Kongu Vellalar Goundar community has one of the advanced social orders that have evolved over centuries. The central pillar of this social order is the organization of the members of the community into Kulam (குலம்) (aka Kullam, Kootam, Koottam, Gotram, Gothram, Gottiram or Clan).

Each Kulam has its own Kula Guru (குலகுரு) (or Kulaguru) and Kula Deivam (குலதெய்வம்) (aka Kuladeivam, Kula Theivam, Kula Teyvam, Ishta deivam). In some cases, three or four different Kulams have the same Kula Deivam. Normally, Kuladeivam tends to be a form of Goddess Kali, but in many instances, the earliest ancestor is elevated to the rank of Kula Deivam.

It is not clear when in history people conceived this social structure and came together to form such social grouping. Some Kulam indicate a totemic origin (where the clan is held together by a common object, animal, plan or other natural object and this object is revere as a symbol of that Clan), whereas other Kulam appear to be names of its lineage founders or place name of the Kulam’s original area of inhabitance or residence.

One of the most important relevance today of the Kulam structure is that members of each Kulam are considered to be brothers and sisters (பங்காளி). This would necessitate members of a Kulam to seek brides or bridegrooms from other Kulam. The children of a Kongu Vellala Goundar family inherit their father’s Kulam.

The origin of the Kulam structure and its evolution is not well documented. It is likely that each of the 24 Counties in the Kongu Nadu, in the ancient Tamilakam, were represented by a Kulam. This implies that each County represented a Kulam. This is evidenced by the fact that even today members of a Kulam are largely congregated in a particular region.

The concentration of members of a Kulam in a particular region has however diluted over the years as members of various Kulam migrated to other regions in search of wealth (in some cases facilitated through marrying into families who only had daughters). The process of (re)distribution of a Kulam member across the Counties of Kongu Nadu and beyond was also facilitated by the dismantling of the Counties due to the changes to the political landscape of India in general and Tamilakam in particular mainly during the period of the British rule and thereafter.

The current number of Kulams, which numbers to more than 200, indicates that the increase in population, migration, marital alliances and other circumstances have resulted in this increase. Various documents refer to different numbers of Kulam with 60, 90, 96, 141, 142 and 214 as the number of Kulams quoted often.

One of the consequences of this growth in the number of Kulams, especially if the growth was through the splitting of an existing Kulam to form new Kulams, would be that many of the Kulams are related to each other (பங்காளி முறை), depending on how far back one goes back in the history.

Despite the long list of Kulams, most of the Kongu Vellalar Goundar community seems to belong to a handful of Kulams. It is not clear how many people, if any, belong to some of the lesser known Kulams. It is likely that some of the 200 plus Kulams have become extinct. There are no records available to show the number of people in each Kulam, either today or in the past; or even the number of Kulams currently existing.

