Malayala Kshatriya

The term Malayala Kshatriya is used to denote a number of warrior and aristocratic clans belonging to the Nair caste claiming the mythical Chandravanshi and Nagavanshi Kshatriya descent in Kerala, South India.^{[citation needed]} The Nagavanshi claiming Kshatriyas of Kerala closely resemble the Bunts of Tulunadu.^{[citation needed]}

Before the British intervention in 1792, the Kerala region contained small feudal kingdoms in each of which the royal and noble lineages, the militia, and most land managers were drawn from the Nairs and related castes.^[1] The Malayala Kshatriya dynasties followed Matriarchy unlike the earlier Tamil patriarchal kings from Chera dynasty, Ay kingdom.

Origin of Nair swaroopams (feudal states)

The earliest reference to Nairs may be from the Greek Megasthenes. In his accounts of ancient India, he refers to the Narae of a region which may be Malabar.^{[citation needed]}

Present day Kerala and surrounding regions were ruled by the Chera (Kulasekhara) kings in the post-Sangam period. By 12th century, the kingdom of the Kulasekharas was devastated by the continuous attacks from the Cholas. After a number of bloody campaigns, at the end, Chera kingdom was liberated from Chola control with the active support of the Nair governors and their suicide squads known as "chavers" called "ayirathil", "pathinayirathil" etc. But, the frequent wars with the Chola and Pandya kingdoms had weakened the Chera kingdom and finally led to their breakdown shortly after the victory over the Cholas. And these wars made changes in society and structure of Chera kingdom as the new Caste system and the Brahmanical ascendancy started. After and around the end of the Chera (Kulasekhara) kingdom, the Nair provincial governors and chieftains proclaimed independence. The Nair states (known as swaroopams) were confined to small areas but they frequently fought each other for domination over each other. By the mid-thirteenth century, the above said NaIr chieftains were ruling most of the Kerala region as independent kings.^{[citation needed]}

The northern most part of the present day state of Kerala was called Ezhimala kingdom or Mooshika kingdom, it's not clear to historians that this kingdom was ever under the Cheras, or if was when proclaimed independence. However, at earlier stages they practiced patriarchy. However it is hardly estimated that the Mooshika dynasty after the end of the Chera rule in Kerala started practising Matriarchy, probably indicating the suspected influence of the tribes of Tulunad on them. The same confusions and debates are also arisen in the case other major kingdoms. Four major kingdoms were Kolathunad, Kozhikode, Perumpadappu Kochi and Venad.^{[citation needed]}

Elayidathu Swaroopam, Odanad Swaroopam, Purakad Swaroopam, Karapuram Kaimal, Kuthiravattathu Moopil Nair, Kavalappara Swaroopam, Venganadu, Thekkumkur, Vadakkumkur, Alengad, Parur, Kodungalloor, Thalappilly, Valluvanad, Kadathanad, Polanad, Kurumbranad, Poonjar Swaroopam, Kumbala Swaroopam, Neeleswaram - Alladathu Swaroopam, Papu Kovil Swaroopam(Beypore), Tanur Swaroopam or Vettattnad, etc. were some of the feudal states.^{[citation needed]}

Skirmishes with Nambudiri Brahmans

In order to attain the official recognition from the Nambudiris, the Nair kings of Kerala had to undergo a ceremony known as Hiranyagarbha, which grants them Samanta Kshatriya status. But, a majority of the kings in Kerala refused to undergo this ceremony, challenging the Nambudiri priesthood.^[2]

The Nambudiri Brahmins stated that since the Nairs are not original Vedic Kshatriyas, the ruling dynasties can only be created if a Nambudiri degrades his caste and becomes a Kshatriya called Brahmana Kshatriyas.^{[citation needed]}

