Nair is the name of a Hindu Kshatriya caste in the southern Indian state of Kerala. Nairs are an integral part of Kerala's culture and have a long history. The Nair caste was a martial nobility, similar to the Samurai of Japan and figure prominently in Kerala History.Origins and historyAncient South Indian history as well as eminent historians, and foreign travelers refer to the Nairs as a martial nobility, similar to the Samurais of Japan. The origin of the Nair caste is uncertain. Some anthropologists are of the view that the Nairs are not indigenous to Kerala, as many customs and traditions distinguished them from other Keralites. Some examples are their own form of inheritance (Marumakkathaayam), warfare (Kalaripayattu), gods and goddesses (Nagas or serpents, and Bhadhrakali), and numerous sub-castes and surnames. There is also a belief that the Nairs are Nagas. Velu Pillai, in the 'Travancore State Manual', explains how the Namboodiris were met by the martial Dravidian Nagas who had migrated like them, from the North. The Keralolpathi, which is a compilation of myths, mentions that Varuna had gifted land in Kerala to Nagas and the Nairs descended from these Naga ladies and Brahmin men. The affinity of the Nair community to Serpents and Serpent worship is indisputable and might have given rise to their reputed Naga origin. Naga worship might have also given rise to the mythical version of Nairs being Kshatriyas belonging to the Serpent dynasty (Nagavansham) who removed their sacred thread and migrated south to escape the wrath of a vengeful Parasurama. According to Chatampi Swamigal who interpreted old Tamil texts, the Nairs were Naka (Naga or Snake) Lords who ruled as feudal lords in the Chera kingdom. A Nair Lady, by Ravi VarmaOne finds mention of the Nairs during the reign of the King Rama Varma Kulashekhara (1020-1102) of the second Chera dynasty, when the Chera Kingdom was attacked by the Cholas. The Nairs fought by forming suicide squads (Chavers) against the invading force. It is not clear whether the Cheras themselves were Nairs, or if the Cheras employed the Nairs as a warrior class. All the Kings of Kerala boasted of how many Nairs were there in their army.The Nairs gradually lost their supremacy over the land after the collapse of the second Chera kingdom. The Namboothiris became more powerful. However Nairs continued to be the feudal lords (and less commonly royalty, as in Palakkad and Kozhikode) and land owners right up to the British times. They dominated the civil, administrative and military elite of the Pre-British era of Kerala.The Nair community currently numbers around 6 million people globally.[edit] EtymologyThe word Nayar is either derived from the Sanskrit word Nayaka (leader) or Naga (snakes, which the Nairs worshipped). Nair is also seen in other parts of the world - although no direct linkages with Nairs in Kerala have been established.[edit] Typical last names- Nair surnames are carried through matrilineality.
The surname Nair/Nayar is commonly used by all sub-castes belonging to Nair caste.
However, there are specific surnames for Nairs belonging to each class (Varnas) of the society.
• Eradi
• Kaimal
• Kurup
• Mannadiar
• Menon
• Nayanar
• Panicker
• Pillai
• Thampan
• Nedungadi
• Vazhunnor
• Nambiar
• Varma
• Unnithan
• Valiathan
• Karnavar
• Thampi
• Menokki • Achan
• Asan
• Kartha
• Kitavu
• Pallee
• Ilayidam
• Padanayar
Nair customs and traditions
Tharavadu is a system of joint family practised by Nairs.
