Recently I went to tirunalvelvi district in Tamilnadu state, during my return from shabari yatra. I found most important breakthrough on learning the names of some villages of Avaraikulam, K.vellakulam, Rayapalayam during journey. I already know that these areas are dominantly populated with the kapu naidus, who are also called Nadars. The panchalakurichi, presently a town, which was ruled by veera pandya kattabomman, a naidu, is also in the same district.
The name of the Avaraikulam is established on the name of the family name of the Avari, which is a famous family name in Yellapu caste and also exists in Gurjara. It is quite common that the Avari is corrupted as avarai in tamil. It reveals the migration and establishment of settlement in this village.This village is populated with only Nadar community, who are dependent mostly on agriculture.
The Vellakulam may be also corrupt form of Vellapukulam. This may be named due to the presence of vellapu families. This also reveals the migration of Yellapu caste soldiers and their settlement in this area. It also attest that Yellapu community was very much part of the army of Vijayanagara. However, there are some evidences of re-migration of people of Yellapu community from Tamilnadu to Andhra Pradesh. These includes the family names of Chetty,Chennala, Kotte, Perisingala, Onna. It also reveals that the name of the caste was still vellapu during the migration period.
The village name of Rayapalayam reveals that this village was inhabited by the Raya or his relatives. This reveals that these families inhabited in this village. The geographical contiguity of above villages in a row on the road reveals that these migrations were taken place at the same time and during the vijayanagara period.
One other interesting village name around the avaraikulam is chettikulam.The chettis are also very much part of yellapu families.These families may be migrated from this area with yellapu families. It also confirms the relationship of yellapu families with business communities, yet again.
I also stayed for some time at sattnur in the virudhnagar district and met one telugu men who's ancestors migrated there about 200 more years ago.He is owner of medical shop and belongs to Bhimanathi family. He confirmed that Tirunalvelvi is inhabited by Nadars or kapu naidus and virudhnagar is inhabited by kammas.
To conclude that Yellapu community have been very much present in Tamilnadu also and migrated during the vijayanagara period on the work assigned by the king. Some people also came back.
References:
1.Personal tour notes of Author.
2.Wikipedia website information on Avaraikulam village.
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