• Aandai (ஆந்தை) –> (குலதெய்வம்: Arulmigu Annamarswamy(near manikkampalayam Namakkal ),Pon Azhagu Naachi Amman, Valli Arachal, Muthur, Arulmigu Koothampoondi Annamarswamy Thirukovil (near Manickampalayam), Sri Veera Kumaraswamy (வீரக்குமாரசாமி), Vellakovil, Sri Periyanayagi Amman, Palangarai, Tirupur & Sri Sellandiyamman, Elur Akaram (near Puduchatram, Namakkal))
• Aadai –> (குலதெய்வம்: Sri Kariya Kaliamman, Parenchervazhi, Kangeyam)
• Aadhi –> (குலதெய்வம்: Sri Selvanayaki Amman, Keeranur, Kangeyam)
• Adhitreya Kumban
• Aavan –> (குலதெய்வம்: Sri Kariya Kaliamman, Parenchervazhi, Kangeyam)
• Adhirai
• Akini
• Aavan
• Anangan
• Andhuvan –> (குலதெய்வம்: Sri Selvanayaki Amman, Keeranur, Kangeyam, Sri Sellandiamman, Kadambankruchi, near Cauvery River)
• Ariyan
• Alagan –> (குலதெய்வம்: Sri Sellaandi Amman (Sri Selvanayaki Amman),Podanur-Chettipalayam, near Coimbatore)
• Bharatan
• Bramman
• Chellam
• Cheran –> (குலதெய்வம்: Sri Selvakumaraswamy & Kuppanna swamy, Muthur & Thangamman, Kodumanal, Kangeyam)
• Devendran –> (குலதெய்வம்: Sri Goundichiamman – Araneer Sullipalayam, Ponkaliamman – Perunkurichy of Paramathi Velur, Namakkal, Sri Selvanayaki Amman, Keeranur, Kangeyam)
• Dananjayan –> (குலதெய்வம்: Sri Veerakumaraswamy, Vellakovil)
• Danavantan
• Dhanancheyan [Kurukathi]
• Dhanancheyan [Ilupaikinaru]
• Eenjan
• Elumathur Kadais [Aka panangadan]
• Ennai
• Indran
• Kaadan
• Kadai –> (குலதெய்வம்: Konnayar – Selliyamman KoilMalayai Maruthai, Muthusamy Kovil ,Palamalai, Karur, Sri Selvanayaki amman – Keeranur, Thanga Nayagi amman – Arasur, Sri Angala Parameswari Amman- Avalpoondurai , Padai vetti Amman- Pillur )
• Kaari –> (குலதெய்வம்: Sri Kariya Kaliamman, Anangur, Sankari & Ponkaaliamman, Unjanai, Trichengode)
• Kaavalar
• Kadunthuvi
• Kalinji
• Kambakulathaan
• Kanakkan
• Kanavaalan
• Kannan (கன்னங்குலம்) –> (குலதெய்வம்: “Sri Nallapulli Amman”,Morpalayam,Tiruchengode. Sri Apathal swamy-Nasiyanur,Sri Ponkaliamman – Irayamangalam, Tiruchengode, Kulavilakamman (குலவிளக்கம்மன்) – Kalamangalam & Annamaar Kovil, Maniyanoor, Paramathi Velur, Namakkal,குலதெய்வம்: Sri Kariya Kaliamman
• Kannandhai –> (குலதெய்வம்: Manalur Sivaselvanayakiamman (Sellandiyamman) (Kannivadi), Madukkarai Sellandiamman(Mayanur) Pappini, Aariyur Muthusamy, Sri Navaladiyan – Mohanur, Sellandiyamman – Ooduvandhur.)
• Karunkannan
• Kauri
• Kavalan
• Kiliyan
• Keeran –> (குலதெய்வம்: Sri Selvanayaki Amman, Keeranur)
• Kodarangi
• Koorai –> (குலதெய்வம்: Sri Ponkaliamman, Sivagiri, Erode)
• Kuruppan
• Kotrandhai
• Kottaarar
• Kovar
• Koventhar–> (குலதெய்வம்: Thai Nalli Amman, Choleeswarar, near to government school, Gudimangalam, Dharapuram T.K, Tripur Dt )
• Kumarandhai
• Kundali
• Kungili
• Kuniyan
• Kunnukkan
• Kuyilan
• Kuzhlaayan –> (குலதெய்வம்: Sri Kariakali Amman(கரியகாளி அம்மன்), Kothanoor, Dharapuram)
• Maadai
• Maadhaman
• Maathuli
• Maavalar
• Maniyan (மணியங்குலம்) –> (குலதெய்வம்: Mohanur Navaladi Periyasamy, Sri Selvakumaraswamy & Kuppanna swamy, Muthur)
• Maruthurai Kadais
• Mayilan
• Mazhluazhlagar
• Medhi
• Meenavan
• Moimban
• Moolan
• Mooriyan
• Mukkannan