A typical Nair Tharavad Kulam (fresh-water pond)A fresh-water pond (Kulam) was an essential requirement for the Tharavadu for bathing purposes. Daily bath was a must for Nairs. Also there were many rituals which needed ceremonial bathing in the ponds.[edit] Snake Park (Sacred Grove for Serpents)Generally, every Tharavadu had a Sarpa Kaavu (Sacred Grove for Serpents) for the worship of Serpent deities. Annual rituals and feasts were ceremonially conducted at the Sarpa Kaavus. Deterioraton of Tharavadu systemThe Socio-cultural changes which accompanied industrialization, modernization and political awakening had its toll on many old institutions. The matrilineal Nairs had to change with times. Maternal uncles started caring for their own children instead of their nephews and nieces. Social reforms spread with modern education. Partition of Tharavadus for individual share (Alohari Bhaagam) happened due to legal enactments. Tharavadus crumbled. The matrilineal system disintegrated. Fathers took charge of their sons and daughters and the husband and wife started living together with their offsprings. In Travancore, within five years of the Marumakkathayam Law of 1933, which sanctioned the dismantling of the tharavadu and the partition of property, 32,900 families were partitioned (1). By 1940s Tharavadu system of living became a thing of the past. Big Naalukettus and Ettukettu structures began to collapse or were sold off. Now only the names of the Tharavadus are remembered by the Nairs. MarumakkathayamNairs followed Marumakkathayam (Matrilineal) system of inheritance. It is exceptional in the sense that it was one of the few traditional systems that gave women liberty, and right to property. Under this system, women enjoyed respect, prestige and power. An exception is the community of Mannadiars of Palakkad, because they follow the patrilineal system. Some historians believe that the Marumakkathayam system started after the Chera-Chola wars during the second Chera empire, as the Nairs lost most of their men during the war.In the Marumakkathayam system, the family lived together in a tharavadu which comprised of a mother, her brothers and younger sisters, and her children. The oldest brother was known as the "Karanavar" and was the head of the household and managed the family estate. Lineage was traced through the mother, and the children "belonged" to the mother's family. All family property was jointly owned. In the event of a partition, the shares of the children were clubbed with that of the mother. The Karnavar's property which he earned for his Tharavad was inherited by his sister's sons and daughters and not by his own sons or daughters.The Marumakkathayam system is not very common in Kerala these days for many reasons. Kerala society has become much more cosmopolitan and modern. Nair men seek jobs away from their hometown and take their wives and children along with them. In this scenario, a joint-family system is not viable. However, there are still a few tharavadus that pay homage to this system. In some Nair families, the children carry the last name of their mother instead of the father, and are considered part of the mother's family, and not the father's. Nairs connect to and trace their lineage to a tharavadu - not to a member of the family. Tharavadu names are quite an important element of social reckoning - though decreasing in importance these days. The Kerala rulers also followed the Marumakkathayam system.“Kalam” by M.T. Vasudevan Nair, “Ayalkkar” by P. Kesava Dev and “Kayar” by Thakazhi Sivasankara Pillai portray the many facets of the Marumakkathayam system and how it had to dismantle itself because of the intricacies of modern times.[edit]
Kalarippayattu: The Vadakkan, or northern, style of Kalarippayattu is associated with the Nairs. In earlier times, Kalarippayattu was an essential component of education for Nairs. Nair men and even women learned the art of Kalaripayattu at an early age and used their skills in wars and combats.[edit] Marriage customs
KettuKalyanam : Marriage among the Nairs used to mean either the formal ceremony of tying a Thaali round the neck of a girl, accompanied by festive celebrations, known as the Thaalikettu or Kettu Kalyaanam, or the ceremony of actual alliance as husband and wife known as the Sambandham or Putavakota or Putavamuri as it is known in Northern Kerala. Through the work of social reformers, Kettu Kalyaanam ceased to exist. Now only the usual Marriage ceremony for Husband-Wife alliance is performed as Vivaaham which is a short and simple ceremony. Kettukalyanam put a squanderous expenditure on the tharavads and so Chatampi Swamikal strived against it. Marital alliance between the kindred (practised by many communities in India) is still allowed within this caste. It is not unusual for a boy or girl to be married to the son or daughter respectively of his her uncle on the mother's side.
