Topic started by Ram Shanmugam (@ aui-tx14-189.rasserver.net) on Sat Jul 13 10:53:11 .
All times in EST +10:30 for IST.

What is the meaning of Pillai?
Why a caste is named "Pillai"?
What are "Pillai"s famous for?

Responses:

• From: Mani (@ cache-rl04.proxy.aol.com) on: Sat Jul 13 23:49:57
  
  Pillai is a big caste in Tamil Nadu as well as Kerala. It seems that Kerala Pillais dominate the Pillai caste.
  Pillai means child, or something of that sort, like Ganapathy as "Pillaiyar".
  
  
• From: fridge (@ proxy.ndf.mweb.co.za) on: Sun Jul 14 13:41:15
  
  South Africa has a surname called Pillay, where does that come from.
  
  
• From: Ram Shanmugam (@ aui-tx18-216.rasserver.net) on: Sun Jul 14 14:52:01
  
  What I really want to know the reason for creating the name "Pillai" in the society. Children of who?
  
  Are there famous Pillai persons? What did this community contribute?
  
  Did they come from South Africa? Are they nomades?
  I heard they are great Saivites? Are there "Vaishnavite" Pillai? Are there Christian Pillai? Are there Muslim Pillai?
  
  What is the root reason for this word?
  
  
• From: Ram (@ mm124.mme.wsu.edu) on: Sun Jul 14 22:28:25
  
  One of the famous(or it shud be infamous) piLLai is RAMAR PILLAI who claimed to have invented a technology to prodece petrol from herbs
  
  
• From: Mani (@ spider-wi021.proxy.aol.com) on: Sun Jul 14 23:56:11
  
  Pillai is a hindu name for Tamils and Keralites, it is also pronounced "Pillay" in places like Mauritius, South Africa, and elsewhere.
  Some Kerala Christians who have had ancestors that converted to Christianity long ago have kept their name as Pillai.
  
  
• From: R. S. Pillai (@ dsc03.aui-tx-1-34.rasserver.net) on: Sun Aug 4 17:59:39
  
  Could you be authentic about "South Africa" Pillai? Any evidence from books, history, or stone walls?
  
  
• From: :) Punnahai (@ d221-216-98.systems.cogeco.net) on: Sun Aug 4 19:36:07
  
  >>Are there famous Pillai persons? What did this community contribute?
  <<
  
  have you searched for pillai in forumhub?
  
  
• From: Karikalen (@ webcachem03b.cache.pol.co.uk) on: Sun Aug 4 20:06:15
  
  In many parts of the world,the word Pillay is more in use than Pillai.But there are many who do not use the name anymore.I for one decided not to have it on my kids as I believe it symbolises a particular caste and I do not believe in the caste system.It does more bad then good.
  It is a popular surname amongst Indians Tamils,Sri Lankan Tamils and Keralites.
  To name a few famous ones;
  Chidambaram Pillay-Indian freedom fighter
  JYM Pillay-economist who headed the Singapore Monetary Authority
  Arumugam Pillay-the late plantation king in North Malaysia.
  I also have reason to believe that some famous personalities did not have the name Pillay but did come from the Vellalar caste namely MS Swaminathan and Srigali Govindarajan.
  Humble apologies if any of my information is incorrect.
  
  
• From: Miss Lanka (@ hse-kingston-ppp194077.sympatico.ca) on: Sun Aug 4 20:28:26
  
  Pillai means kid/offspring in srilankan tamil
  
  
• From: R. S. Pillai (@ dsc03.aui-tx-2-148.rasserver.net) on: Sun Aug 4 21:26:04
  
  what is forumhub?
  
  
• From: fridge (@ netcache6.is.co.za) on: Mon Aug 5 07:36:06
  
  R.S.Pillay
  
  As jy hierdie sin kan lees dan is jy alreads by die forumhub. :-)
  
  
• From: :) (@ d221-216-99.systems.cogeco.net) on: Mon Aug 5 09:01:05
  
  >>what is forumhub?<<
  
  RSP:
  Where do you think you are having this discussion?
  
  
• From: pasuapthi k pillai (@ dialpool-210-214-98-79.maa.sify.net) on: Thu Jul 24 12:12:03
  
  www.saivaneri.org
  world's first and best saiva pillai and all other pillai's matrimonial web site!
  pls visit us today!
  464 boys
  456 girls
  150+ donors
  credit card acceptance!
  superior 5 technics of searchs!
  dynamic site!
  graphically pleasing to the eyes!
  visit and see u will not be disappointed!
  
