Kalluri (stone village).--An exogamous sept of Medara.
Kal Tacchan (stone-mason).--A sub-division of Kammalan.
Kalti (expunged).--A degraded Paraiyan is known as a Kalti. Amongst the Paraiyans of Madras, Chingleput and North Arcot, the rule is that a man who does not abide by the customs of the caste is formally excommunicated by a caste council. He then joins "those at Vinnamangalam" near Vellore, i.e., those who have, like himself, been driven out of the caste.
Kalugunadu (eagle's country).--An exogamous sept of Tamil goldsmiths in the Madura district.
Kaluthai (possessors of donkeys).--A sub-division of Odde.
Kalyanakulam (marriage people).--A fanciful name returned by some Mangalas at times of census, as they officiate as musicians at marriages.
Kamakshiamma.--Recorded, in the North Arcot Manual, as a sub-division of Vaniyan. Kamakshiamma is the chief goddess worshipped at Conjeeveram. She and Minakshi Amma of Madura are two well-known goddesses worshipped by Saivites. Both names are synonyms of Parvati, the wife of Siva.
Kamati (foolish).--A name sometimes applied to carpenters, and also of a sub-division of Okkiliyans, who are said to have abandoned their original occupation of cultivating land, and become bricklayers.
Kambalam.--The name Kambalam is applied to a group of nine castes (Tottiyan, Annappan, Kappiliyan, Chakkiliyan, etc.), because at their council meetings a blanket (kambli) is spread, on which is placed a brass vessel (kalasam) filled with water, and decorated with flowers. (See Tottiyan.)
Kamban.--A title of the Occhans, to which caste the great Tamil epic poet Kamban is reputed to have belonged.
Kambha.--Kambha or Kambhapu, meaning a pillar or post, has been recorded as an exogamous sept of Madiga and Komati.
Kamma.--Writing collectively concerning the Kammas, Kapus or Reddis, Velamas, and Telagas, Mr. W. Francis states [61] that "all four of these large castes closely resemble one another in appearance and customs, and seem to have branched off from one and the same Dravidian stock. Originally soldiers by profession, they are now mainly agriculturists and traders, and some of them in the north are zamindars (land-owners). The Razus, who now claim to be Kshatriyas, were probably descended from Kapus, Kammas, and Velamas. The Kammas and Kapus of the Madura and Tinnevelly districts seem to have followed the Vijayanagar army south, and settled in these districts when the Nayak Governors were established there. Their women are less strict in their deportment than those of the same castes further north, the latter of whom are very careful of their reputations, and, in the case of one section of the Kammas, are actually gosha (kept in seclusion) like Musalmanis."