Most notable example has been that of the Raja of Ambalappuzha, Pulikkal Chempakasseri Madathil Deva Narayanan. This dynasty was recognized as Brahmin by caste and therefore it was a "grave sin" to kill anyone from those clans. So, when Marthanda Varma of Venad invaded Ambalappuzha, he ordered the former king, Pulikkal Chempakasseri Madathil Deva Narayanan to be banished from his native place rather than capturing and executing him. The Pulikkal Chempakasseri dynasty became extinct during the 1890s and the rituals and religious duties which were formerly performed by the royal family is currently performed by another Nambudiri family (called Véliyāmköl Illam).^[3]

Since the Nambudiris were not willing to officially coronate them, Nair kings had to depend either on the Arya Pattar (Kerala Iyers) community as in the case of kings of Palghat or the Embraanthiri community as in the cases of Travancore kings, Chirakkal kings. etc. for their coronation ceremonies. Some of the ruling clans started performing the ritual of Upanayanam (wearing sacred thread) during 17th century. Since the Nambudiris refused to perform this ceremony, Embraanthiris were asked to perform it. The first Malayala Kshatriya to undergo Upanayanam was Kolathiri Udaya Varman in AD 1617.

Subdivisions of Malayala Kshatriya

The Koil Thampurans of the kingdom of Travancore (Travancore Royal Family) as well as the Thampans and Thirumulpads of the kingdom of Cochin formed the highest subdivision of Malayala Kshatriya. They were recognized as Samanta Kshatriya without the so called Hiranyagarbha ceremony. They claim the mythical Chandravanshi descent.^{[citation needed]}

The Rajas of the kingdom of Travancore (Travancore Royal Family), Samanthan Nairs and a few Kiryathil Nair families like Beypore Moopil Nair (Moopil Nair) formed the next highest subdivision. They were required to undertake the Hiranyagarbha ceremony.^{[citation needed]}

The other subdivisions are:

Kiryathil Nair (Malabar), Illathu Nair (Travancore), Swaroopathil Nair, Menokki, Charna Nair, Padamangalam Nair, Tamil Padam Nair,^[4] Pallichan Nair (Malabar and Cochin), Nedungadi of Nedunganad and Swaroopams. Kurumbiathiri of Raja of Kurumbranad (including 30 koottams, viz., Tacholi Koottam, Moodadi Koottam, Balussery Koottam, Koilandi Koottam) claimed descent from Kolathiri.^{[citation needed]}

Koil Thampuran

The highest ranking Malayala Kshatriya were some of the royal or chieftain subdivisions belonging to the Samanta Kshatriya sub-caste, popularly known as Koil Thampurans. There were ten Koil Thampuran clans in Travancore, the most ancient were the ones settled at Kilimanoor (in Attingal). The highest ranking clans among the Koil Thampurans, and thus the highest ranking Malayala Kshatriya, were those belonging to the four royal families of Kottayam(Malabar), Beypore, Cochin and the Kodungalloor.^[5]

During Mysore ruler Tipu Sultan's military intervention of the Malabar coast, some more Koil Thampurans immigrated to Travancore from Malabar and settled in Kirtipuram (near Kandiyoor in Mavelikkara), Pallam (in Kottayam), Paliyakkara (in Thiruvalla) and Nirazhi palace (in Changanasseri). The original clans split among themselves and new clans were established at Anantapuran (in Karthikapalli) and Chemprol (in Thiruvalla). Finally, three more Nair clans arrived from Malabar and established themselves at Cherukol, Karamma and Vatakkematham.^[6]

See also

• Tulunad Kshatriya
• Nāga Kshatriya
• Samantha Kshatriya
• Organization of Kaulas

External links

1. ^ "Nair." Encyclopædia Britannica. 2008. Encyclopedia Britannica Online. 5 June 2008
2. ^ History of Travancore from the ... - Google Books
3. ^ Travancore State Manual by V Nagam Aiya, Vol 1, Page 345
4. ^ India's communities - Google Books
5. ^ Religion, social change, and fertility behaviour: a study of Kerala By R. Jayasree p.33
6. ^ Castes and tribes of southern India. Assisted by K. Rangachari