-hand section of south Indian castes, and Komatis, a premier Telugu-speaking trading caste, who were members of the right-hand section of castes. The Komaties were closely allied to the Balija Naidus, also a merchant caste.

Extracted from The Meaning of the Local: Politics of Place in Urban India, Par Geert De Neve, Henrike Donner (Temple and charity, Mattison Mines)

Komatis

A characteristic of the Komati caste in Madras is that through the years poor Komatis have migrated from the Telugu north to Madras in hopes of making fortunes. Many family stories begin by describing how an ancestor first came to Madras as young child and thought dint of hard work and good character became a successful merchant.

Extracted from The Meaning of the Local: Politics of Place in Urban India, Par Geert De Neve, Henrike Donner (Temple and charity, Mattison Mines)

Balija or Balija Naidu

Balija.—The Balijas are described by Mr. Francis as being " the chief Telugu trading caste, scattered throughout all parts of the Presidency. It is said to have two main sub-divisions, Desa (or Kota, a fort) and Peta (street). The first of these includes those, whose ancestors are supposed to have been the Balija (Nayak) kings of Madura, Tanjore and Vijayanagar, or provincial governors in those kingdoms ; and to the second belong those, like the Gazulu (bangle sellers) and Perike (saltsellers), who live by trade. In the Tamil districts Balijas are known as Vadugans (Telugu people) and Kavarais.

The descendants of the Nayak or Balija Kings of Madura and Tanjore claim to be Kshatriyas and of the Kasyapa (a rishi) gotra, while the Vijayanagar Rais say they are lineal descendants of the sage Bharadwaja. Others trace their ancestry to the Kauravas of the Mahabharata.

" The Balijas," Mr. H. A. Stuart writes,* " are the trading caste of the Telugu country, but they are now found in every part of the Presidency. Concerning the origin of this caste several traditions exist, but the most probable is that which represents them as a recent offshoot of the Kapu or Reddi caste.

The general name of the caste is Naidu (corruption of Nayakdu). The title Chetti is by some used in preference to Naidu.

Extracted from Castes and tribes of southern India (1909) Author: Thurston, Edgar, 1855-1935; Rangachari, K Volume: 1, (A and B)

http://archive.org/stream/castestribesofso01thuriala#page/n5/mode/2up

Kavarai (Kavara Balija Naidu or Gavara Balija Naidu)."Kavarai is the name for Balijas (Telugu trading caste), who have settled in the Tamil country" as per Thurston of Castes and Tribes of Southern India. Kavarais call themselves Balijas (Born from fire).They use the titles Naidu, Nayakkan, Chetti or Setti and Nayak. Gajula Balija is the largest sub -division of Kavarais. The equivalent name for Gajula Balija in Tamil is Valaiyal Chetti. (The meaning of Tamil name Valaiyal in Telugu is Gajulu (Bangles). Gajula Balijas attained this name as they were involved in manufacturing and selling bangles initially though they made their mark in various other fields later.

Extracted from KapuSangam.Com http://www.kapusangam.com/history.php

- Balija Chettis or Shettis ( Chetty Balija or Shetty Balija): They have been mentioned in several Vijayanagar accounts as wealthy merchants who controlled powerful trading guilds . To secure their loyalty, the Vijayanagar kings made them Desais or "superintendents of all castes in the country". They were classified as right-hand castes .

- Gajula Balija / Kavarai Balija / Sugavansi (pure) Balija: Myth is that Siva's wife Parvati did a severe penance in order to look beautiful for Shiva. A man sprung from the sacrificial fire bringing forth cosmetics and this person was the ancestor of the Gajula Balija .