Sambandham: an older form of marriageSambandham (Relationship) was a loose form of marriage prevalent among the Nairs. Sambandham could be had by a Nair lady only after her Kettu Kalyaanam. This kind of relationship was customary among the other matrilineal groups like Kshatriyas, and Ambalavasis and even among the Moplah Muslims of Malabar as well. The husband has mostly the right for cohabitation only.The food and care of the women and children would be the responsibility of the Karnavar of he family. The alliance starts with the ceremonial giving of Mundu or cloth to the lady by the prospective bridegroom.Sambandham suited the matrilineal system. It suited the system of Namputhiri Brahmins in which only the eldest male was allowed to marry among the same caste. So the younger Nampoothiris took to Sambandham with Kshatriya,Ambalavasi or Nair women. Namputhiri Sambandham was first attacked straight in the pioneering novel, "Indulekha" (1889) of O. Chandu Menon and Sammanthaval by Unnattiri (1889)
Vivaham: current systemMarumakkathayam has disintegrated. Sambandham came to a close. Over a century by now, Marriage (Vivaham) is performed as among the other communities. Marriage is consecrated with the giving of cloth (Pudava) and tying of Golden Thaali. The right hand of the bride is given into the right hand of the bridegroom by the father of the bride. There is exchange of flower garlands. The marriage is performed in the presence of the ceremonial lamp (Nilavilakku - the one with a sharp conical stem top). There is the accompaniment of Nadaswaram and Vaaykkurava (sound made by women with their tongues). The marriage is followed by a sumptuous feast with at least four varieties of Prathaman (Sweet dishes). After the marriage the bride goes to the bridegroom's house. This is a major change as far as the Marumakkathayam tradition is concerned. However, all the fanfare and pomp, the hallmark of Nairs are still evident in the Vivaham celebrations.[edit] Other customsSeemantham: Seemantham or Pulikudi is performed when a woman is pregnant for six months. On an auspicious day, after applying home-made ayurvedic oil with massage, a customary bath is done with the help of the elderly women in the family and then the family deity is worshipped, by invoking all the paradevatas. After that a concoction of herbal medicines prepared in the traditional way is given to the girl. The girl will be dressed up in new clothes and ornaments (used for such occasions). The family then has a feast for all the relatives. The medicines and routines of the girl are prescribed to be followed till child-birth.Jananam: Once a baby is born, the new born is given a bath. Honey and gold (gold rubbed on a stone with honey) with Vayampu (a herbal medicine) will be applied on the tongue of the new born as the first food.Upanayanam Holy thread ceremony for boys at the age of 12.Thulamasakkuli: Throughout the Malayalam month of Thulam (October-November), all the women and girls in the family will have bath (traditionally in the river or family ponds) much before sun rise. They will then perform poojas at home or visit a temple for Nirmalyam (early morning darshan.)
Thiruvathirakkali: A form of dance performed by women mainly on the night of Thiruvathira (Ardra) day in the month of Dhanu (December-January) either in the courtyard of the nalukettu or in the courtyard in front of the house. Thiruvathira songs are set in a specfic meter and composed in Malayalam. It is also called Kaikotti Kali and performed during the Onam celebrations.[edit]
Quotes on the Nairs
Below are the quotes of the foreign travellers to Kerala regarding the Nairs and their status: Quotes on the Nairs by Foreign Travelers:1510.—“The first class of Pagans in Calicut is called Brahmins.
The second are Nair, who are the same as the gentlefolk amongst us; and these are obliged to bear sword and shield or bows and lances.”— Varthema1563.—“…
The Nairs who are the Knights.”—Garcia1755.—“The king has disciplined a body of 10,000 Naires; the people of this denomination are by birth the Military tribe of the Malabar Coast.”—Orme1661. - “Olive colored they (Nair Women) grow their ears long and consider it fashionable, they wear gold and silver ornaments in the big ear holes...
They grow hair and tie it in a peculiar fashion on the head. Chewing betel leaf is common and their teeth are thus often black in color. From a very early age they get military training, though fierce they are also well behaved, which is the custom here…….
These Nairs rarely laugh…They are born in Noble families and are adept warriors. They come out with sword in one hand and shield in the other. They are a proud and arrogant people.” – Logan1661.- “"
... it is strange how ready the soldier of this country is at his weapon...they are all gentlemen and are termed Nayars ... they send their children to (Kalaris) when seven years old and their body becomes so nimble and bends as if they had no bones” – Logan1603. - “The men of war which the King of Calicut and all other kings have is Nair…..
