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{{short description|Nair title}}
{{pp-extended|small=yes}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=December 2018}}
{{Use Indian English|date=December 2018}}
{{moresources|date=May 2020}}
{{Infobox ethnic group
| group = Kurup
| image =
| caption =
| pop =
| popplace = [[Kerala]]
| languages = [[Malayalam]], [[Sanskrit]]
| religions = [[Hinduism]] ([[Kshatriya]])
| related = [[Pillai (Kerala title)|Nair Pillai]], [[Madampi (Nair title)|Madampi]], [[Malayali Brahmin]]
}}
'''Kurup''' or '''Nair Kurup''' is a title of [[nobility]] used by [[Nair]]s in [[Kerala]], India.<ref name=":0">{{Cite book |last=Lannoy |first=Mark de |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=pKjZAAAAMAAJ&q=kurup |title=The Kulasekhara Perumals of Travancore: History and State Formation in Travancore from 1671 to 1758 |date=1997 |publisher=Leiden University |isbn=978-90-73782-92-1 |pages=201 |language=en}}</ref> They were experts in [[Kalaripayattu]] and had their own [[Nair Brigade|Nair armies]] in many parts of Kerala. Many of them were powerful warlords who also served as warriors and army generals. Additionally, a segment of the Nair Kurup caste belonged to the [[Jenmi|Jenminar]] (feudal chieftains) and [[Naduvazhi]] (regional rulers) in the kingdom of [[Venad (kingdom)|Venadu]] until the 17th century. The Nair Kurup caste is unrelated to other castes, such as the [[Ambalavasi]]s or [[Kalari Panicker]]s.<ref name=":0" />

== Etymology ==
"Kurup" is a title of nobility among the [[Nair|Nairs]], historically given by different kingdoms to Nair individuals or families who have reached a high level of expertise in [[Kalaripayattu]] or [[warfare]].

'''Title of Travancore Kingdom'''

The Nair title "Kurup" is mainly divided into two types in the Travancore region.

'''Kurup title in early Travancore -''' "Kurup" is a title of nobility among Nair subcastes of old [[Kollam]] (present-day [[Kollam district|Kollam]], [[Pathanamthitta district|Pathanamthitta]] and [[Alappuzha district|Alappuzha]] districts) and [[Thiruvananthapuram district|Thiruvananthapuram]] region, which corresponds to the [[Pillai (Kerala title)|Pillai]], [[Adiyodi]], [[Kartha|Karthav]], [[Kaimal]] titles.<ref name=":0" /> They were mainly warrior class, who expertise in Kalaripayattu and [[Duke|second ranking Nobles]] who represented the mainstream [[Nair|Hindu Nair]] community. These class of Nairs ranked above traditional Nair caste but below the king in caste hierarchy of Kerala.<ref name=":0" />
[[File:TVM aps temple.jpg|thumb|[[Padmanabhaswamy Temple]], The temple associated with Ettara Yogam]]
Well-known Kurups of early Travancore include [[Ettara Yogam|Azhakath Kurup]], a [[Nair]] [[Nobility|noble man]] who represented Nairs in the [[Ettara Yogam]] or the King and Council of Eight, the longstanding administrative setup of the Sri Padmanabhaswamy Temple for centuries.<ref name=":0" /><ref>{{Citation |title=Introduction: Pilgrimage, Landscape, Heritage |date=2014-12-05 |url=http://dx.doi.org/10.4324/9780203751893-8 |work=Christian Pilgrimage, Landscape and Heritage |pages=17–37 |access-date=2023-12-28 |publisher=Routledge|doi=10.4324/9780203751893-8 |isbn=978-0-203-75189-3 |url-access=subscription }}</ref> They belong to the highest Nair subcaste of Travancore, the [[Illathu Nair]].

'''Kurup title in later Travancore -''' The power of Kurup reduced after the formation of [[Travancore kingdom]], Kurup title was later given to the High Steward of Travancore (Great officers of Travancore). They belong to the [[swaroopathil Nair]] subcaste.

'''Title in Malabar and Cochin'''

In the [[North Malabar]] region, Kurup title is used by Nair families who expertise in Kalaripayattu, similar to the [[Nambiar (Nair subcaste)|Nambiar]] subcaste. These families belong to the [[Purathu Charna Nair]] caste (later known as [[Kiryathil Nair|Kiriyathil Nair]]), which is considered as higher to Kiriyathil Nairs of [[south Malabar]]. Kurup is also the title of Kiriyathil Nairs of [[south Malabar]].<ref>{{Cite book |last=Abraham |first=George |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=RK__DwAAQBAJ&dq=kurup+Kiriyathil&pg=PT32 |title=Lanterns on the Lanes: Lit for Life… |date=2020-12-28 |publisher=Notion Press |isbn=978-1-64899-659-7 |language=en}}</ref>

It is also used by Nairs in the [[Kochi|Cochin]] region. They were considered similar to the [[Menon (title)|Menon]] title and worked as scribes in Swaroopams, they belong to the [[Akattu Charna|Akattu charna]] and Kiriyathil Nair subcastes.

== Notable people ==
{{for|more|List of Nairs}}

[[File:Madavoor.JPG|thumb|180px|[[Madavoor Vasudevan Nair]], veteran Kathakali artist]]
[[File:Gopala Kurup, a poet from old Kollam, Travancore.jpg|thumb|180px|[[Vennikkulam Gopala Kurup]], Indian poet]]
* [[Azhakathu Padmanabha Kurup]], Indian scholar
* [[O. N. V. Kurup]], Indian poet
* [[Madavoor Vasudevan Nair]], Kathakali artist
* [[Narendra Prasad|Raghava Kurup Narendra Prasad]], Indian actor
* [[K. N. P. Kurup]], Indian politician
* [[K. Narayana Kurup]], Indian politician
* [[Parvathy Jayaram]], Indian actress
* [[Guru Kunchu Kurup]], Kathakali artist
* [[M. R. Kurup]], Indian scientist
* [[P. Narayana Kurup]], Indian poet
* [[Vennikkulam Gopala Kurup]], Indian poet
* [[Bhama Kurup]], Indian actress
* [[Saiju Kurup]], Indian actor

==References==
{{reflist}}

{{Travancore region}}
{{Princely states of the Madras States Agency}}

[[Category:Kingdom of Travancore]]

{{India-stub}}

Kurup (Nair caste) - Revision history

Godavari: Put up new post first draft