Extracted from Balija Community Information, http://www.telaganadu.com/History/Balija%20Caste_History.html

NOTE: Thumboo Chetty descends from the Balija (Kavarai) community. His ancestor should have migrated earlier from Andhra Pradesh and settled in the Tamil region for political or economical reason. I see many people in the family having the title Chetty, Chettiar, Naïker, Naïdu. I also see many people in the family named as Bangaru, The name Bangaru is said to refer to the custom of the women of this sub-division (kamma) wearing only gold nose ornaments (bangaramu). I heard one day my grand mother say that she comes from the Valaiyal community, a sub-division of Kavarai, i.e., the Tamil equivalent of Gazula (glass bangle) Balija. TR

The Social Setting

From the first, Beeri Chettiar merchants were one of the main trading castes of Madras City. Their arch-competitors in the early years of Black Town were the Balijas and the Komati Chettiars, who were the dominant trading castes of the surrounding countryside. This competitive opposition reflected the organization of castes into rival right-hand and left-hand moieties in this region of post-Vijayanagar influence. The Komatis and Balijas were both Telugu-speaking, Vaishnavite castes belonging to the right-hand caste division, while the Beeris were predominantly Tamil-speaking Saivites, belonging to the left-hand section.

Extracted from "Public Faces, Private Voices" Community and Individuality in South India, Mattison Mines, UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA PRESS Berkeley · Los Angeles · Oxfordsource : http://publishing.cdlib.org/ucpressebooks/view?docId=ft6v19p0zf;brand=ucpress

George Town, 1800-90

One of the most important changes from the perspective of George Town sociality was that, at the beginning of the century with the founding of the independent judiciary, the Company moved the locus of authority to decide civil matters among caste members from headmen to court.

Alternative lifestyles were being made possible by western-style education, foreign travel, new civil service jobs and then new opportunities in administration and in shared governance. Christian College, which proved highly influential among Indians, was founded in George Town in 1837.

Extracted from The Meaning of the Local: Politics of Place in Urban India, Par Geert De Neve, Henrike Donner (Temple and charity, Mattison Mines)

Thambu Chetty Street, Chennai, Tamil Nadu?

The Float Festival is also associated with two of the Town's most venerable legendary Beeri Chettiar big-men, Thambu Chetti and Lingi (sometimes Linga) Chetti. Two of Muthialpet's main streets today bear the names of these former leaders. In the eighteenth century, the Kachaleeswarar temple was sometimes called "Tambi Chetti's pagoda" (Love 1913, 2:541-2), and according to British East India Company records, the temple and its tank were built by Thambu Chetti in 1725, when he was one of the Company's chief merchants and the premier headman or chief of the Town Beeri Chettiars (Love 1913, 3:387-8, 391). He built the temple on land that had belonged to Lingi Chetti, a contemporary headman-merchant and in the mid-1700s.

Extracted from "Public Faces, Private Voices" Community and Individuality in South India, Mattison Mines, UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA PRESS Berkeley · Los Angeles · Oxfordsource : http://publishing.cdlib.org/ucpressebooks/view?docId=ft6v19p0zf;brand=ucpress

NOTE : There is no any direct connection between T. R. A. Thumboo Chetty and Thambu Chetti. Thumboo Chetty belongs to the Balija community, and Thambu Chetti to the Beeri Chettiars. They both lived at different periods of time, But they both lived in the same area, George Town, Madras. Living in the same place where Thambu Chetti lived earlier, T. R. A. Thumboo Chetty could have been named after one of the big men. [TR]. Google map : Thambu Chetty Street, George Town, Chennai, Tamil Nadu, India : http://g.co/maps/wq2dr

The house in Malayappen Street, wich was the humble abode of his youth

A few months before his last illness T. R. A. Thumboo Chetty visited Madras (1907)…Even when paying this visit he seems to have felt that this would be his last visit, and he not only visited all his relatives and bade them good-bye, but went over tenderly every corner of the house in Malayappen Street, wich was the humble abode of his youth and every article in it wich was allowed to him by the associations of his early years. He seems to have returned full of serenity, and elevated by his contemplation over the scenes of his childhood, recalling to mind all those who had gone before him and whom he was soon of meet in the next world. (page 282; T. Royaloo Chetty). Google map : Malayappan St, George Town, Chennai, Tamil Nadu, India : http://g.co/maps/gdf2x