each being a gentleman……their women be of great beauty and rare to catch sight of…..possessing fine neat features….befitting the noble class” – John Kanding"...On the west coast there are a few curious distinctions that indicate, apparently, difference in racial origin. The first of these instances is that of the Nair, the military caste of Malabar. Their traditions point to the north as their native land; they are light in colour, in very great contrast to the rest of the castes of the tract, have retained the custom of polyandry, with a good deal of serpent worship. It appears that they advanced upon their present tract by way of the coast higher up, but how they got there does not appear. As with the Arya, they found a dark race in possession and enslaved them on their estates, where they labour to the present day. In the same tract, too, there is a class of Bráhmans, the Nambudiri, of remarkable fairness of complexion, and noted for their rigid ceremonial puritanism. Then, again, in the track of the Nair's alleged progress, we find a peculiar caste of Brahmans, partly occupied in the cultivation of spices and betel nut, but settled mostly above the Gháts, and not therefore so well sheltered from foreign influences as the Nair, who sought the coast. These Havig or Haiga Bráhmans show their connection with the Túlu country in their speech, and, like the Nairs, attribute to their caste a serpent origin in Rohilkhand, a statement borne out by their title. Between these we have a class of female temple servants of an equally light complexion amidst a universally dark population.."( Jervoise Athelstane Baines , ( 1893 ), General report on the Census of India, 1891 , London , Her Majesty's Stationery Office , p. 184) ↑"Before quitting the country (Kerala) Hyder Ali Khan by a solemn edict declared the Nairs deprived of all (social and political) privileges and (ordered) not to carry arms. This ordinance was found to make the submission of the proud Nairs absolutely impossible because they would have thought death preferable to such humiliations and degradation. Therefore, Hyder Ali Khan by another ordinance, consented to restore all social and political privileges including carrying of arms, to the Nairs who embraced the Mohammadan religion. Many nobles had to embrace Islam; but a significantly large section (Nairs, Chieftains and Brahmins) chose rather to take refuge in the kingdom of Travancore in the South than to submit to the last ordinance"- Prince Ghulam Muhammad of Mysore"The Nairs of Malabar who attained much celebrity in warfare....justly entitled born soldiers...by the virtue of their descent they must always bear arms..they constitute the third and the last of the honoured castes....a privilaged people....the Rajahs like the oriental monarchs are fond of exaggerating their importance and boast of the number of Nairs they have in their country and service to impress us (the portuguese) with the idea of their wealth and power" - The Book, Letters from Malabar"I like to see these nairs who never care their lives who lead an army of similar people even against mighty ocean of enemies and fight to win like a hell-fire " - Lord Wellington
Notes and references
G. Arunima. There Comes Papa: Colonialism and the Transformation of Matriliny in Kerala, Malabar c.1850-1940 , Orient Longman.
Digital Colonial Documents (India) http://www.chaf.lib.latrobe.edu.au/dcd/page.php?title=&record=1031
{{note Nayaru Piticha Pulivaalu, Vrikodaran Pillai, TBS Publishers Calicut, 1988
Mannathu Padmanabhan (1878-1970)
Mannathu Padmanabhan was a great social reformer who hailed from the State of Kerala. He was born on 02 January 1878. Eswaran Namboodiri of Nilavana Illam was his father. His mother, Parvathy Amma came from a poor but respectable Nair family near Changanacherry, in North Travancore.Padmanabhan started as a teacher in 1893 on a salary of rupees five per month in a Government Primary School. In 1905, he started practising law in the Magistrates’ Courts and soon became a leading member of the Bar. In 1915 he gave up a lucrative practice and became full-time secretary of the Nair Service Society that had been started at his initiative in 1914. He established, expanded and enriched the Society as its Secretary for 31 years and as President for three years. In 1924 he took part in the Vaikkom and Guruvayoor temple-entry and anti-untouchability agitation. He became a member of the Indian National Congress in 1947 and took part in the Travancore State Congress agitation against Sir C.P Ramaswamy Iyer’s administration in Travancore.In 1949 Padmanabhan became a member of the Travancore Legislative Assembly. In 1959 he led a united opposition against the State Communist Ministry which had become unpopular. This ultimately resulted in inviting President’s rule to Kerala.During all these years the Nair Service Society had his constant attention and selfless service. It had now grown into a powerful organisation with a vast membership, substantial finances and various welfare activities. Besides looking after this work, Padmanabhan wrote many articles, an autobiography, and a travel book, Our Trip to the Federated Malay States, some criticisms and a novel, Snehalata. His style was virile, forthright and very effective. He also set up colleges, schools, hospitals and industrial units. In appreciation of his valuable services the President of India awarded him the title ‘Bharata Kesari’.He passed away in February 1970
