| Regions with significant populations | |
|---|---|
| Mostly in Malabar districts and Northern parts of Kingdom of Cochin | |
| Languages | |
| Malayalam | |
| Related ethnic groups | |
| Nairs |
Kiryathil Nair or Kiriyathu Nair is a high-ranking Nair sub-caste, or a distinction said to have been conferred by a king upon various subdivisions of the Vratya-Kshatriya Nair community[1] in the regions of Malabar districts and northern part of Kingdom of Cochin in present-day Kerala, India. They were the martial aristocracy of the region.
Kiriyathil Nairs are a distinction said to have been conferred by a king upon the foremost subcastes of the Nair community in Malabar districts. Nambiar and Kurup from the Purathu Chārna Nairs, as well as Menon and Panicker from the Akathu Chārna Nairs , Eradi Nairs, Vellāma Nair-Nambiār-Menon, Mannadiyar and certain other Nair sub-castes in Malabar districts, received this elite status. According to early reports, more than ten castes in Malabar were recieved and part of the Kiriyathil Nair list. These groups were related to other recognized Nair sub-castes.[2]
Social status[edit | edit source]
The Kiryathil Nair is the highest class among Nairs in Malabar districts. The caste boundary between Kiryathil Nair and some Samanthan Nair (Eradi usually elevated or related to Kiriyathil Nairs) in south Malabar is very vague and therefore some families among the Kiryathils in the course of time may be recognised as Samanthan Nair and vice versa.[3]
Kiryathil Nairs were feudal lords, known as Naduvazhi or Deshavazhi, and controlled a limited number of militiamen known as Charnavars under their command. These soldiers usually belonged to the Purattu Charna Nair subcaste.[4]
See also[edit | edit source]
References[edit | edit source]
- ↑ Vaidya, Chintaman Vinayak (January 1986). Downfall Of Hindu India. Gyan Publishing House. p. 293. ISBN 978-8121200509.
This land of Namboodiri Brahmins and Nair Kshatriyas sent out a religious invasion under Sankara which subjugated the whole of India.
- ↑ https://books.google.co.in/books?id=kTNRAAAAYAAJ&pg=RA1-PA156&dq=Kiriyathil+nayar&hl=en&newbks=1&newbks_redir=0&source=gb_mobile_search&sa=X&ved=2ahUKEwjjj-vfvIyWAxX4c_UHHYXtCMkQ6AF6BAgPEAM#v=onepage&q=Kiriyathil%20nayar&f=false
- ↑ 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.