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Kiryathil Nair
| Regions with significant populations | |
|---|---|
| Mostly in Malabar and Cochin, also in Travancore. | |
| Languages | |
| Malayalam | |
| Related ethnic groups | |
| Nairs |
Kiryathil Nair or Kiriyathil Nair is a subcaste of the Nair community, who have traditionally lived in the regions of Malabar and Cochin in present-day Kerala, India.
Social status
The Kiryathil Nair is the highest class among Nairs. In the caste hierarchy, they were considered superior to Illathu Nairs, but inferior to Samanthan Nairs. The caste boundary between Kiryathil Nair and Samanthan Nair is very vague and therefore some families among the Kiryathils in the course of time may be recognised as Samanthan and vice versa.[1]
Kiryathil Nairs were feudal lords, known as Naduvazhi, and controlled a limited number of militiamen known as Charnavars under their command. These soldiers usually belonged to the Purattu Charna Nair subcaste.[2]
See also
References
- ↑ Fuller, Christopher J. (1975). "The Internal Structure of the Nayar Caste". Journal of Anthropological Research. 31 (4): 283–312. doi:10.1086/jar.31.4.3629883. JSTOR 3629883. S2CID 163592798.
- ↑ Gough, E. Kathleen (1961). "Nayars: Central Kerala". In Schneider, David Murray; Gough, E. Kathleen. Matrilineal Kinship. University of California Press. ISBN 978-0-520-02529-5. Retrieved 2011-06-09.