Castes and Tribes of Southern India/Tuluva
Tuluva. — Tulu, Tuluva, or Tuluvan occurs as the name of a sub-division of the Tamil Vellālas, and of the Agasas, Billavas, Gaudas, Kumbāras, and other classes in South Canara. The equivalent Tulumar is recorded as a sub-caste of Māvilan, which speaks Tulu.
Concerning the Tuluva Vellālas, Mr, H. A. Stuart writes *[1] that these are immigrants from the Tulu country, a part of the modern district of South Canara. Mr.Nelson is of opinion that these are the original Vellālas, who were invited to Tondamandalam after its conquest by the Chola king Adondai Chakravarti.†[2]