Equating them to Jats may not be appropriate since these vellala castes have a long-standing history of agriculture and leadership whereas Jats have grown to the current position recently and are considered not very cultured in Northern India.But care has to be taken with reference to Lingayats. The castes like Kongu Vellalar, (Western Tamilnadu) Pandia Vellalar,(Madurai) Chozhia Vellalar,(Trichy & Thanjavur) Tuluva Vellalar (North Tamilnadu), Arcot Mudaliar,(North Tamilnadu) Nanjil Vellalar (Kanya Kumari) are concentrated in specific parts of Tamilnadu and are similar to Reddies, Kammas,Vokkaligas and Lingayats.

There are a number of sub-castes/clans among them like Thondaimandala vellalar, Karkatha vellalar, Tirunelveli saiva vellalar, etc., and most of them intermarry these days.The second layer consists of a number of unique castes, which do not intermarry at all. They are vegetarian, literate and sophisticated like Brahmins except priestly duties but also were major landowners, feudal lords and powerful like Rajputs or Thakurs of Northern India except individual violent nature of Rajputs and were village administrators like Kayasthas of Central and Eastern India. The first layer consists of Saiva Vellalars (Saiva Mudaliars and Pillais).

Vellalas in Tamilnadu are concerned, they have broadly three layers. They maintained Accounts in palayakaras offices, and hence they assumed the title kanakku 'pillays 'and then Pillays. Later when Southern parts of Tamilnadu came into the control of Telegu Nayak Chieftains, both Vellars and Karalars(Karkathars) came to work under the chieftains. Vellalars are one who control the 'Vellam' i.e floods in the river and grow crops and Karalars are one who control 'Kar' i.e Clouds in the form of Tanks and Lakes and grow crops. Vellalars are agricultural people and in Tamilnadu they are classified into Vellalars and Karalars. Accountants were respectfully called 'Pillaiannan'. Muthalpidi and parvathyakars of olden days were all vellalas. In Tharisappally sasan of 9th century AD, there is mention about Vellala -'velkulasundaran'.(TAS II 70-80) In former Travancore and Kochi Vellalas were entrusted with account keeping.They were called 'kanakkapillai' accountntant). Vellala King Mavel Aai founder of 'Aai vamsam' created theVenadu. In 'Pathittupathu' Vellalas were called 'Uzhavar'. Ulkala (Orissa) was ruled by vellala kings in 11 century AD.Mudaliars and Reddiars of Thontaimantalam (Chengalpet & North Arcot Dists),Pillai of Chola (Kumbakonam ,Thanchavoor,Thrissinappally) Pillai of Pandya (Madura, Ramanathapuram, Thirunelveli) and Gounder of Kongunadu (Coimbatore & Selam) were Vellalas. Those vellalas who migrated from banks of Ganga was called 'Gangavamsa vellalar'.Their kingdom was 'Ggangawathi'.Those vellalas who lived in Kongunadu was called 'Gounders'. In Thelunku nadu they were called 'Velar'.

Dr pillai on lord muruga