A little bit of history - Valluvan

The earliest reference of Valluvan can be traced to 2nd century BC. Here we come across Nanjil Valluvan. There are references  of Nanjil Valluvan as a king in some place and a chieftain in other sources. But all the historical sources agree to, he being the  ruler of Nanjil Nadu. Present day, Historians has located the ancient Nanjil Nadu to Kanyakumari district and parts of  Tirunelveli district. He  is spoken highly in poems of Avaiyar, a poetess of repute in those days. Near about in the same period, the saint poet of Tamil Nadu Thiruvalluvar too finds mention. But some historian are of  the view that he was born somewhere in 1st century AD or 2nd  Century AD and he flourished during these period.  There is a small minority of historians who agrees that Nanjil Valluvan and Thiruvalluvar are one and the same person. Anyway one thing is clear from it, Valluvans have a lineage dating back to 2 BC and further back. Even is some places poetess Availyar is referred as the sister of Thiruvalluvar. But historians differ, and has pointed out that the reference can be interfere as not born to same parents but of same intelligence and literary pursuit. 

Lets take a hypothesis, If Nanjil Valluvan was a chieftain, he might have received this honour of being a court astrologer of  the  then ruling king. The king in all certainty might be a Pandian king or he might be an earliest Chera king. He might have granted Chieftain tittle on him for his service to the  kingdom. That were the rules then. When the king is pleased by the services of his ministers he grants them tittle as well as rulership of many villages. Valluvans were astrologers to the ruling kings, kings, ministers, satraps and common people.

Later, we find mention of Ay rulers who entered into an agreement with Nanjil Valluvan. Either Nanjil Valluvan was defeated or has come to a compromise with Ay rulers to avoid war and bloodshed. From then, the Ay rulers dominated Nanjil Nadu. Many Valluvans either intermarried with Ay aristocracy or left the kingdom altogether for greener pasture in other kingdoms.  These were the periods when newer religions were coming into existence. The two popular being the  Jainism and Buddhism. These two religions opposed every things that they found in Hinduism. Even astrology was one among them. Valluvans might have face difficulties in carrying out their trade. Many kings and chieftains converted to either Jainism or Buddhism. Patronage to Astrology was at a  all time low during these periods. Many Valluvans too change their occupation from astrology to some other occupation which gave them enough food to survive.  Many Valluvans during these time converted to the then religion of the kingdom in order to survive. There were many learned Valluvan Buddhists and Jains. Some were very renowned scholars and distinguish teachers of Jainism and Buddhism.

Others left the kingdom and started practicing in other kingdoms, where Hinduism was prevalent and astrologers were given due respects. The travelling was not limited to present day Tamil Nadu. But to all parts of India and  beyond. That how astrology travelled from one place to another. Over a period of time, they adopted the customs of that place and survived with changed name and sometime even caste.

The decline of Jainism and Buddhism brought in more troubles for the Valluvans. By then slowly Brahmanism has reared it head and spread rapidly. By now Valluvans were in decline and with the spread of Brahmanism it declined rapidly. Majority of the astrology practicing Valluvans were reduced to poverty. After a gap of nearly 700 years, we find mention of Valluvan in Pallava Period in few inscriptions. The 700 years how they survived is shrouded in mystery. The possibility is that they were reduced to poverty. A very few survived with patronage from rich people of that time. Others took up professions like agriculture and other jobs the suited them.

Once flourishing Valluvan caste went into decline. By the time the Caste census was taken for the first time, they were clubbed, in the lower hierarchy due to utter poverty, no regular income and lack of education and good quality life. That was in the early 18th Century.