  
• From: pas (@ dialpool-210-214-98-79.maa.sify.net) on: Thu Jul 24 12:12:52 EDT 2003
  
  http://www.saivaneri.org
  
  
• From: muthukumarpillai (@ 61.1.232.180) on: Sun Aug 3 11:07:04 EDT 2003
  
  hi i am happy to see some the discussion is on to find out where are we from . good but i want soem serious contribution on this inthe time to come plz take up this and contribute ...
  all the best
  
  
• From: neo_morpheus (@ ppp-219.65.96.123.chn.vsnl.net.in) on: Sun Aug 3 23:18:44 EDT 2003
  
  I managed to pull this one from 'Ten most important tamils in the last century' thread in tamil history section:
  
  >>From: mmc (@ 61.1.232.177) on: Sat Dec 14 02:04:17
  
  The IP sounds pretty similar to this muthukumarpillai!
  
  well! onnumE puriyalE ulakathilE! ;-)
  
  
• From: vignesh pillai (@ bgp454718bgs.avenel01.nj.comcast.net) on: Fri Aug 15 23:38:47 EDT 2003
  
  who are the pillais ? where did they come from. are they negriod native dravidians or do they have aryan features?
  
  
• From: K Rajeev Pillai (@ netcache.spectranet.com) on: Mon Sep 15 06:39:16
  
  Pillai is a common surname seen in Kerala. They actually belongs to the Nair community of Kerala. The surnames such as Pillai, Nair, Menon, Kurup all belongs to the Nair caste of Kerala.
  
  K Rajeev Pillai
  
  
• From: Anil (@ ) on: Wed Oct 1 06:57:45
  
  Who are Kaimal?Is it a caste or sub-caste or just a surname that belongs to Nair Community?Please Clarify
  
  
• From: Kevin Raj (@ 210.118.108.254) on: Fri Oct 3 09:07:27 EDT 2003
  
  How about Mudaliars, who are they and can anyone describe them or compare them with Pillais.
  
  
• From: dileesh (@ ) on: Sun Feb 29 08:39:50
  
  pillai is a surname used by different cast in southindia.pillai means child its an hounanray title used by some of the elite nairs(the famious warrior clan of kerala).its awarded by the rajas. vellars of tamilnadu also using this title some different sections are nanginadu vellar,chetty pillai,saiva pillai etc. some x'stains and mussilams also using it pylye pillai,chandapillai,etc. forfathers of southafrican,malaysian and lankan pillais are comes from tamilnadu.
  
  
• From: sillysanjana (@ adsl-67-112-207-82.dsl.sntc01.pacbell.net) on: Tue May 25 21:37:55
  
  so which of the original 4 sections did the pillias of tamilnadu belong to? the scholars and teachers, the elite (kings, noblemen, warriors), im pretty sure they are not merchants/businessmen, and not lowcast people
  
  
• From: sillysanjana (@ adsl-67-112-207-82.dsl.sntc01.pacbell.net) on: Tue May 25 21:38:01
  
  so which of the original 4 sections did the pillias of tamilnadu belong to? the scholars and teachers, the elite (kings, noblemen, warriors), im pretty sure they are not merchants/businessmen, and not lowcast people
  
  
• From: sillysanjana (@ adsl-67-112-207-82.dsl.sntc01.pacbell.net) on: Tue May 25 21:38:06
  
  so which of the original 4 sections did the pillias of tamilnadu belong to? the scholars and teachers, the elite (kings, noblemen, warriors), im pretty sure they are not merchants/businessmen, and not lowcast people
  
  
• From: Harish (@ ) on: Sat Sep 4 00:18:23
  
  People of Nanjinadu Vellala pillai caste are well known and have pillai as surname. They are there in plenty primarily in Kanyakumari and Trivandrum districts.They are involved with agriculture, business, banking and trade.
  
  My curiosity is why mudaliar,chetty,nair caste people still use pillai as their surname when they could have used their respective surnames viz. mudaliar,chetty or nair?
  
  Kindly clarify.
  
  Harish
  
  
• From: Harish (@ ) on: Sat Sep 4 00:18:38
  
  People of Nanjinadu Vellala pillai caste are well known and have pillai as surname. They are there in plenty primarily in Kanyakumari and Trivandrum districts.They are involved with agriculture, business, banking and trade.
  
  My curiosity is why mudaliar,chetty,nair caste people still use pillai as their surname when they could have used their respective surnames viz. mudaliar,chettiar or nair?
  
  Kindly clarify.
  
  Harish
  
  
• From: Kavitha ravi (@ j472.kst50.jaring.my) on: Mon Sep 6 11:38:53 EDT 2004
  
  There is another group of people called AArunaattu Vellalar Pillay.
  Does anyone know their origin?
  
  
• From: MA (@ zf077125.ppp.dion.ne.jp) on: Wed Sep 29 12:56:42
  
  Kavitha:
  
  There is a new website at www.webmelodies.com dedicated to Arunatu Velalar community. Its still at early stage. More information will be posted there in future
  
  
• From: Kavitha Ravi (@ j446.kst20.jaring.my) on: Sat Oct 2 00:02:55 EDT 2004
  
  Dear MA, Thanks, I will be looking forward to it.
  I am one of the decendants.
  
  

Want to post a response?