Context and Announcement

In April 2025, Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M.K. Stalin made a significant announcement in the State Legislative Assembly: village names that include the word "colony" or contain explicit references to caste—such as Pallappatti, Paraiyappatti, Naavidhan Kulam, Paraiyan Kulam, and Sakkilippatti—would be removed from official records. These areas will be renamed with the broader aim of erasing visible markers of caste identity and reducing social stigma. Although largely symbolic, the move carries deep historical and cultural implications, especially in a state where caste-based spatial segregation has long been woven into the fabric of rural life.

Historical Roots of Caste-Based Segregation

Caste-based segregation in Tamil Nadu has a long history that likely began around the 12th century CE, rooted in the varnashrama system. Literature from that period began documenting the physical isolation of labouring and marginalised communities, often placed at a distance from dominant caste settlements.

Over centuries, this segregation became increasingly entrenched. During the Bhakti movement under the Chola dynasty, the temple became the social and spatial nucleus of village life, reinforcing caste hierarchies in the layout of villages. This continued under later regimes such as the Vijayanagara Empire and the Nayakkas, where caste divisions were enforced with even greater rigidity.

The arrival of European colonial powers exacerbated these divisions. Colonial administrators introduced bureaucratic classifications that reinforced caste-based separations and formalised them through derogatory locality names in official documents. These names would persist into modern governance, long after their origins had faded from public memory.

The Linguistic Transformation of ‘Chery’ and ‘Colony’

The words chery and colony, which today are commonly associated with Dalit habitations in rural Tamil Nadu, had far more neutral connotations in earlier periods.

In classical Tamil literature, such as the Tolkappiyam (7th century BCE) and Kurunthokai (5th century BCE), the word chery merely denoted a settlement or hamlet without any caste-based implication. However, by the medieval era, texts like the Periya Puranam (12th century CE) began to use terms such as theendachery (meaning “untouchable settlement”), clearly delineating caste boundaries within the language itself.

The term colony, introduced by the British, initially referred to elite European settlements. But as it entered local usage in rural Tamil Nadu, it underwent a dramatic reversal. By the 20th century, colony was used almost exclusively to denote Dalit areas, becoming interchangeable with chery in describing caste-segregated geographies.

The Lingering Stigma of Caste-Tagged Place Names

In rural Tamil Nadu, village names containing the term colony are rarely neutral. While in urban settings the word might appear in socially mixed localities—such as Railway Colony or Jayendrar Colony—in villages, it is almost universally recognised as an indicator of lower caste habitation.

This linguistic signal functions as a form of coded caste identification. When such addresses appear on official documents—like Aadhaar cards, ration cards, voter IDs, passports, or driving licences—they can instantly trigger social bias. The implications go beyond mere social discomfort; they often result in discriminatory treatment, exclusion, and long-term psychological and economic harm for residents of these areas. The presence of caste-revealing locality names entrenches the barriers that marginalised communities are trying to overcome.

Efforts Toward Reform and the 2025 Renaming Drive

Throughout the 20th century, there were several efforts to replace casteist terminology. Mahatma Gandhi introduced the term Harijan in an attempt to elevate the status of Dalits, but it eventually became yet another patronising label.

More substantive efforts came from social reformers such as Iyothee Thass Pandithar and M.C. Rajah, who advocated for the term Adi-Dravidar in place of Parayar or Panchamar. This terminology was formally adopted by the Madras Presidency in 1922. Still, over time, even these more progressive terms came to be associated with marginalisation, reflecting the difficulty of detaching language from deep-rooted social hierarchies.

The 2025 renaming initiative introduced by the Tamil Nadu government does not function as a welfare scheme in the conventional sense. Rather, it is a symbolic gesture aimed at addressing a cultural wound. The plan involves renaming villages currently identified by caste-laden terms, using names inspired by flowers, poets, scientists, and neutral cultural markers—while avoiding politically charged names. Urban neighbourhoods like Saibaba Colony or Velachery will remain unchanged, as they are not viewed as caste indicators.

The renaming seeks to restore dignity to communities, challenge linguistic caste markers, and foster social cohesion. Although it cannot dismantle caste-based discrimination on its own, it sends a powerful message: the state formally acknowledges the harm caused by caste-tagged geography and is committed to change.

Conclusion: A Symbolic Yet Historic Gesture

The presence of caste-linked place names in Tamil Nadu is not just a relic of the past—it is an ongoing mechanism that reinforces social exclusion. The transformation of words like chery and colony from neutral descriptors to entrenched caste markers reveals how language can serve as a vehicle for both hierarchy and prejudice.

By undertaking the removal of these terms from official records, the Tamil Nadu government is making a historic move—one that is symbolic, yet far-reaching in its potential to influence public perception. While renaming alone cannot bring structural equality, such symbolic reforms can reshape collective consciousness and lay the foundation for deeper, more sustained integration.