This website is created to help a group of Nagarathars in Nattarasan Kottai called Kolan Chetty Vagai. Families belonging to this group are living in various places all over the world. This website will help them to know the latest developments and functions in their group. Details about each family and each member will help them to know each other and also to refer as and when required.
Nagarathar is a business community who were pioneers in international trading and finance. In fifteenth century they started trading in salt [hence they used to be called as "uppu merchants". Why salt was selected for trading? Salt is not perishable and on no day demand for salt will vanish. There will be no shortage for its ingredients. Chances for theft will be less. Hence selection of salt for trading shows the vision of forefathers of this community. In 15th century these people were living in Kaveripoompattinam, a coastal village in Tanjore District. They were affected by a tsunami in those days and then they migrated to the present Chettinadu where there is no chance of flood or tsunami. According to history of Tamil community, Kovalan and Kannagi who belonged to this community lived in Kaveripoompattinam. Nagarathars lived in 96 villages around Karaikudi in Sivaganga and Pudukkottai districts.
Kalaiyarmangalam is one of the 96 villages. This village is 7 Km away from Sivagangai. How many families were there in 18th century is not known.
In eighteenth century there lived a man called KANNAPPA CHETTIAR in KALAIYAAR MANGALAM He was an ardent and orthodox Nagarathar with a vision to build a good tradition of his family. Members of his family continued to follow his footsteps and the group had been kept in tact till today which reached its ninth generation.
Majority of people in the group mentioned above whom are successors of Kannappa Chettiar moved to Nattarasan Kottai by early 19th century due to poor infrastructure facilities in Kalaiyaarmangalam. People at Nattarasan Kottai called these people as “MANGALATHARS” since they had migrated from Kalaiyaarmangalam, which is called as “MANGALAM” in short farm.
There are about 123 families as on 01-Jan-2020 in this group. This group was divided in to two groups in 1995 due to difference of opinion in changing the management of the assets of this group and also in dividing the land, which was held in common among all the members of this group. Since 1995, 58 families belong to a group and 24 families formed the other group. Details of this historical division witnessed by the creator of this website will be inserted at a later date.