Caste, Class, and Power: Changing Patterns of Stratification in a Tanjore Village

acquired agraharam agricultural labourers Ahamudiyas associated bananas big mirasdars Brahmin mirasdars Brahmins and Non-Brahmins Brahmins in Sripuram Brihacharanam caste structure caste system cheri cleavages commensality Congress party constitute crop distribution of power divisions dominated Dravidas economic elections engaged extent factors fairly Grand Anicut group of castes harvest hierarchy households houses important India influential Iyengars Kallas Kshatriyas land landlord large number leaders lease less lessee live Maratha Maratha family Melur Non-Brahmin castes Non-Brahmin streets Non-Brahmins and Adi-Dravidas occupation organisation Padayachis paddy Pallacheri Pallas panchayat president Panchayat Union Council Panchayati Raj Paraiyas particularly Peramur persons political parties position regard relations rentier ritual Sanskrit segmentation Shaivite Shiva Shiva temple Shri Vaishnavas Shudras Smarthas and Shri social society structural distance style subcaste Swatantra party Tamil Tamilnad Tanjore District Telugu tenants tend Thengalai Thiruvaiyar tion traditional Vadagalai Vadama Vellalas village panchayat Vishnu Vishnu temple