• Munaiveeran
• Muthan –> (குலதெய்வம்: Sri Selvakumaraswamy & Kuppanna swamy, Muthur)
• Muzhlukkadhan –> (குலதெய்வம் – Sri Vellai Amman / Kadayeeswarar – Kaadayur – Kangeyam)
• Naarai
• Nandhan
• Neelan
• Nettai maniyan
• Neerunni
• Neidhali
• Neriyan
• Odhaalar –> (குலதெய்வம்: Sri Kariya Kaliamman – Parenchervazhi – Kangeyam,Sri Kandiamman/Kandeeshwarar – Kandiankovil,)
• Ozhukkar
• Paaliyan
• Paamban
• Paanan
• Pandian –> (குலதெய்வம்: Kodumanal Sri Thangamman Thirukovil, Kodumanal, Tirupur)
• Paadhari
• Padhuman
• Padukkunni
• Paidhali
• Panaiyan
• Panangadan
• Panjaman
• Pannai –> (குலதெய்வம்: Sri Sadayappa Swami, Thandampalayam; Sendraya Perumal Kovil, Rakkipatti, Salem)
• Pannan
• Paamaran
• Pavalan
• Payiran –> (குலதெய்வம்: Sri Kariya Kaliamman, Parenchervazhi, Kangeyam)
• Periyan –> (குலதெய்வம்: Sri Rathna Moorthy(ரத்தின மூர்த்தி), Sankaradampalayam, Dharapuram)
• Perunkudi –> (குலதெய்வம்: Ellai Arasu, Pavuliyamman (பவுளியம்மன்), Vangalamman (வாங்கலம்மன்), Karichikumaraswamy(Chittode) )
• Pillan –> (குலதெய்வம்: Sri Natrayan & Nachimuthu swamy, Mettupalayam, Kangeyam)
• Podiyan
• Ponnan –> (குலதெய்வம்: Sri Kandiyamman, Pongalur, Palladam(TK))
• Poochadhai
• Poodhiyan
• Poosan
• Porulthantha –> (குலதெய்வம்: Malaiappasamy/Malaiamman facing North,other Gods along with this are Pukkarandi facing West & Karuppanasamy facing East [in Thootakurichi(5 km from Aranattarmalai), Karur], Sri Selvakumaraswamy & Sri Murungai Amman & Kuppanna swamy, Muthur and Kaaliamman, Unniyur)
• Pulathini –> (குலதெய்வம்: Sri Angala Parameswari Amman, Kolappalur, Gobichettipalayam)
• Punnai
• Puthan
• Saakadai or Kaadai
• Sathandhai
• Sathuvaraayan
• Sanagan
• Sedan
• Sellan (செல்லங்குலம்,) –> (குலதெய்வம்: செல்லியம்மன், கொன்னையர், எளச்சிபாளையம்.(திருச்செங்கோடு – ராசிபுரம் வழி) and Azhagunachi Amman, Anjur, near Muthur)
• Semponn –> (குலதெய்வம்: Sri Kariya Kaliamman (கரியகாளி அம்மன்), Peria Manali, Rasipuram & Sri Muthusamy, Ramadevam, Tiruchengode, Ayei Amman, Nasiyanur, Erode)
• Sempoothan –> Ettukai Amman , Namakkal district, Keerambur.
• Semvan/ semban
• Sengannan –> (குலதெய்வம்: Podari ayyan,Nathakadyur,Kangeyam,kadampankurichi sellaandi amman, karur).
• Sengunni –> (குலதெய்வம்: Sri Pudhu Vengaraiamman, Vengarai, Paramathy, Namakkal)
• Seralan
• Sevadi
• Sevvayan
• Silamban
• Soman
• Soolan
• Sooriyan
• Sothi
• Sowriyan
• Sevanthi –> (குலதெய்வம்: Sri Ponnatchi Amman, Ilupuli)
• Surapi
• Thanakkavan
• Thavalayan
• Thazhinji –> (குலதெய்வம்: Sri Veerakumaraswamy, Vellakoil)
• Themaan
• Thodai(n)
• Thooran
• Thorakkan
• Thunduman
• Uvanan
• Uzhavan
• Vaanan or Vaani
• Vannakkan (குலதெய்வம்: Arul migu Pon Alagu nachi amman, valli araichal, Muthur, near kangeyam)
• Veliyan –> (குலதெய்வம்: Kakkaveri Annanmar Swami, Namakkal)
• Vellamban
• Vendhai
• Vendoven (வெண்டுவங்குலம்) –> (குலதெய்வம்:Kaali Amman(kolaram), Arulmigu Kathaanganni Aayee Amman, oothukulli, Arungarai Amman – Chinna Dharapuram)
• Viliyan –> (குலதெய்வம்: Chelliamman, Mallasamduram, Namakkal)
• Villi –> (குலதெய்வம்: Pon Azhagu Naachi Amman, Valli Arachal, Muthur)
• Vilosanan
• Viradhan
• Viraivulan