கொங்கு VELLALAR

Kootams / Kulam

The Gounders are followers of the traditional form of Tamil Hinduism. In earlier times a sizeable population followed seems to have followed Jainism (Vijayamangalam, Jinapuram)and later reconverted by the Siddhar traditions (most of the Siddhars lived in Kongunadu). The Gounders follow the system of Gotram, popularly called “Kootam/Kulam” in which persons from the same Kootam do not marry one another as they are considered to have descended from the same ancestor. Each Kootam has its own Kulaguru (or popularly saamiar- for example, the kulaguru of melkarai poonthurai nadu kootams is Pasur Akilanda Dikshitar), who is traditionally respected. (This fact is cleverly skipped by Dravidian historians). Every Kootam also has one or more Kuladeivams or a Clan Deities. Some of the Kootams/Kulams are:

* Adhitreya Kumban
* Aadai
* Aanthai
* Aadhi
* Adhirai
* Aavan
* Andai
* Agni
* Aavan
* Anangan
* Andhuvan
* Ariyan
* Alagan
* Bharatan
* Bramman
* Cheran
* Devendran
* Dananjayan
* Danavantan
* Eenjan
* Ennai
* Indran
* Kaadan
* Kaadai
* Kaari
* Kaavalar
* Kadunthuvi
* Kalinji
* Kambakulathaan
* Kanakkan
* Kanavaalan
* Kannan
* Kannandhai
* Karunkannan
* Kauri
* Kavalan
* Kiliyan
* Keeran
* Kodarangi
* Koorai
* Kuruppan
* Kotrandhai
* Kottaarar
* Kovar
* Koventhar
* Kumarandhai
* Kundali
* Kungili
* Kuniyan
* Kunnukkan



* Kuyilan
* Kuzhlaayan
* Maadai
* Maadhaman
* Maathuli
* Maavalar
* Maniyan
* Mayilan
* Mazhluazhlagar
* Medhi
* Meni
* Meenavan
* Moimban
* Moolan
* Mooriyan
* Mukkannan
* Munaiveeran
* Muthan
* Muzhlukkadhan
* Naarai
* Nandhan
* Neelan
* Neerunni
* Neidhali
* Neriyan
* Odhaalar
* Ozhukkar
* Paaliyan
* Paamban
* Paanan
* Paandian
* Paadhari
* Padaithalaiyan
* Padhuman
* Padukkunni
* Paidhali
* Panaiyan
* Panangadai
* Panjaman
* Pannai
* Pannan
* Paamaran
* Pavalan
* Payiran
* Periyan
* Perunkudi
* Pillan
* poondhai
* Podiyan
* Ponnan



* Poochadhai Poodhiyan
* Poosan
* Porulthantha or Perizhanthan
* Punnai
* Puthan
* Saakadai
* Sathandhai
* Sathuvaraayan
* Sanagan
* Sedan
* Sellan
* Sempoothan
* Semvan
* Sengannan
* Sengunni
* Seralan
* Sevadi
* Sevventhi
* Sevvayan
* Silamban
* Soman
* Soolan
* Sooriyan
* Sothi
* Sowriyan
* Surapi
* Thanakkavan
* Thavalayan
* Thazhinji
* Themaan
* Thodai
* Thooran
* Thorakkan
* Thunduman
* Uvanan
* Uzhavan
* Vaanan
* Vannakkan
* Veera Kumar
* Veliyan
* Vellamban
* Vendhan
* Venduvan
* Viliyan
* Villi
* Vilosanan
* Viradhan
* Viraivulan